Category: Taxes and Retirement

When you sell a capital asset — a stock, bond, cryptocurrency, real estate, or other investment — the profit (or loss) is classified as a capital gain or loss. How much you owe in tax depends on three things: what type of asset it was, how long you held it,…

The short answer for 2026: if you e-file with direct deposit and nothing flags your return, the IRS issues most refunds in under 21 days — and over 80% of refunds this season went out inside that window. Paper filers and paper-check refunds wait considerably longer, typically 6 to 8…

Full coverage car insurance now averages around $2,500 to $2,900 a year nationally — roughly $210 to $245 a month — though it swings widely by state, from under $1,500 in Vermont to over $4,200 in Maryland. Minimum coverage runs cheaper, averaging around $1,570 a year, but leaves you far…

The average savings account still pays just 0.38% APY, largely unchanged for over a year. The top high-yield savings accounts (HYSAs) right now pay up to 4.21% — over 10 times more on the exact same cash, with zero additional risk. If you're on this page, you're likely comparing options…

[Updated Income Thresholds] The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recommends that all adults file a tax return. Obviously, the IRS wants to have everyone pay their taxes but it is also an important way for the government to ensure that it pays out subsidies, stimulus payments and tax credits to the…

The IRS Free File AGI limit for 2026 is $89,000 — the highest it's ever been. If your adjusted gross income lands at or below that number, free guided filing is available through 8 partner software companies. Above it, you're paying. Here's what's worth using this year and what's changed.…

Two separate reporting requirements tend to get conflated by landlords and anyone with money outside the U.S.: issuing 1099s to contractors you pay for property work, and disclosing foreign financial accounts to the Treasury. Both have real deadlines and real penalties, and both changed meaningfully under recent legislation. 1099 Reporting…

[Update] - See this article for 2012 and 2013 Tax Rates/Brackets The IRS has released its 2011 Tax Rates and Income thresholds following approval of the Bush-Era Tax Cuts. The latest 2011 IRS federal tax table is shown below with the following key tax changes: Personal exemptions and standard deductions…

As the year winds down, a few hours reviewing your tax situation can save you real money. Not every move here will apply to you — some are for itemizers, some are for retirees, some are specific to your income level. But there's almost always something worth acting on before…

The safest way to move money from an old 401(k) to an IRA is a direct, trustee-to-trustee transfer — the funds never touch your hands, so none of the deadlines or withholding rules below even come into play. Do it the other way, where the check gets sent to you…

To tackle America’s growing national debt problem, President Obama put together a task force earlier this year to look at options on how to cut government spending, implement tax reform and improve the effectiveness of federal entitlement programs. The deficit reduction commission co-chairs (Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson) put forward…

Boosting retirement savings isn't about finding one clever trick — it's mostly about using the accounts and incentives already available to you more fully than you currently are. Here are ten concrete ways to do that in 2026. 1. Get Your Full Employer Match If your employer offers a 401(k)…

Pull money out of a traditional 401(k) or IRA before you turn 59½, and the IRS adds a 10% penalty on top of whatever income tax you already owe. That's the headline rule everyone knows. What fewer people know is just how many exceptions exist. Some have been on the…