June 18, 2026
Tropical Storm Arthur as it moved toward the Texas cost on June 17. Its deadly landfall underscores the need to prepare for hurricanes and all natural disasters.
BLOG POSTS
You’ve got most of the tax material you need to file, but a few are missing. Here’s how to track down that info so you can file on time.
The IRS has no plan on how to reduce its taxpayer correspondence backlog, which remained above pre-pandemic levels last year. A new government watchdog report warns that the accumulation could hamper the agency’s other taxpayer services.
If you didn’t file a tax year 2022 return back in 2023 and were due a refund, time is running out for you to get your money. April 15, 2026, is the deadline to submit that old filing to the Internal Revenue Service and claim your cash.
Taxes are confusing and frustrating. That’s why we all sometimes make filing mistakes. Here are 11 tax-filing errors to be aware of so you don’t make them.
Don’t cheat yourself this Tax Day by overlooking tax deductions and credits that could cut what you owe Uncle Sam.
Seattle, Washington, is home to high tech millionaires who now are the target of the Evergreen State’s new wealth tax. The levy will effectively bump the Evergreen State from the current nine-member no-individual-income-tax club.
Getting your paycheck tax withholding amount just right pays off at tax-filing time and throughout the year with your pre-filing cash flow. The IRS’ newly updated tax withholding estimator can help.
Taxes and You
We all know Benjamin Franklin’s observation that death and taxes are the only two certainties. But what Ben didn’t note was just how much taxes affect us while we’re enjoying our lives. Taxes are a consideration from the day your parents gaze down lovingly at you in your crib, and continue until they converge in Franklin’s famous quote.
Don’t Mess With Taxes, the award-winning blog from tax journalist and author Kay Bell, will help you deal with the many taxes you’ll encounter during that long and happy process, hopefully making taxes less, well, taxing throughout your lifetime.
About Don't Mess With Taxes
Don’t Mess With Taxes is a tax blog written by journalist and author Kay Bell. Although Kay is not a tax professional – she doesn’t prepare taxes for clients for a living – her experience in Washington, D.C., first as a staff member of the tax-writing U.S. House Ways and Means committee and then in the government relations offices for two major Fortune 100 companies, has provided her valuable insight into the tax process. Based on her experiences and continuing tax education, Kay shares her tax observations, tips, and commentary in Don’t Mess With Taxes.
Simplify Your Taxes, Maximize Your Savings
Your Comprehensive Tax Blog
Taxes have been a part of your life since your parents welcomed you into this world. From that beginning as a spanking new tax break for mom and dad, taxes have had an important role in all your major life events, from getting a job, saying “I do,” buying and selling homes, having kids of your own, and even retiring.
Yes, the involvement of the Internal Revenue Service is not welcome when Uncle Sam is collecting your money. But in many ways, the tax code can be your best friend. You just need to know how it applies to your personal circumstances so you can take advantage of it. This comprehensive tax blog, Don’t Mess With Taxes, is here to help you do just that!
Owners of successful small businesses have to deal with a lot of challenges. Tax scams are a major threat. The latest schemes are again a focus during National Small Business Week 2026.
The Internal Revenue Service has sent more than 830,000 taxpayers a notice asking for their bank information so that their refunds can be directly deposited. But scammers also are sending out a fake IRS notice, seeking people’s bank data for nefarious purposes.
The federal government finally is fully open after the longest shutdown on record. But the battle to keep Uncle Sam’s offices operational in the 2027 fiscal year faces an Oct. 1 deadline.
Saving for retirement is key to enjoying truly golden years. The Trump administration has officially launched a new savings option, dubbed the Trump IRA, for workers who don’t have a workplace retirement plan.
Blog Posts
The More Tax Posts tab at the top of this page will take you to, well, more tax posts. You also can search below for a tax topic.
July 6, 2026
It’s never too early for children to learn solid money lessons. The new Trump Account,…
We made it. Tax Day 2025 is finally over. For most of us. When the filing season started on Jan. 26, millions who were expecting refunds filed immediately. Most of us got our returns to the Internal Revenue Service by April 15. But plenty of taxpayers also got extensions. They are looking at an Oct. 15 filing deadline.
Those procrastinating filers aren’t a problem. In fact, the IRS appreciates taxpayers who take time to fill out their 1040 forms correctly. It also is grateful that tax submissions are spread out a bit, especially now that the IRS is a leaner agency. Processing returns is easier when they arrive throughout the year instead of in massive bunches.
But enough about Uncle Sam’s tax collection issues. The focus now is on all y’all who filed for extensions, giving you another six months to complete your return. Since your new mid-October due date will be here before you know it, let’s get started now on meeting it.
The ol’ blog is here to help you finish up your extended Form 1040. You can start with January’s tax tips page, which has links to the rest of the year’s tips by-month collections. You also can peruse various tax categories for more tailored advice by clicking on the More Tax Posts drop-down menu at the top of this (and every) page.
And to make sure you don’t miss your new filing deadline, the count-down clock below will let you know just how much time you to file by Oct. 15. At the latest.e. (Note: I’m in the Central Time Zone, so adjust accordingly for where you live.)