September 29, 2026
In addition to electing lawmakers on Nov. 3, voters across the United States will see some policy questions on their ballots. The results could affect their state and local taxes.
BLOG POSTS
Trump Accounts were designed to help young people get better returns on savings than the usual child’s piggy bank deposits. The tax-favored investment vehicle also now has its own app for easier access and management.
IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers that are open on some Saturdays won’t have flashy signs like this. But their services will be available to taxpayers who can’t make weekday meetings. The next special weekend open day is May 30.
Emotions have always run high at spelling bees, as this Norman Rockwell painting shows. While this year’s Scripps National Spelling Bee competitors are facing off, it’s good time to brush up on tax terminology.
The $1.776 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund, part of a deal to end Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service, is roiling Capitol Hill. Critics are worried that people convicted of crimes when they stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and since pardoned by Trump would be eligible for payouts.
It’s graduation season. If you’ve got some high school or college graduates in your life and you don’t know what to get them, don’t despair. Here are seven financial gifts, some with tax benefits that the recipients (and in some cases, you, too) will appreciate.
Donald Trump and singer Shakira both got good tax news. In the U.S. case, the president’s pending audit troubles are over. The international pop star was acquitted of Spanish tax evasion charges.
A key IRS job is ensuring taxpayers comply with the law. A new tax watchdog report says the agency needs to pay more attention to its federal colleagues. More than 571,000 current federal and retired employees owed approximately $6.3 billion in delinquent taxes over fiscal years 2021 through 2024.
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!
Selling your home can net you a nice chunk of non-taxable profit as long as you meet the Internal Revenue Code rules.
Wildfires are among the catastrophes across the United States that have disrupted, or worse, the lives of millions. If you want to help those dealing with a disaster, make sure you give to legitimate organizations and not to scammers looking to cash in on other’s misfortunes.
Fans of Spain’s national team were thrilled with the World Cup final. So were U.S. homeowners whose short-term rentals of their residences during the tournament produced nice and tax-free income.
The quiet-so-far 2026 hurricane season looks to be ramping up a bit. Gulf of Mexico residents need to prepare now for Bertha, which could be strong enough to be named as soon as Monday, July 20.
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.
October 17, 2026
Just 2½ months left in 2026. Time to start making tax plans and moves to…
TO WRAP UP 2026
It’s over! With October’s extended filing deadline behind us, it is now time to focus on year-end moves to reduce your 2026 tax bill.
You’ll find ways to do just that on the Tax Tips page (see the More Tax Posts drop-down menu at the top of the blog), as well as the separate tax tip pages for each month, notably October through December. If you’re on the Tax Tips page, you’ll find a monthly list at the end of this column. If you’re on another blog page, you can head straight to the October tips; at the bottom of that tips page you’ll find links to all the other 11 months’ collections of tax advice.
Not to spoil what you’ll find in that tax advice, but it does cover such things as tax deductions for charitable donations, investment moves that could reduce tax due, and ways to max out your tax-favored retirement savings.
Finally, as the year winds down, things get hectic. There are lots of other things to occupy our time, like the much more fun upcoming holidays. But don’t lose sight of taxes, since timing is key. To be of use, most tax moves must be made by the end of the tax year. That’s Thursday, Dec. 31, which also is the last business day of the year.
So that you don’t miss that final tax year deadline, also keep an eye on the countdown clock below. It will keep you on top of just how much time is left to make important, tax-saving moves. (Note: I’m in the Central Time Zone, so adjust accordingly for where you live.)