Potential benefits that may be applicable to a taxpayer are identified based upon other tax returns for other similar taxpayers, specifically based upon a common external entity that may provide or be associated with the benefit. Identified potential benefits are then recommended to the user. Steps may include receiving a set of taxpayer information related, at least in part, to a subject tax return of the subject taxpayer; identifying an external entity identified on the subject tax return; analyzing a filed return data store to determine benefits reported on tax returns that are indicative of the external entity; identifying a potential benefit associated with the external entity; determining an estimated criterion for the potential benefit; determining whether the subject taxpayer is likely eligible for the potential benefit, based upon the estimated criterion and the set of taxpayer information; and recommending the potential benefit to the subject taxpayer.