Category: Taxes and Retirement

While the official start date can vary slightly each year, the IRS typically begins accepting and processing individual tax returns in late January 2026. This is the green light for you to submit your tax return electronically. Even if you've been working on your taxes since the new year started,…

The digital age promised unparalleled connectivity and opportunity, but with it came a darker side – sophisticated scams designed to prey on the unsuspecting. We recently encountered a harrowing account from a friend, let's call him Alex, who found himself ensnared in what appeared to be a lucrative crypto investment,…

We've all been there: January 1st rolls around, and you declare, "This is the year I'll get my finances in order!" You decide you're going to pay off all your debt, save 50% of your income, and never eat out again. For a few weeks, you're a superhero. You pack…

The world of work is always changing. For years, the buzzword was "job hopping" — frequently changing roles to climb the ladder and increase salary. But in an era of economic uncertainty, a new trend has emerged: job hugging. This isn't loyalty to a great company. It's clinging to your…

If you run a business — whether it's a solo consulting practice, a restaurant, or a mid-size manufacturer — the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) changes your tax picture significantly. Some changes are genuinely good news for investment planning. Others close doors that were previously open, especially on the…

You may have seen headlines about a "bonus" Social Security payment of $967 being sent out to recipients. The idea of an extra check can be exciting, especially in today's economy where every dollar counts. But before you start spending that "bonus," it's crucial to understand what's really happening. The…

When you're staring at a new car loan at 6–8% interest, the monthly payment can sting. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) gives you a way to take some of that sting back: a federal income tax deduction on the interest you pay, up to $10,000 per year, for…

Trump Accounts officially launched on July 4, 2026 — parents can now open an account at trumpaccounts.gov or by filing IRS Form 4547 (Trump Account Election) with their tax year 2025 return. Babies born from January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2028 qualify for a one-time $1,000 contribution from the…

If you've filed taxes in the last few years, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) has already shown up on your 2025 return — and will do so for every return through 2028. In this post I will walk you through exactly what changed, what it means for your…

Non-itemizers can now deduct charitable cash gifts on their federal return for the first time since the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) nearly doubled the standard deduction and pushed most filers out of itemizing altogether. This isn't a proposal working its way through Congress anymore — it's enacted…

For tax year 2025 — the return most people filed by April 2026 — you were required to file if your gross income was at least $15,750 as a single filer under 65, or $31,500 married filing jointly with both spouses under 65. Below that, the IRS generally doesn't require…

If you own an LLC and have been putting off dealing with the Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) reporting requirement, here's the update you've been waiting for: you almost certainly don't need to file, and haven't since March 2025. This page has gone through several rounds of "wait and see" as…

Plenty of filers checking Where's My Refund (WMR) or IRS2Go this season have hit the same status: the IRS received your return, but a letter requesting more information is on its way to you. Your refund is on pause — but this message is a to-do item, not a disaster.…