Topic
Up to 85% of your Social Security benefits can be subject to federal income tax depending on your combined income. Here is how the IRS calculates provisional income, what thresholds trigger taxation, and how to protect your retirement checks.
By Thomas E. Wright · Sep 22, 2026
Didn't get a 1099? You may still owe taxes on it. Here's the real $400 threshold gig workers need to know, plus how self-employment income affects the EITC.
Sep 19, 2026
Got a notice that your EITC was disallowed? Form 8862 might be how you get it back — but ban periods and notice types determine exactly when you're allowed to file it.
Sep 18, 2026
Free tax filing covers most Americans in 2026 — but the free and paid versions of the same software are often one click apart. Here's how to actually find the free one.
Sep 16, 2026
TaxAct isn't a competitor to IRS Free File — it's part of it. Here's how to actually get free filing, and which option fits low-income filers best in 2026.
Sep 13, 2026
They get used interchangeably all the time, but a deduction and a credit don't save you the same amount of money — and the gap can be worth thousands of dollars depending on your bracket.
Sep 13, 2026
It's a brand-new type of IRA for children under 18, and the government will seed it with $1,000 for free — but only if a parent actually files the right form. Here's exactly how it works.
Sep 13, 2026
The EITC is fully refundable, meaning the IRS pays you the difference even if you owe zero tax — and yet the IRS itself estimates roughly 20% of eligible workers skip it every year. Here's how much it's actually worth and who qualifies.
Sep 13, 2026
The federal unemployment tax caps out at $42 per employee for most employers — but not if you run payroll in California or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Here's the full breakdown for the 2025 filing season.
Sep 9, 2026
A brand-new federal deduction just for taxpayers 65 and older is now available — but it phases out fast, it's easy to confuse with an older deduction of a similar name, and it disappears after 2028.
Sep 7, 2026