Tax Documents Checklist
- Are My Alimony Payments Tax Deductible or Taxable Income? A 2026 Guide
- How to Verify Your Identity with the IRS: AGI, Self-Select PIN, and IP PIN
- Adopting a Child: What the Adoption Tax Credit Means to You, Updated for 2026
- How the 2018 Tax Reform Bill Simplified the Filing Process, and Where It Stands Today
- The Affordable Care Act and Your Taxes: What to Know in 2026
- Trump Accounts: Tax Benefits and What Families Should Know
- How to File an Amended Tax Return: 2026 Update
- The 2018 Tax Reform Bill (Known as the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act”), Updated for 2026
- How to File a Tax Extension: 2026 Guide
- What You Need to Know About Electronic Tax Payments Since the IRS Is Phasing Out Paper Checks
- IRS Direct File software: What happened to it & what should you do if you used this last year?
- States Where the IRS Has Extended the Tax Deadline
- Health Savings Plan Distributions & 1099-SA
- Did you receive a state or local refund last year?
- Do I need to report my Social Security benefits?
- Who can take the Retirement Savings Contributions Credit? (Savers Credit)
- How to Report Gambling Winnings with a Form W-2G
- How Do I Claim Refundable Credits After Disallowance?
- What is an IRS Issued Identity Theft PIN (IP PIN)?
- Who Can Take the Credit for the Elderly or Disabled (Schedule R)?
- Did you collect unemployment compensation from a state or local government assistance program?
- What is the Recovery Rebate Credit?
- How to file for a federal or state income tax extension
- Taxpayer COVID-19 FAQ
- The New Simplified 1040 Tax Form
Federal Estate Tax: What is It, and Why Do We Have It?
For many people, the word estate can conjure rarified visions of mansions set amidst expansive lawns in exclusive communities, and when it comes to federal estate tax, those visions maybe somewhat accurate. The federal estate tax – tax levied on property bequeathed to heirs – does not affect 99% of Americans since only about 1% of Americans are even wealthy enough to be affected by it. Just how wealthy, you wonder? As of 2018, unless an estate’s value exceeds the exemption figure of $11.18 million per person (that’s $22.36 million per couple), it isn’t subject to federal estate taxes. The
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7 Tips for Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft or Fraud
Just 20 years ago, cybercrime was the stuff of futuristic fantasy. Today, well into the maturity of the Digital Age, anybody who has been the victim of online fraud knows well that there’s no fantasy about it. Online fraud and identity theft causes serious, long-term problems for people who become the victims of it – and the ramifications can stretch for years. As reported by Javelin Strategy & Research, some 16.7 million consumers were victims of identity theft or fraud last year. That’s an increase of 8 percent over the year before. In a special report from CNBC, it was
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Taxes Through the Ages
Taxes are what we pay for a civilized society. – Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.
Taxes have been levied on citizens by governments since antiquity. At best, taxes have been regarded as fuel for the engine of civilization, and at worst, as depredations that have ignited revolts and uprisings.
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Checking the Status of a Federal Tax Return
In 2016, the average individual income tax refund was $3050. With this kind of money coming back to tax payers it should be no surprise that they expect a way to check the status of their refund and the IRS has developed the following: (1) online access to refund information at “Where’s My Refund?”; and (2) online access to the status of an amended return at “Where’s My Amended Return?”
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Done Filing? Here’s How To Make It Easier Next Year
Are you still reeling from that all-nighter you pulled trying to get your taxes in by the deadline? Still decompressing after searching through every file on your computer, and every piece of paper in your house, trying to find that darned 1098-E student loan interest form?
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What Your Taxes Actually Pay For
Probably every taxpayer, at some point or another, has found themselves wondering: What do my taxes actually pay for? According to the Center for Policy and Budget Priorities, in fiscal year 2016, the federal government spent $3.9 trillion, $3.3 trillion of which was financed by American taxpayers.
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From Tummy Time To Tax Time: The New Parents’ Guide To Filing
So much changes when you become a parent. You stop worrying about missing that trendy pop-up dinner, and start worrying about feedings and sleep schedules. Your idea of entertainment changes from an exciting night out with friends, to a relaxing evening of Netflix and a (hopefully) sleeping baby.
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What If Dogs Filed Taxes
We understand filing taxes may not be much fun, so we thought we’d have a little fun with a somewhat silly post on if dogs had to file a tax return.
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Oops, I just realized I forgot something on my tax return (What do I do now?)
What if after filing and going through your mental checklist you realize that, oops — you forgot to file something. What do you do now? Well the IRS has a form for that. It’s called the 1040X. There are many different reasons why it might be necessary to file an amended return such as a change in your income, deductions or credits.
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From Headache to Cakewalk
It’s the time of year when tax filing is on most people’s minds. Maybe you’re relieved to have filed early and to have already put your refund to good use. Maybe you’re currently up to your eyeballs in tax forms, hoping for the best. Or maybe you’re imagining all the cool things you could do with some extra cash as you eagerly await your refund.
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