Tax Filing, Credits and Deductions

"Maximize your tax refund" gets searched every filing season, but it's worth being precise about what that actually means. A refund is just the IRS returning money you already overpaid through paycheck withholding or estimated payments — getting a bigger one isn't really a win if it means you gave…

A few years back I ended up owing taxes when I filed my return — a tax liability I could have avoided or shrunk if I'd made a few moves earlier in the year. That's still the core lesson here: most of the strategies below only work if you act…

If you sell on eBay or Etsy, drive for a rideshare app, or get paid through PayPal or Venmo, the 1099-K rules that caused years of confusion are finally settled — and in your favor. Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), payment platforms only send you (and the…

I get a few comments every tax season from readers asking whether it's too late to file a return after the regular deadline (April 15, 2026 for most people) — and what happens if they forgot to file for an extension. I also get asked what happens if they owe…

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…

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

Quick answer for anyone searching: the personal exemption is permanently gone. The $4,050-per-person deduction last existed on 2017 returns, was suspended by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) from 2018 through 2025, and Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) made the elimination permanent in 2025. It's not coming…

The 2027 filing season, when you'll file your 2026 tax return, should open in the last week of January with a deadline of Thursday, April 15, 2027. The IRS confirms the exact opening day in January. Every year I get the same handful of questions from readers gearing up for…

There's no dollar amount tied to claiming a dependent anymore. That surprises a lot of filers who remember the old personal exemption, so it's worth saying clearly up front: the OBBBA (One Big Beautiful Bill Act), signed in 2025, made permanent what used to be a temporary suspension — personal…

If you owe the IRS or your state after filing, paying by card costs you a convenience fee of 1.75% to 2.95%, depending on the processor and card type. That's the number that should drive this decision, not the rewards points. Cash flow gets tight for a lot of filers…

Tax season stalls out fast when you're missing a document. Here's exactly when to expect each form covering your 2026 income, what it reports, and what to do if February 2027 comes and goes without it. The Full Deadline List for 2027 Filing (2026 Tax Year) Form What It Reports…

Getting a tax refund feels good — it's easy to treat it like a bonus. But a refund is your own money, held by the IRS all year without paying you a cent of interest, then returned to you months later. Here's what that actually costs at today's rates, and…

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…