September 6, 2026
As more people own digital assets, crooks are cooking up new tax-themed schemes to steal the holdings and more. The latest is a fake IRS Digital Asset Compliance Portal.
BLOG POSTS
The Alternative Minimum Tax, known as the AMT, used to work like an ATM for Uncle Sam. Inflation adjustments helped eased the bite, but tax law changes in 2026 could force more filers into the AMT’s clutches.
Letting your money work for you via investments gets a boost next year, with wider capital gains tax brackets. Also affected by the annual inflation bumps are estate planning, gifts you give before you go, and youngsters’ investment earnings.
Medical costs seem to go up every year (or more often!). But the IRS’ annual inflation adjustments to tax-related health care provisions might be able to help you feel better at filing time.
One easy way to cut your tax bill is to claim tax deductions and tax credits. There is a wide variety of these tax breaks, and the amounts generally get annual inflation bumps. Here are 2026’s.
The IRS’ annual inflation increase in the standard deduction amounts makes that deduction option even more appealing. But don’t automatically claim it. Some tax years, it’s worth itemizing.
Let’s get the 2026 tax party started with the tax brackets that will apply to the new year’s income. While the deadline to make most moves affecting 2025 taxes was Dec. 31, it’s still helpful to compare the 2025 and 2026 income tax brackets as we file our 2025 return and implement strategies to cut this year’s taxes.
Every tax filing season, people need help but can’t afford to pay a tax pro. You can provide that help as a volunteer at no-cost Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and Tax Counseling for the Elderly locations.
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!
Filing taxes takes a lot of reading. But now with Tax Day behind us, we can read about taxes and money for fun. Here are some suggestions.
The annual April 15 federal tax return filing deadline doesn’t apply to all U.S. taxpayers. Tax Day is June 15 for taxpayers living and working abroad, including military personnel posted outside the United States or Puerto Rico. Residents of major natural disaster areas also get more time to file, and in some cases pay what they owe.
It’s crunch day for millions of taxpayers. In addition to finishing their current tax return, many have other April 15 tax tasks to complete. It all adds up in dollars and time.
If you’ve put off your tax filing until the very last minute, don’t panic. You still have (a little) time to finish. But get to work on that return or filing extension request. Now!
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.)