Tag: 2017

This article provides the latest updates and news on General Schedule (GS) pay scale changes, including forecasted annual adjustments based on White House and Congressional plans. The GS pay scale provides annual base pay or salary scales, in addition to locality pay adjustments, for civilian federal employees and related groups.…

[Updated PATH Refund Status & Release Dates] Early tax filers who claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) may experience a payment delay or freeze in their refund until early March due to the PATH Act. See below for when returns impacted by the…

Get the latest information on IRS refund processing and direct deposit schedules in this updated article.  You can also see these articles for determining your IRS Cycle/Batch code and estimated deposit date via your official IRS tax transcript. The IRS expects more than 70% of taxpayers to get tax refunds…

[Updated with latest IRS 401k limits] The IRS has now released its latest annual 401k limits. The table below shows what the contribution limit trends have trended over the last few years at the individual/employee level. Click here for the full set of 401K, Roth IRA and Traditional IRA Contribution Limits…

The IRS has announced that it is now processing tax returns for all taxpayers, including those who filed a return including those who claimed the EITC/ACTC. Unlike prior years, processing seems to be much smoother this year. The number of returns processed by the I.R.S. was down about 10 percent…

[Latest update]  Republican lawmakers in the House and Senate have now passed a combined tax reform bill along party lines for President Trump's Tax Reform measures under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. See the table below that contrasts changes from earlier versions in each chamber versus what is in the final…

With open enrollment for health insurance plans underway there have been a number of conflicting news reports about the status of ObamaCare and potentially dramatic increases in health insurance costs for the coming year. Here we’re going to explore 4 potentially major changes to ObamaCare in 2017 and beyond: There Will…

You can see the latest EIC tables in this updated Earned Income Tax credit (EITC) page [Updated] Below are the final IRS published 2016 and 2017 Earned Income Tax credit (EITC) figures. You can reference IRS publication 596 or use online tax providers like TurboTax or H&R Block to get a free estimate of the specific…

The IRS has released its latest individual employee contribution annual limits for those participating in employer sponsored retirement programs covering 401(k), 403(b), 457 and Government Thrift Savings (TSP) plans. Changes are shown in the table below. The contribution limits are indexed to inflation and as a result are adjusted annually by the…

This article provides a summary of changes and updates to IRS Federal tax rates and brackets. These adjust annually in line with inflation, under the tax code, to provide for mandatory cost of living adjustments (COLA). You can see the latest updates by year below. 2026 Tax Brackets (for 2027…

Despite ObamaCare, formally known as the Affordable Care Act, having been around for several years now there is still considerable uncertainty around the various tax credits and subsidies on premiums, deductibles, co-payments, and coinsurance. The value of these credits and subsidies are generally dependent on your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) and family…

[Updated] Will i still have to pay health insurance penalties (under the Obamacare individual mandate)? This is the question a lot of Americans are asking. The short answer is NO from 2019.  Here is why the individual mandate, a.k.a Obamacare penalty, is no longer in effect from 2019: While Congressional Republicans…

A SIMPLE IRA is a small business IRA-based plan with a simplified method for employers to make direct contributions (via salary reductions) toward their employees' retirement and their own retirement. Employees may choose (not mandatory) to make regular deferred pre-tax salary contributions, while the employer makes matching or non-elective contributions…