2011 | Saving to Invest

Why You May owe taxes This Year or Get A Much Smaller IRS Tax Refund

Over the last few years, thanks to plenty of pandemic related support via stimulus payments and funding for expanded tax credits, the average refund payment ballooned to over $3,100. This is despite 20 million fewer Americans getting refunds. However with no further federal funding approved, several popular stimulus, family and dependent tax…

Quarterly Estimated Tax Payments and IRS Installment Due Dates

Estimated taxes normally have to paid if you do not withhold taxes via your employer or if the amount of income tax being withheld from your salary, pension, vendor payments or other income is insufficient. Estimated taxes are generally paid by small business', self-employed or gig workers with variable sources…

Best Job Prospects for 2026 and Beyond: What the Latest BLS Data Shows Is Actually Growing

The national unemployment rate was 4.2% in June 2026, and the economy added just 57,000 jobs that month — well below expectations, with leisure and hospitality actually losing jobs while healthcare and professional services kept growing. It's a mixed, uneven labor market, and it makes the question of where the…

Am I Saving Enough in my 401K and IRA – Comparison by Age

10 or so years later, I thought I would revisit how Americans (and myself) are doing with their retirements savings in 401K and IRA plans. This is particularly important as Americans age and contribution limits keep rising. Based on Fidelity's 2022 report, the average 401(k) balance is $121,700. This is…

2023 Teachers IRS Tax Deduction – Expense Limit Raised For Elementary and Secondary School Educators

Teachers and other personnel at K-12 schools can take a tax deduction for classroom supplies that they buy out of their own pockets, whether they itemize or not. This deduction amount is adjusted on a semi-regular basis, with the latest amounts shown below. It has been raised for the 2023…

Obama’s 2012 Job Creation Stimulus and Tax Cuts – Can the New Economic Plan Really Boost The Economy and Lower Unemployment?

[Update - American Jobs Act a.k.a 2012 Economic Stimulus] In what is essentially the 2012 stimulus package, President Obama has released details on the American Jobs Act which involves spending over $400 billion dollars to boost economic growth. The key provisions are: Extension of employee payroll tax cuts into 2012,…

Payroll Tax Credit and Unemployment Insurance Benefits Extension

See updated details on the potential 2020 payroll tax cut [Updated- 2012 Payroll Tax Credit Holiday, Unemployment Benefits and Medicare Doctor Payments Extended to Dec 31st] With House Republican support Congress has passed legislation extending the federal payroll tax holiday through the end of the year without demanding spending cuts…

American Opportunity Tax Credit 2025 For Students: Eligibility, Income Limits, and Phase-out Details

The AOTC allows parents and students to receive a tax credit of up to $2,500 for qualified undergraduate college expenses, based on certain income limits. The AOTC replaced the smaller Hope credit a few years ago as part of bills passed under the Obama administration (see section below for origin).…

2011 Updates – Tax Brackets and Rates, Government (GS) and Military Pay Scales, 401K and IRA Limits and Stimulus Payments

I have made a number of updates to popular topics on this site and in case you missed them, here is a quick recap with a link to the detailed information. 2011 Tax Rates and Brackets Following Bush-era Tax Cut Extensions With approval of a two-year extension to all the…

2017-2018 Estate Tax Changes and Exemption Extension

[Update] - As part of the 2018 Trump tax reform package there is a big push to get the Estate tax fully repealed or raise existing exemption levels. Provisions around this are being debated in Congress and you can get the latest updates in this article. ______ A change to the…

2011 Tax Brackets – Updated IRS Federal Income Tax Tables and Income Thresholds

[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…

2026–2027 Updates: Child Tax Credit (CTC) and Kiddie Tax — Thresholds, Eligibility, and OBBBA Changes

The Child Tax Credit (CTC) is $2,200 per qualifying child for the 2026 tax year, following the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) signed in 2025. That $200 increase from the prior $2,000 level is now locked in permanently and indexed for inflation going forward. For most families, not much has…

2011 Employee 2% Payroll Tax Cut Holiday For Social Security and Medicare. Making Work Pay Credit Not Extended

As part of bush-era tax cuts extension legislation (Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010), a number of new tax breaks were made available. One was a temporary one year cut in employee payroll taxes, which funds Social Security and Medicare, of 2% during 2011. The…

2026–2027 Year-End Tax Planning: 15 Moves to Make Before December 31

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…

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