Category: Taxes and Retirement

July 10, 2026 came and went. That was the deadline the National Taxpayer Advocate flagged for tens of millions of taxpayers who may be owed refunds — or abatements — of penalties and interest the IRS assessed during the COVID-19 disaster period. If you're reading this now, you're probably asking…

If you regularly work overtime, there's a number you need to know right now: $12,500. That's the maximum amount of overtime premium pay you can deduct from your federal income tax for 2025 through 2028, thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). For a nurse working regular double…

By early spring 2026, more than 1.4 million taxpayers had received an IRS CP53E notice — a letter that means your approved tax refund is frozen and you need to act. The cause is a new federal policy phasing out paper refund checks, and the window to fix it without…

Perpetual futures — "perps" in market shorthand — are the fastest-growing trading instrument in global finance right now. They started in crypto, stayed in crypto for years, and are now crossing into mainstream U.S. brokerage accounts. The CFTC formally approved Bitcoin perps from regulated U.S. platforms in May 2026, and…

Congress passed the most significant housing legislation in decades, and after a standoff at the president's desk, it's now the law of the land. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act became law on July 11, 2026 — one day after the constitutional window for President Trump to act on…

Update — September 30, 2026: Robinhood Just Put Agents Inside the App On September 29, at its HOOD Summit in Houston, Robinhood announced Robinhood Agents: AI trading agents built right into the Robinhood app. No custom connector, no MCP link, no desktop-only setup like the one I describe below. Setup,…

A family of four on SNAP in Wyoming can get up to $1,023 a month in fiscal year 2027, which started October 1, 2026 (up from $994) — deposited onto the Wyoming EBT Card 1st–4th. But 2026 is a more complicated year than most for SNAP. The One Big Beautiful…

Wisconsin's SNAP benefits load onto your QUEST Card (EBT) 1st–15th. The maximum for a family of four is $1,023 a month in fiscal year 2027, which started October 1, 2026, up from $994. But 2026 is a more complicated year than most for SNAP. The One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB)…

West Virginia DHS Benefits handles SNAP applications and recertifications in West Virginia, with benefits loading onto the West Virginia EBT Card 1st–9th. Fiscal year 2027's maximum for a family of four is $1,023 a month as of October 1, 2026, up $29 from last year's $994. But 2026 is a…

Washington (WA) lets households earn up to 200% of the poverty line and still get Basic Food, the state's name for SNAP. That's $5,500 a month for a family of four, compared with $3,575 in states that stick to the federal 130% floor. The other Washington story this year is…

Starting November 1, 2026, Virginia (VA) SNAP can no longer buy soda. That covers regular, diet and "zero" soda, carbonated energy drinks and any carbonated drink with 5 grams or more of added sugar per serving. Everything else on your EBT card works the same. Benefits still load on the…

Vermont uses Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility at 185% of the poverty line, so more households qualify here than in states that stick to the federal floor. Either way, the maximum benefit is the same in every state but Alaska and Hawaii: $1,023 a month for a family of four as of…

A family of four on SNAP in Utah can get up to $1,023 a month in fiscal year 2027, which started October 1, 2026 (up from $994) — deposited onto the Utah EBT Card 5th, 11th, or 15th. But 2026 is a more complicated year than most for SNAP. The…