July 29, 2026
Photo by cottonbro studio …Tax cheats are a universal uniter. We all want these scofflaws caught and made to pay their tax bills. Sometimes it takes a whistleblower to bring tax evasion to light. These informants, tax and otherwise, will be celebrated on National Whistleblower Day, July 30. Read on for…
BLOG POSTS
Married couples share almost everything, including taxes. For most, sharing taxes by filing a joint return is the best tax strategy. Here are six ways married filing jointly can pay off for wedded pairs.
California gets a fiscal boon from the jock taxes owed by Super Bowl LX teams. But this nonresident tax, which other states also collect, applies to more than just athletes.
As Super Bowl LX’s kickoff nears, fans of the game and related event activities like Bad Bunny’s halftime performance, are placing their prop bets. If any of these wagers pay off, you’ll owe tax on the gambling income.
Bettors are expected to place a record $1.76 billion in legal wagers on Sunday’s NFL championship game. Any of those Super Bowl bets that pay off are taxable income.
Sure, February is home to Valentine’s Day, but millions of Americans’ thoughts turn not to love, but taxes. This shortest month is a big one for taxpayers. Here are 3 tax moves to help with your return filing and tax refund.
The IRS has its own version of Groundhog Day for taxpayers who must correct prior erroneous filings. It’s called filing an amended tax return using Form 1040-X.
Larger families do get more from the Earned Income Tax Credit. But this valuable tax break also is available to eligible single taxpayers. If you qualify, claim the EITC!
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!
May’s merriment may not seem synonymous with taxes, but this month is a great time to make some IRS-inspired moves. These three could get your 2026 tax situation on a money-saving track.
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.
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.
September 6, 2026
As more people own digital assets, crooks are cooking up new tax-themed schemes to steal…
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.)