Tax news, planning strategies, deductions, and annual changes affecting your return.
The $3,000 IRS Rule That Can Lower Your Taxable Income
# The $3,000 IRS Rule That Can Lower Your Taxable Income Tax-loss harvesting delivers real money savings for investors who act before December 31. Th…
Trump $5,000 Checks and $500 ACA Rebates: What to Know About the Latest Promises
# Trump's Latest Checks and Rebates: What Taxpayers Should Actually Expect President Trump has announced plans to send $5,000 checks to American taxp…
Has Company Stock in Your 401(k) Soared in Value? This Little-Known IRS Rule Could Slash Your Tax Bill
# Company Stock in Your 401(k)? A Tax Rule Most People Miss If your company stock inside your 401(k) has climbed significantly in value, the IRS offe…
Got Your Dream Job Abroad? What to Know About Your Paycheck Before You Make the Move
# What You Need to Know About Getting Paid Abroad for a U.S. Company Landing a job offer to work overseas for an American employer feels like a victo…
Ask the Tax Editor, September 11: How Long to Keep Tax Returns
# How Long to Keep Your Tax Returns and Records The Internal Revenue Service sets specific retention rules for tax documents, and knowing them protec…
5 Little-Known Senior Property Tax Breaks in 2026
# 5 Little-Known Senior Property Tax Breaks in 2026 Millions of retirees overpay property taxes each year simply because they don't know about progra…
Texas Voters Face a Tax Choice: Property Tax Cuts or $1,500 Refunds?
# Texas Voters Face a Tax Choice: Property Tax Cuts or Direct Refunds Texas gubernatorial candidates are proposing sharply different approaches to re…
The $3,000 IRS Rule That Can Lower Your Capital Gains Tax
# The $3,000 IRS Rule That Can Lower Your Capital Gains Tax The IRS lets you use investment losses to offset capital gains and reduce your overall ta…
8 Retirement Tax Strategies Your CPA Won't Tell You
# Eight Retirement Tax Strategies Your CPA Won't Tell You Most retirees treat tax preparation as a once-a-year chore. They file their returns in Apri…
How to Turn Your Parents' Estate Tax Exemption Into a Capital Gains Miracle
# How to Turn Your Parents' Estate Tax Exemption Into a Capital Gains Miracle The federal estate tax exemption sits at $13.61 million per person in 2…
The 3 Biggest Tax Mistakes Retirees Can Make in Their 60s: Are You Missing Your Golden Tax Planning Window?
# The 3 Biggest Tax Mistakes Retirees Can Make in Their 60s Your 60s represent a critical window for tax planning decisions that ripple through the r…
4 Smart Ways to Boost Your Charitable Giving (and Reduce Taxes) as Year-End Approaches
# Smart Tactics to Maximize Charitable Giving Before Year-End Year-end planning offers a narrow window to boost donations while capturing available t…
Trump Says AI Data Centers Make Towns ‘Rich.’ Here’s How They Actually Affect Property Taxes
# Trump Says AI Data Centers Make Towns 'Rich.' Here's How They Actually Affect Property Taxes President Trump recently praised artificial intelligen…
Tax Breaks for Victims of Hurricanes, Wildfires and Other Disasters
# Tax Breaks for Disaster Victims: What the New Law Means for You A new federal law expands tax relief for people whose homes, businesses, and person…
Ask the Tax Editor, August 28: Are More Tax Changes Coming From Congress?
# Congress Eyes Tax Changes Before Year-End. Here's What Savers and Filers Need to Track Tax uncertainty hangs over the remainder of 2024 and into 20…
Retiring With an ESOP? Missing This Crucial Planning Window Will Cost You
# Retiring With an ESOP? Missing This Planning Window Will Cost You Employee stock ownership plans, or ESOPs, concentrate wealth in a single holding …
States With No Income Tax Ranked By Homeowner Costs
# States With No Income Tax Ranked by Homeowner Costs Nine states impose no income tax on residents. Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas,…
Strong Tax Strategies Deal With the Next Few Decades, Not the Next Deadlines
# Long-Term Tax Planning Beats Last-Minute Year-End Scrambles Most people treat tax planning like a sprint to the finish line in December. They cram …
What Happens With Taxes When You Inherit a House
# What Happens With Taxes When You Inherit a House Inheriting a house triggers complex tax consequences that most heirs overlook until after probate …
What Happens Tax-Wise When You Inherit a House
# What Happens Tax-Wise When You Inherit a House Inheriting a house triggers a complex web of tax consequences that most beneficiaries don't anticipa…
Now Is the Best Time to Make These 6 Financial Moves (You'll Thank Yourself in December)
# Six Financial Moves to Make Before Year-End The calendar shows September, but your financial picture for 2024 is nearly complete. With three months…
Does Your State Tax Retirement Income? Take Our Quiz
# State Retirement Income Taxes Vary Widely. Your State's Rules Will Reshape Your Plan. Retirement income taxation creates a hidden cost that catches…
Student Loan Tax Traps to Avoid in 2026
# Student Loan Tax Traps to Avoid in 2026 The student loan landscape shifted dramatically over the past few years, and tax season 2026 brings fresh c…
Ask the Tax Editor, August 21: Tax Help for Disaster Victims
# Tax Help for Disaster Victims: What You Need to Know Residents affected by federally declared disasters can access several valuable tax breaks to e…
The Last Day to File Taxes (and What to Do If You Can’t Pay)
The IRS has confirmed that the 2026 tax filing deadline falls on April 15, 2026. This marks the standard annual deadline for submitting federal income…
Side Hustle Tax Deductions for 2025: The Complete Guide
The IRS requires you to report every dollar from side hustle income, but most gig workers leave hundreds or thousands on the table by missing availabl…
9 Things Every Side Hustler Should Do Before Tax Season
Side hustlers often face unexpected tax bills when April arrives because they lack the automatic withholding that traditional W-2 employees receive. U…
The Standard Tax Deduction (Updated for 2025-2026)
The standard tax deduction gives eligible taxpayers a fixed dollar amount to subtract from their income before calculating federal income tax. For 202…
Where to Get Your Taxes Done (The 3 Best Places & Prices)
Taxpayers face three main options when filing their returns: doing it themselves with software, hiring a tax professional, or using volunteer assistan…
How Long Will it Take to Get Your Tax Refund?
The IRS promises to issue most tax refunds within 21 days or less, but the actual timeline depends on how you file and claim your money. E-filing you…
When Is a 1031 Exchange Not the Right Move? A Real Estate Investing Pro Offers a Reality Check for Your Next Exit
A 1031 exchange lets real estate investors defer capital gains taxes by reinvesting sale proceeds into a like-kind property within 180 days. Many trea…
You Made More Money This Year. Here’s the Tax Move You Probably Missed
You earned more money this year, but your tax withholding likely hasn't kept pace. That gap costs you thousands in unexpected tax bills come April. W…
The $400 Rule: When Side Hustlers Have to Pay Self-Employment Tax
Side hustlers commonly misunderstand when they owe self-employment tax, and that confusion costs them money during tax season. The $600 threshold wid…