Andy | Saving to Invest

Where Is My New Jersey Tax Refund? 2026 Status, Processing Times, and Key State Deductions

New Jersey's 2025 tax year returns are due April 15, 2026, the same day as the federal filing deadline. If you're waiting on a refund or want to understand what's changed for this filing season, here's the current picture. Checking Your NJ Refund Status Use the New Jersey Division of…

California (CA) State Tax Refund Status and Key Tax Considerations

If you're a California resident or tax filer, here's what's worth knowing about the state's refund process and a few key state-specific tax considerations for 2026. Subscribe here to get notified of updates on California and federal tax changes. The Middle Class Tax Refund (MCTR) Program Has Ended The one-time…

Student Debt in 2026: The SAVE Plan Is Gone — Here’s What Replaced It

Student loan repayment has changed significantly since the pandemic-era pause and the SAVE plan experiment. If you've been coasting on old information, here's what's actually true heading into the second half of 2026. The SAVE Plan Is Gone The SAVE (Saving on a Valuable Education) Plan, introduced as an income-driven…

2026 Crypto Tax Updates: IRS Form 1099-DA Is Here — What Every Investor Needs to Know

The IRS's new Form 1099-DA hit mailboxes in early 2026 — the first time crypto investors have received a standardized tax form from their exchanges similar to what stock traders get from their brokers. If you trade on Coinbase, Kraken, Robinhood, Gemini, or any other major centralized platform, you should…

Home Insurance Costs in 2026: Why Rate Hikes Are Finally Slowing — and How to Actually Lower Yours

Homeowners insurance now averages somewhere between $2,400 and $2,900 a year nationally, depending on which tracker you use and how much dwelling coverage you're pricing. That's still going up in 2026, but the increase is projected at roughly 4% — a real slowdown from the 12% jump most homeowners absorbed…

Understanding Increased Standard Deduction Updates and Impact on Your Paycheck and Tax Refund in 2026 and 2027

Per the federal tax code, the IRS is required to adjust dozens of tax-related items for inflation on an annual basis. Given the persistently high levels of inflation reflected in recent

2026–2027 Updates: “Your Tax Return Is Still Being Processed” — What It Means and What to Do

Millions of people file their taxes and then wait — sometimes far longer than the IRS’s advertised 21-day guideline. The 2026 filing season made that worse. DOGE-driven staffing cuts removed roughly 7,000 IRS employees in February 2026, right in the middle of peak processing weeks. The National Taxpayer Advocate’s mid-year…

How Much Money Do You Really Need to Be Financially Independent in 2026?

To be independently wealthy on the classic rule of thumb, you need about 25 times your annual expenses saved and invested. Spend $60,000 a year, and the target is $1.5 million. That math hasn't changed — but the "safe" withdrawal rate underneath it has become a real debate over the…

When Will We Hit the Debt Ceiling Again? My 2026–2027 Timeline After the $41.1 Trillion Increase

The debt ceiling currently sits at $41.1 trillion, and as of August 19, 2026 we've already borrowed $40 trillion of it. That leaves roughly $1.1 trillion of headroom — and at the pace Washington has been adding debt lately, that room runs out faster than most people expect. I wrote…

Should You Sell or Hold Your Crypto? A Decision Framework That Doesn’t Depend on the Price

Bitcoin has traded above $99,000 for stretches of 2026 and also seen six-day runs of over $1 billion in spot ETF outflows in the same year. By the time you read this, both of those facts could be stale. That's exactly the problem with most "should I sell my crypto"…

Is Crypto a Good Investment? What to Know Before You Buy in 2026

Spot Bitcoin ETFs now trade on Fidelity, Schwab, and E*TRADE just like a stock — you no longer need a separate crypto exchange account to get exposure. That's the biggest change since crypto went mainstream, and it's worth understanding before you put any money in. This is the starting-point guide…

Meaning of IRS Codes on WMR Or Tax Transcript For Your Refund Processing and Payment Status

I've been receiving numerous concerns from readers about the IRS messages and codes appearing when they check their refund status using the Where's My Refund (WMR) tracker, the IRS2Go mobile app, or their free IRS transcript. Many filers feel stressed and anxious when they see these codes, wondering what they…

2026–2027 Child Tax Credit: OBBBA Raises It to $2,200 Per Child — Full Eligibility Guide

If you have kids under 17, here's the OBBBA update that matters to you: the Child Tax Credit just went up to $2,200 per child, permanently. That's $200 more per child than the 2017 TCJA rate, and the credit will now adjust for inflation annually — meaning it should keep…

Tennessee Unemployment Benefits in 2026: Up to $325/Week, No State Income Tax, and What Else Is Available

Tennessee's unemployment insurance program, administered by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, provides benefits for up to 26 weeks. The 2026 maximum of $325 per week is modest — Tennessee's cap has historically been one of the lower ones in the South. But one notable advantage is Tennessee's…