TaxesGuide
The No Tax on Tips Deduction and Who Qualifies for It
Tipped workers can deduct qualified tips up to $25,000 if the job is on the IRS list. What counts, the phase out and why payroll tax still applies.
7 min read
Tag
Tax Season
10 posts
Social Security & MedicareGuide
Is Social Security Taxable and How Much of It Gets Taxed?
Up to most of your benefit can be taxable, depending on provisional income. The thresholds are not indexed, which is why more retirees cross them each year.
6 min read
Taxes
Year End Tax Moves Ranked by What Each One Saves You
Eleven year-end tax moves ranked by actual dollar savings. Here is which actions expire on December 31 and which can wait until the April tax filing deadline.
4 min read
Taxes
Why Your Refund Shrank
A smaller refund can mean more money reached each paycheck. Compare total tax, withholding, credits and other income before assuming rates rose.
4 min read
Taxes
Standard Deduction vs Itemizing
For 2026, a married couple needs more than $32,200 of usable itemized deductions. The new SALT cap and charity floor change the arithmetic.
4 min read
TaxesGuide
The HSA Triple Tax Advantage
Deductible going in, untaxed while invested and untaxed for qualified medical costs, with a 2026 limit and an eligibility test people skip.
5 min read
Taxes
The Saver's Credit Almost Nobody Claims
A 2026 credit worth up to $1,000 for retirement saving you were already doing, with income cliffs that can make $300 of earnings cost $600.
4 min read
TaxesGuide
How to Adjust Your W-4
A $3,600 refund is $300 a month that stayed out of your paycheck. Use the IRS estimator, then translate its result onto Form W-4.
5 min read
Taxes
Tax Credits vs Deductions
A $1,000 credit can cut tax by $1,000. A $1,000 deduction saves only your marginal rate, and sometimes nothing at all.
4 min read
Editor's pick
TaxesGuide
Your Tax Season Checklist
Gather the forms your return actually needs, including the four records most likely to arrive after you think you are ready to file.
7 min read