Andy | Saving to Invest

Can You Deduct the Sales Tax on a Car? Yes — And the 2026 SALT Cap Increase Changes the Math

Sales tax paid on a car purchase is a real, often-overlooked deduction — but it only applies if you itemize, and it comes with a catch that trips people up: you can deduct sales tax paid or state income tax withheld, not both. For years, this deduction mattered less than…

Kids and Education Tax Credits for 2026 and 2027: CTC, AOTC, Lifetime Learning and the New $1,700 Scholarship Credit

The biggest news for parents this fall: the IRS released the rules for the new Federal Scholarship Tax Credit on October 1, 2026. Starting January 1, 2027, you can give up to $1,700 to an approved scholarship group and get every dollar back as a tax credit. Married couples filing…

Missed the Tax Deadline? Here’s Why Filing Late Costs More Than Paying Late in 2026

If you're past the tax deadline and haven't filed, the single most important thing to know is this: filing late costs far more than paying late. Even if you can't pay your full tax bill, filing your return or an extension on time avoids the harshest IRS penalty. The Two…

2026-2027 SEP IRA and Solo 401(k) Contribution Limits, Rules, and Comparison

If you're self-employed and not taking full advantage of a SEP IRA or Solo 401(k), you're likely leaving a significant amount of tax-deferred savings on the table every year. I've talked to a lot of freelancers and small business owners over the years who are diligently contributing to a regular…

2026-2027 Traditional IRA vs. Roth IRA — Contribution Limits and Phase-Out Income Ranges

For 2026, the IRA contribution limit is $7,500 — the first increase from the $7,000 limit that held for 2024 and 2025. Whether you're putting money into a traditional IRA or a Roth IRA, that's your combined ceiling across all IRA accounts. The IRS announced this increase in IR-2025-111, along…

California Unemployment Benefits: 2027 Outlook, Current 2026 Amount Up to $450/Week

The maximum weekly unemployment benefit in California is $450, and it has been stuck at that level since 2005. If you lost a job paying $60,000 a year, that's about $1,154 per week — you'd be capped at less than 40% of what you made. It's a number worth knowing…

How to Actually Speak to a Real Person at the IRS — Phone Numbers, Chat, and Tips That Work

Getting through to a live IRS agent has always been a battle, and 2026 hasn't made it easier. Ongoing staffing cuts — accelerated by DOGE-related reductions earlier in the year — have continued to shrink the IRS workforce. At the same time, the IRS is actively pushing taxpayers toward digital…

Return Accepted But No Refund? The IRS 5071C Identity Check Is the Likely Reason in 2026

You filed on time, got the "return accepted" confirmation and settled in for the standard three-week wait. Now it's well past 21 days, Where's My Refund (WMR) hasn't moved, and you're wondering where your money is. In 2026, the most common reason for this exact pattern is an identity verification…

Amending Your Tax Return in 2026 — Form 1040-X Rules, Deadlines, and the Real Refund Timeline

Found a missed credit, a wrong filing status, or a 1099 that arrived after you filed? Form 1040-X lets you fix it — and if the fix is in your favor, claim the extra refund. But amending isn't always the right move, and the processing wait is measured in months,…

WMR and the New IRS App (Replacing IRS2Go): What Your Refund Status Means in 2027

IRS2Go no longer exists. On September 25, 2026, the IRS replaced it with a new mobile app simply called the IRS app (announcement IR-2026-114). If IRS2Go was on your phone with automatic updates turned on, it has probably already changed over. The good news for refund watchers: you can still…

Maximum State Disability and Paid Leave Benefits by State in 2026

Only five states run a true State Disability Insurance (SDI) program: California (CA), Hawaii (HI), New Jersey (NJ), New York (NY), and Rhode Island (RI). If you get sick or injured and can't work — for reasons unrelated to your job — these are the only states with a mandatory,…

401(k) vs. 403(b) vs. 457(b) vs. TSP: 2026–2027 Contribution Limits Compared

If you've ever had a 401(k) at one job and a 403(b) at the next, you've probably wondered whether the IRS treats them as the same thing. Mostly, yes — 401(k), 403(b), and TSP plans all share one combined $24,500 employee deferral limit for 2026. The exception is the 457(b),…

2027 and 2026 Federal Tax Brackets and Standard Deduction – See How Your Take Home Pay is Impacted

The 2027 federal income tax brackets are official. The IRS released them on November 5, 2026: the standard deduction rises to $16,600 for single filers, $33,200 for married couples filing jointly and $24,925 for heads of household, and the 10% bracket now covers the first $12,800 of a single filer's…

2026-2027 IRS Tax Refund Schedule And Direct Deposit Payment Calendar

Tax return processing and refund payments continue to be bumpy this year given IRS budget cuts and introduction of several tax changes under Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB). The IRS started the 2026 season roughly 2 million returns behind on backlog, and a February 2026 Treasury Inspector General report…