Cash payments to workers might be part of a payroll tax scheme. Treasury is leading a multi-agency effort to discover and stop such arrangements, which exploit the U.S. financial system and contribute to the Tax Gap.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent fielded questions at a Congressional hearing about the 3.4 million taxpayers who’ve have their tax refunds delayed. The hold-up is because they wanted paper Treasury checks instead of direct deposit.

Inflation is a double-edged sword for retirees. Cost-of-living increases will bump up Social Security payments next year. But some could face tax on those bigger benefits.

While some put prediction markets on par with psychic readings, millions disagree, buying contracts on anything, including sports outcomes. A gaming trade group says that’s no more than illegal, unregulated sports betting. And that it costs states needed tax revenue.

Broadway’s Tony Awards highlight the shows and performances along that famed thoroughfare. But the attention also puts a spotlight on New York’s tax credit that many of the productions say is vital to their existence. But is it really?

Uncle Sam’s tax collector wants you. This time, though, it could be to your benefit. The IRS is looking to hire customer service reps and tax examining techs this summer.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche testified on Capitol Hill that the anti-weaponization fund was dead, but Donald Trump’s tax amnesty remains.

Medical costs keep increasing, including insurance. A high-deductible plan, along with a tax-favored health savings account, could be the Rx, especially with the 2027 inflation adjustments.

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.

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.

You and your local property appraiser probably have different views of your home. You can appeal a real estate appraisal you believe is incorrect. Doing so could help lower your final property tax bill.

Gas taxes are a top concern of drivers right now. But if you’re pumping the fuel into a rental vehicle, that’s just one of many taxes you’ll face. Half your rental car bill may be taxes and fees, according to research by a tax policy group.

High gasoline prices have prompted talk of gas tax holidays, at both the federal and state levels. But the suspension of fuel excise taxes likely wouldn’t help drivers that much.

COVID was a major disruption in many parts of our lives, including taxes. Many Americans paid IRS penalties or interest during the 3½-year pandemic period. Now a federal court says those charges weren’t valid, meaning taxpayers could get the money back if they file a claim by July 10.

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.

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.

If you’re a U.S. citizen, it doesn’t matter where in the world you earn your money. The IRS gets some of it. But it also offers tax breaks, like added housing allowances for expensive overseas locales.

Artificial intelligence advocates say the technology can help the Internal Revenue Service find and collect from tax cheats. But those wary of AI say that will happen only if the agency has enough well-trained personnel to ensure the system is used responsibly.

When you owe taxes but can’t pay your bill in full, the Internal Revenue Service offers a variety of debt settlement options. Now, the agency has a new online Tax Debt Help tool to help you determine which of its payment options works best for you.

Summer is the main tax holiday season, but Missouri and Texas are offering special early sales tax savings to their shoppers. Exemptions for Energy Star and emergency prep items are on the lists.

Everyone needs money. Most of us get the cash to cover our lives’ expenses via a salary. But Ray Madoff, a tax professor at Boston College Law School, says salaries are for suckers.

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!

Owe the IRS, but don’t have the money? A payment plan could be the answer. The Internal Revenue Service offers a variety of ways to pay your tax bill over time.

The annual Tax Day filing deadline is fast approaching. You can get more time to file by requesting an extension. Just be sure to pay what you owe. Here’s how to do both.

The key April 15 tasks are filing your return and paying any due tax. But there are some other tax responsibilities that must meet the Tax Day deadline.

Some taxpayers intentionally push the filing envelope. Others simply make claims that have long caught the IRS’ eye. Here are 11 instances that could be red flags for a tax auditor.

The IRS has long sought the ability to regulate certain paid tax preparers. A new GAO report supports that effort, which it says can protect taxpayers and ensure integrity the filing system.

The longest-ever government shutdown mainly affected Department of Homeland Security agencies, including airport security check staff. As it appears to finally be winding down, Tax Day for affected federal workers is pushed from April 15 to May 15.

It’s April, the month that’s the traditional home of Tax Day. But in addition to the annual filing of tax returns, there are plenty more tax-related tasks to take care of this month.

This current father and son vehicular bonding won’t pass Wyoming’s new vehicle transfer tax exemption muster. But one day, dad can give (or sell) the car tax-free to the licensed young driver thanks to a new Cowboy State sales and use tax break.

Celebrating a birthday is fun. It also can mean tax tasks for older partiers who must take a required minimum distribution, or RMD, from a tax-deferred retirement account. One of those deadlines is April 1.

The IRS apparently messed up its numbers when it came to Direct File’s costs. A new TIGTA report says the agency overestimated its free tax prep and filing option’s 2025 fiscal expenses by $45 million.

When brackets come up in March, sports fans immediately think NCAA college basketball tournament. But we tax folks know each spring is all about tax brackets and what they mean for our annual tax bill.

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.

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.

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.

An executive order mandating Uncle Sam primarily make electronic financial transactions has caused tax refund delays for more than 800,000 taxpayers (so far) this filing season.

Free is always welcome. That’s especially true at tax time, when taxpayers look for no-cost help to prepare and file their returns. Here are some free tax filing options.

Most taxpayers, at both the federal and state levels, get tax refunds every year. But this filing season, five states have been particularly slow in sending residents’ their refunds.

March is the last full month of the annual high tax season. Here are tax tips to help your get your return done by April 15 Tax Day.

U.S. financial officials continue to target Mexican timeshare fraud. Treasury’s latest move was against a development allegedly connected to El Mencho’s cartel, just days before the drug kingpin was killed.

The IRS continues, and expands, its tax fraud fighting efforts with a new, consolidated page where people can report scams, fraud, and other illegal tax activities.

Saving now can make for a better retirement later. The Trump administration is proposing a new retirement vehicle. But the existing Saver’s Credit could help you this tax filing season.

The almost two dozen above-the-line tax deductions get some company this filing season. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act added four below-the-line deductions. And in all cases, the tax breaks are available to eligible taxpayers regardless of whether they itemize or claim the standard deduction.

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.

February is for tax lovers. OK, from the tax perspective, it’s really more for lovers of “let’s just be done with tax filing” this month. And even though it’s the shortest month, there’s a lot you can do to cut your tax bill.

Meg White via Giphy When the hubby and I lived in the Washington, D.C. area, we became big fans of the Washington Capitals. We eventually bought season tickets, and the National Hockey League’s team’s location back then in suburban Maryland, where we had moved, made getting to and from the games easy. One of my favorite Capitals’ ad campaigns asked if we sometimes felt like screaming. They encouraged potential new (or ticket upgrading) fans to buy game packages and come yell their hearts out at the arena. I don’t know about you, but way back then, and even more so…

Take a close look at your 2025 tax return. New tax laws created by the One Big Beautiful Bill could provide you with added savings this filing season. Here are 8 to check out.

These snow-obscured signs aren’t much help, but the ol’ blog, basking unseasonably warm January temperatures here in Central Texas, has some tax guideposts to help to help welcome the new 2026 tax year. (Photo by Christina & Peter)

Happy New 2026, a year that brings us more than one, and in some cases not so beautiful, retroactive changes to our 2025 taxes. Plus, some of the those tax breaks that politicians hope will popular are temporary. So, buckle up. It’s time again for taxes!

A new year also brings tax law changes in 43 states. Individual taxpayers in 9 of them will see lower tax rates. States also have tweaked their business, sales, excise, and property tax laws for 2026.

If you’re planning on parking a new car with a big red bow in your driveway this Christmas, the latest tax reform bill has an added present for you. You might be able to deduct up to $10,000 in loan interest.

Changes are coming in 2026 to charitable tax deductions that could affect your 2025 donation decisions. Check them out to find ways to make charitable gifts pay off now and next year.

If you don’t file or pay your taxes on time, you could end up owing the IRS more due to penalties. Some tax penalties are set; others changes every year due to inflation. Here’s a look at the 2026 amounts.

The IRS’ venture into the tax software and e-filing sphere is over. Despite positive reviews, the agency has officially ended Direct File, its proprietary, no-cost tax preparation program.

Ensure your tax cornucopia runneth over by getting your tax ducks, uh, turkeys in a row this November. Moves this month include examining if the new $40K SALT cap will make itemizing worthwhile, and looking into home energy improvements.

The Boys in Blue have taken a lead in the World Series. How big a role did the team’s use of the federal tax code’s deferred compensation options play in their success?

Millions of Americans receive Social Security benefits. But plenty also pay tax on that money, at both the federal and state levels. Nine states join Uncle Sam in taxing at least some of the federal retirement benefits.

Democrats and Republicans agree on one thing: IRS communications can be confusing. A rare bipartisan measure to make math error notices clearer was approved by Congress and awaits presidential signature.

The standoff in Washington, D.C., is about to be felt by more of us across the nation. Will furloughed workers’ lost pay and inconveniences to the rest of us be enough to force the shutdown’s end?

The IRS’ 34,000 furloughed employees are facing some financial challenges. Their situation also offers us nonfederal workers tips, including tax-related ones, on preparing for similar fiscal crises.

The supplemental money that had allowed Uncle Sam’s tax agency to operate as usual runs out today. Tomorrow, it’s full government shutdown mode. Here’s what that means for us taxpayers.

Treasury Sec. Scott Bessent today lessened his acting-IRS Commissioner load by naming Frank Bisignano, Social Security’s commissioner, to the newly created IRS CEO post. Bisignano will do both agency jobs. The Internal Revenue Service is about to go into full government shutdown mode (unless there’s an unlikely miracle on Capitol Hill), but no worries. It has a new top executive. Yeah, in case you missed the sarcasm font, I’m feeling a bit snarky. But to today’s IRS personnel news. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced on his department’s website that Frank Bisignano is the IRS’ first-ever Chief Executive Officer. The holder…

Uncle Sam’s offices are closed because of a political fight over tax help for Affordable Care Act enrollees. Here’s a look at the tax break, who’s affected, and how the tax break battle might end.

Remaining Inflation Reduction Act funds will let the agency keep working, but only for a few days. Get ready now in case the closure lasts longer. If only Congress closed, we wouldn’t be so worried. It’s looking more likely that the federal government will shut down, at least for a while. The Internal Revenue Service, however, says that if the closure is short, it can make do. How short? Five days. The IRS has enough remaining Inflation Reduction Act funds to keep all stall on the job for five business days, according to the Treasury Department. So, the time frame of…

IRS graphic The annual tax filing season is prime time for scammers. But of late, tax crooks are working year-round. Technology makes the expansion of their nefarious jobs easier. The Internal Revenue Service recently issued an alert about a growing number of fraudulent tax schemes circulating on social media. The popular ones right now, according to the IRS, promote the misuse of tax credits such as the Fuel Tax Credit and the Sick and Family Leave Credit. These scams have led thousands of taxpayers to file inaccurate or frivolous returns, often paying the bad tipsters posing as tax experts for…

The You Earned It, You Keep It Act is the latest legislative attempt to provide Social Security recipients with tax relief. Bills in both the House and Senate would permanently abolish federal taxes on Social Security benefits.

Football season is in full swing in the United States. College and professional games fill the television screens of fanatic American fans. The matches also are of interest to gamblers.

Server delivering food to diners. (Getty Images for Unsplash+) Over the holiday weekend, Axios was the first to reveal the jobs that the Treasury Department has decided qualify for the new One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) Act tax deduction on tip income. As a pre-internet, old-school, ink-stained fingers journalist, I totally got, and was a bit jealous, of the publication’s headline announcing the tax scoop. But rather than simply refer readers of the ol’ blog to that story, I decided I’d wait for the official U.S. Treasury issuance of its no tax on tips guidance, just in case there was…

Three Florida men associated with a former tax preparation firm that had offices throughout the Sunshine State are headed to federal prison. The trio, along with other co-conspirators, fraudulently inflated client tax refunds by fabricating deductions on their returns, according to federal investigative documents. The result was false federal filings that cost the U.S. Treasury more than $15 million. Federal prosecutors said that that the three men did more than just file false tax returns. They also held periodic training sessions at which they taught other employees how to do the same, according to the Department of Justice. Jonathan Carrillo…

 Getty Images for Unsplash+ … It’s no secret that Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and other Trump administration efforts to scale back the size of the Internal Revenue Service is likely to make tax cheating easier. Reports on tax personnel terminated earlier this year show that almost a third of lost staff were revenue agents, the IRS employees who conduct audits. But some Republican members of the House tax-writing committee say artificial intelligence (AI) can help fill this tax examination gap. Ways and Means Vice Chair Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida, and W&M Oversight Subcommittee Chair Rep. David Schweikert of…

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, is a major tourist destination. Owners of timeshares in the coastal resort also are the target of scams that benefit a cartel. Today I learned that timeshares are still a thing. I also learned that these vacation properties apparently are one way terrorists raise money to pay for their crimes. My real estate/international crime lesson came from today’s Treasury Department announcement that its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has sanctioned four Mexican individuals and 13 Mexican companies linked to timeshare fraud led by the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG). These individuals and companies are based…

Two Hawaiian members of Congress have introduced a bill they say will shore up Social Security’s finances and help ensure recipients of the federal benefits can keep enjoying their birthdays. (Photo by Getty Images for Unsplash+) The federal retirement program’s long-term solvency recently was put under the spotlight by the Social Security Administration (SSA). The SSA’s Office of the Chief Actuary (OACT) found that when the tax breaks in the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) Act are considered, the Social Security’s reserve fund could run out of money to make full benefit payments sooner than previously forecast. To help ease that…

There can be tax ramifications when a marriage sours. A bipartisan bill would offer abused spouses more protections, including new tax-filing options.

Former Missouri Rep. Billy Long, who finally took over as Internal Revenue Service commissioner in June, is no longer leading the federal tax agency. He was removed this afternoon by the Trump Administration. UPDATE, Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025: In an exclusive report published today, The Washington Post says the IRS and White House clashed over immigrants’ data before Long was ousted. The tax agency told the Trump administration that it couldn’t release some information on taxpayers suspected of being here illegally. Just when you thought things couldn’t get any crazier at the Internal Revenue Service during Donald Trump’s second term,…

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s tax cuts will mean less money for the trust fund that pays federal retirement benefits. And that is likely to mean benefit payments to Social Security recipients will be reduced as soon as the end of 2032. The tax provisions of the recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) has sort of good news and some definite bad news for older taxpayers. As you know by now, the OBBB does not fulfil Donald Trump’s campaign promise of no tax on Social Security benefits. Rather, it provides an added tax deduction of up to $6,000…

If you get 1099 forms for income you earn as an independent contractor and/or from third-party settlement organizations, then the One Big Beautiful Bill has some good news for you. The previous higher earnings triggers are back.

Photo by cottonbro studio It’s no secret that the Internal Revenue Service is going to have a hard time doing its job given all the personnel and budget cuts. So, it’s no surprise that the tax agency is a big supporter of whistleblowers. Help from the public in discovering tax misconduct will be a way to bridge the tax agency’s operational gaps. Financial rewards for tax information: Currently, the IRS Whistleblower Office pays monetary awards to eligible individuals whose information is used by the agency. The award percentage depends on several factors, but generally falls between 15 percent and 30…

Photo by Jess Bailey Designs  Tax law changes, even when they benefit you, can be frustrating. Not only do we have to get up to speed on what’s new, we have to know when they take effect. Generally, making tax laws retroactive is, at best, sloppy tax policy. When it’s done late in a tax year, it can scramble tax moves that the new laws might necessitate. But our tax planning problems sometimes aren’t top of mind for Congress. They too often go ahead and make a tax law effective back to the start of a tax year, even at…

Donald J. Trump has been musing lately about making one of the best tax breaks for homeowners even better.

You can help your favorite nonprofit by donating and, thanks to the new one big tax law, get a tax break next year even if you don’t itemize.

Sharing interests usually allows couples to spend more time together. But a septuagenarian pair that shared a criminal insurance and tax scheme will be spending their golden years apart, in separate federal prisons. If you’re like me, when you hear about fraud and older people, you wonder how much money the senior citizens lost to crooks. A septuagenarian Maryland couple turned that cliché on its head. James William Wilson, Jr., 78, and his wife, Maureen Ann Wilson, 77, this week were sentenced to federal prison for their roles in connection with an insurance fraud scheme. And yes, charges of filing…

The One Big Beautiful Bill made the 2017 tax reform law’s income tax rates permanent. It also increased the 2025 tax year standard deduction amount.

When Congress messes with the tax code, it’s good for one group: tax professionals. All the changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill mean that help from reputable tax advisers are needed more than ever.

Donald J. Trump signs the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, with its many tax provisions, into law during a July 4th ceremony at the White House. (Credit: White House Facebook photo) America’s birthday party is over, but we taxpayers are still unwrapping the tax law gift that the Republican-controlled Congress and Trump administration gave us on July 3. While beauty is in the eye of the tax-advantaged beholder, there’s no disputing the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) Act, officially known as H.R. 1, is big. It’s almost 1,000 pages. Among them are beau coup tax provisions — old, tweaked, and…

More than 22 million U.S. workers lost their jobs during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Crooks took advantage of their misfortune to file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. COVID-19 has to be one of the most persistent illnesses ever, from both medical and financial perspectives. While federal health agencies debate COVID vaccine recommendations and warnings, Uncle Sam’s law enforcement officers, including those with the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation unit, continue their efforts to prosecute those who abused coronavirus relief programs. On June 24, officials notched another win when David Godin was sentenced by a federal judge in Baltimore…

U.S. Capitol West Front/Wikimedia The National Taxpayer Advocate’s midyear report to Congress that was released on June 25 included, among other things, recommendations that the Internal Revenue Service continue its efforts to expand digital tax transactions and make them easier for taxpayers to use. Such technological tax advances are also are of keen interest to the Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee (ETAAC). The federal advisory committee was established by Congress as part of 1998’s IRS Restructuring and Reform Act. And on the same day this week that the Taxpayer Advocate’s report was issued, ETAAC released its annual report to Congress.…

The National Hurricane Center’s image of Tropical Storm Andrea. The first named system of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season formed in the central Atlantic Ocean, meaning it’s not a threat to make landfall.   June 1, 2026 note: This post was published almost a year ago with a slightly different headline (Resources to deal with disasters, as 2025 hurricane season gets its first named storm), but its information is still valid. You can read the most recent version of hurricane preparation, both physical and financial/tax moves to make in advance of storms, in Hurricane 2026 preparation and tax tips. And…

Justice Department façade photo by JSquish/Wikimedia Commons It’s not a particularly good time to be a federal employee looking to ensure tax compliance. Already this year, the Internal Revenue Service has lost almost a third of its tax auditors thanks to Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, cuts. Now the Department of Justice’s (DoJ) special tax crimes unit is being eliminated. The DoJ personnel moves, however, aren’t as drastic as the IRS staff reductions. The jobs won’t be lost, just reallocated to other areas in the Justice Department. Tax division absorbed into other units: The end of the DoJ’s Tax…

The official holidays sometimes affect taxes, since the Internal Revenue Service, like all federal offices, closes on these days.  Photo by Thomas Wilson Celebrations are planned, and some already underway, across the United States to commemorate Juneteenth. This newest U.S. federal holiday marks June 19, 1865, the day when the last enslaved people in the United States finally got official notification in Galveston, Texas, that they were free, two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Former President Joe Biden joined other dignitaries in Galveston to observe the day. Biden’s participation is not surprising, since…