taxgirl

The IRS Dirty Dozen: Tax Scams To Watch For In 2026 From phishing emails to bogus tax credits, the IRS warns that scammers keep changing tactics. Here’s what you should know about the most common tax scams now.

From phishing emails to bogus tax credits, the IRS warns that scammers keep changing tactics. Here’s what you should know about the most common tax scams now.
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Sanders And Khanna Push National 5% Annual Billionaire Wealth Tax Backers project, based on Forbes’ billionaires list, that the tax would raise $4.4 trillion over ten years for childcare, housing and a $3,000 per person check to many Americans.

Backers project, based on Forbes’ billionaires list, that a new wealth tax would raise $4.4 trillion over 10 years for childcare, housing, and a $ 3,000-per-person check for many Americans.
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How Confident Can You Be In The Person Preparing Your Tax Return? Most paid preparers aren’t subject to any licensing or competency standards. A new bipartisan bill tightens enforcement against bad preparers, but wouldn't regulate the industry

Most paid preparers aren’t subject to any licensing or competency standards. A new bipartisan bill would tighten enforcement against bad preparers, but it stops short of regulating the industry.
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Are Your Social Security Benefits Taxable This Year? A growing number of retirees have been paying federal tax on their benefits. A new $6,000 per person senior deduction reduce taxes for some seniors, but doesn’t change the way Social Security is taxe...

A growing number of retirees have been paying federal tax on their benefits. A new $6,000 per person senior deduction reduces taxes for some seniors, but doesn’t change the way Social Security is taxed.
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I Learned These Tax Extension Lessons The Hard Way Tax season can be busy. Here’s what taxpayers should know about filing for extension, making payments and planning for the unexpected.

Tax season can be busy. Here’s what taxpayers should know about filing for extension, making payments and planning for the unexpected.
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Tax Breaks: The High-Stakes Gold Medal Lessons Edition Plus: SCOTUS rules on tariffs, AI is a force multiplier when it comes to scams, state refund checks, tax season filing statistics, Taxes From A to Z, tax filing deadlines, tax trivia and more.

The latest edition of our free tax newsletter is out!

This week: The Olympics didn’t offer the only “hold your breath” moments this week.

Plus: SCOTUS on tariffs, AI and scams, state refund checks, tax season filing statistics, tax trivia and more.

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Is eating Girl Scout cookies for breakfast healthy?
Probably not.
But is it championing a program that teaches girls about money & people skills?
This is what I've told myself.
Also, the cookies were good. And the adorable girls who sold them had handmade thank-you notes.

This is why you don't tell your kids about your job.
I am losing to my kid in Scrabble. He played "levies" in an advantageous spot.

It’s a Wonderful Life bank run scene.

“You're thinking of the $175 billion in tariff money all wrong. As if I had the money back in a safe. The money's not here. Your money's in the White House ballroom, the renaming of the Department of Defense, the $10 billion transfer to the Board of Peace, and a hundred other unauthorized actions.”

Refunds, New Tariffs, And $2K Checks. Questions Swirl After Supreme Court Ruling. The Supreme Court ended emergency tariffs under IEEPA, but questions remain, including what new tariffs could replace them and what the ruling means for taxpayers.

The Supreme Court ended emergency tariffs under IEEPA, but questions remain, including what new tariffs could replace them and what the ruling means for taxpayers.

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Anyone's guess? The issue of refunds goes back to the lower courts (SCOTUS didn't address it).

SCOTUS ruling in. Roberts writes the opinion for the majority, holding that IEEPA doesn't grant the president authority to impose tariffs.
Thomas dissents (natch), as does Kavanaugh.

a man in a suit and tie is eating popcorn while sitting at a table . ALT: a man in a suit and tie is eating popcorn while sitting at a table .

Sooooo are we getting a tariff opinion today?
#SCOTUS

Seeing lots of bad takes on this.
For clarity, the PATH Act, which requires IRS to hold Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC)-related refunds until mid-February, is *not* a new law. The refund piece took effect on January 1, 2017.

Nope, that was my error. The % drop is correct, but I inverted the text from my chart. Fixing.

Roses Are Red, Taxpayers Are Blue, As Romance Scams Become More Common AI has helped these scams blossom. But the tax code now offers little relief for those who have lost money to a romance scam—unless it turns into an investment scam.

AI has helped romance scams blossom. IRS-CI Chief Guy Ficco walked me through how things are changing and how taxpayers can protect themselves.
(The tax code offers little relief for those who have lost money to a romance scam—unless it turns into an investment scam.)

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Tax Refunds Are Up, Filings Are Down As Tax Season Gets Started The first week of the 2026 tax filing season shows a slower start for tax returns and IRS processing, but early filers are receiving larger refunds than a year ago.

The first week of the 2026 tax filing season shows a slower start for federal income tax returns and IRS processing, but early filers are receiving larger refunds than a year ago.
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Getting To Know You Tuesday: Kevin Akeroyd As CEO, Kevin Akeroyd leads Sovos, a SaaS technology platform company focused on enabling tax compliance in a digital, cross-border, regulated world.

As CEO, Kevin Akeroyd leads Sovos, a SaaS technology platform company focused on enabling tax compliance in a digital, cross-border, regulated world.

Kevin is the latest tax pro to be featured in our Getting To Know You series.

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Forbes Tax Guide For 2026: Navigating Tax Changes & IRS Issues The Forbes Tax Guide offers the help you need to file your 2025 return while dealing with complicated new tax breaks and the IRS. Find answers to your questions here.

Looking for tax rates? Info about tax refunds? Not sure about those new tax breaks?

We’ve got you covered with our Forbes Tax Guide.
You’ll find links to articles with the basics, as well as what we’re watching (so that you don’t have to).

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Meet The IRS Special Agent Earning His Stripes As An NFL Referee During the week, Eugene Hall uses his tech savvy to chase down tax cheats, identity thieves and other fiscal frauds. And on football Sundays, he assesses penalties—five and ten yards at a time.

A fun fact about the side judge for today's Super Bowl. It's once again Eugene Hall. I wrote about him—and his connection to IRS Criminal Investigations—for @forbes.com in 2023.
You can read about him here:
www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp...

Yes (thanks for asking).
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How Tax Credits Can Lower Your Tax Bill—or Boost Your Refund Federal tax credits come in a number of flavors, including refundable, nonrefundable and partially refundable. Here’s what you should know heading into tax season.

Federal tax credits come in a number of flavors, including refundable, nonrefundable and partially refundable. Here’s what you should know heading into tax season.

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Georgia Man Sentenced To Nearly 15 Years For $13 Million Covid Relief Fraud And Tax Schemes Federal prosecutors claim that Carl Delano Torjagbo siphoned millions in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds and filed fraudulent tax returns to generate tax refunds.

Federal prosecutors claim that Carl Delano Torjagbo siphoned millions in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds and filed fraudulent tax returns to generate tax refunds.

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Should You Take The Standard Deduction Or Itemize On Your 2025 Taxes? The standard deduction is bigger than ever, itemizing rules have changed, and new deductions complicate matters. Here’s how to choose the option that’s best for you.

A bigger standard deduction, changes in the itemizing rules and new temporary deductions all complicate the decision. Here’s how to choose the option that’s best for you.
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Former College Football Star Convicted In $200 Million Health Care Fraud Case Joel Rufus French, a former standout in the SEC, was found guilty of running a years-long scheme that exploited Medicare and veterans’ health programs.

Joel Rufus French, a former college football standout, was found guilty of running a years-long scheme that exploited Medicare and veterans’ health programs by billing nearly $200 million for unnecessary and nonexistent medical equipment.

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Getting To Know You Tuesday: Patrick Malloy Document, document, document. Patrick Malloy cites that among the best advice he’s ever received in tax.

Our Getting To Know You Series is back! This week? Document, document, document. Patrick Malloy, Co-Director, National Tax Practice and Strategy with Crescent Grove Advisors, cites that among the best advice he’s ever received in tax.

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Tax News & Views Unauthorized Groundhog Disclosure Roundup Trump's $10B lawsuit against Trump's Treasury Department. Another government shutdown. Minnesota Montana LLC connection. Groundhogs.

Links include @apnews.com @richardrubindc.bsky.social @wsj.com @nytimes.com @taxnotes.com @thehill.com @bloombergtax.com @semafor.com @taxgirl.bsky.social @forbes.com @mjbologna.bsky.social @taxtweet.bsky.social and more!

Tax Breaks: The Tax Filing Season, But Throw In A Shutdown Edition Plus: TIGTA worries about tax filing season, the Taxpayer Advocate says that backlogs are still a problem, evaluating Trump accounts, tax trivia and more.

The latest edition of our free @forbes.com newsletter is out!

This week: Tax season has kicked off.
Plus: TIGTA worries about the filing season, the Taxpayer Advocate says backlogs are still a problem, tax form numbers, evaluating Trump accounts, tax trivia and more.

www.forbes.com/sites/tax-br...

What’s In An IRS Form Number? Usually Nothing Meaningful. Until Trump. Form 4547, which allows taxpayers to elect the new Trump accounts, was clearly numbered with purpose. But when it comes to 1040s, W-2s, 1099s, and other familiar forms, the explanation is far less sym...

This was a fun article to write (and I learned something).
The launch of Form 4547—to make a Trump account election—raised some eyebrows. It made me wonder whether the numbers on tax forms are trying to tell you something.
(Spoiler alert: usually no.)

www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp...

Excellent decision!