October 12, 2026
Time is almost up for taxpayers who got an extension to file their annual tax returns. The Oct. 15 deadline is this Thursday.
BLOG POSTS
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has been a thorn in the side of both Trump administrations. The president, however, gets to pick the leader of the watchdog office. Some say that choice should belong only to Congress.
The Internal Revenue Service wants to add a citizenship and work authorization status question to our tax year 2026 Form 1040. The inquiry, an apparent attempt to further involve the federal tax agency in the Trump administration’s ongoing immigration enforcement efforts, is likely to face legal challenges from tax privacy advocates.
Every year, the Internal Revenue Service misses some legally due taxes. The agency also has let us know the amount of the annual revenue shortfall, popularly known as the Tax Gap. Until now.
How is the Internal Revenue Service doing in going paperless? The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) recently looked into the agency’s digital first efforts. Its report offers a snapshot of IRS progress and the challenges it still faces in moving to mostly electronic transactions.
Authorizing a tax representative usually means you don’t have to be present at meetings with the IRS. However, Texas CPAs say the agency is improperly demanding taxpayers attend civil examinations anyway.
A pending Tax Court ruling on interest the IRS charged on unpaid taxes during the COVID pandemic could affect “a potentially very large number of taxpayers.” Here’s a look at the case, and how the IRS generally handles interest charges.
Sept. 15 is Tax Day again for those who must pay estimated taxes. That’s the deadline for the current tax year’s third quarterly payment.
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!
Data centers and AI obviously are connected. They also share some tax issues. And in this weekend’s Saturday Shout Outs, celebrities are in the tax mix, too.
October traditionally is the scariest month, and not just because of Halloween. Millions of tax procrastinators face the Oct. 15 deadline to file their extended tax return. Get tips on doing that, along with four other tax moves to make this October.
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.
State and federal taxes account for a large part of the price of beer. Will the levies impact your beverage enjoyment at Oktoberfests across the United States this fall? Read on to learn more about your state’s beer tax.
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 16, 2026
A multi-agency law enforcement effort has swept up more than 70 alleged tax fraudsters. Federal…
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.)