How Do Students and Recent Graduates Handle Education Credits and the 1098-T?
Form 1098-T, education credits, and student loan interest for 2026 returns, with a worked example and a checklist to keep your paperwork tidy.
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Tax guidance, plainly explained
Short, sourced explainers on the tax questions we hear most. Every piece cites the actual IRS form, instructions, or publication behind it — no guessing.
How Are Stock and Crypto Sales Reported on My Return?
How stock and crypto sales are reported: holding periods, 2025 long-term rates, the $3,000 loss limit, Form 8949, and Schedule D, with an example.
Read more →Standard Deduction or Itemizing? How to Choose the Bigger Number
Standard deduction or itemizing? Learn the 2026 amounts, see a worked example, and use a simple four-step check to pick the larger deduction.
Read more →I Started a Single-Member LLC: How Is It Taxed on My Personal Return?
A single-member LLC usually doesn't file its own federal return. Learn how profit lands on Schedule C, what self-employment tax is, and what to track.
Read more →How Do Quarterly Estimated Taxes Work for Freelancers and Gig Workers?
A freelancer's routine for quarterly payments: total profit from your records, add self-employment tax, set money aside, and pay on each due date.
Read more →Married Filing Jointly or Separately: How Do I Decide?
Married filing jointly or separately? Compare the 2026 standard deductions, credit limits, and Social Security rules, then use a worked example to decide.
Read more →What Happens If I File Late or Can't Pay What I Owe?
Filing late costs more than paying late. Learn the failure-to-file and failure-to-pay penalties, how Form 4868 helps, and your payment plan options.
Read more →Home Office Deduction for the Self-Employed: Who Qualifies and How Is It Figured?
Who qualifies for the home office deduction? Learn the exclusive and regular use test, the $5-per-square-foot simplified method, and a worked example.
Read more →I Got an IRS Notice in the Mail: What Should I Do First?
Got an IRS letter? Read it, find the due date, check it against your return, and respond on time. Here is the first-steps plan, without the panic.
Read more →Gig Driver Records: Which Mileage and Expense Records Should I Keep?
What a mileage log must show, the 2026 business rates (72.5 cents, then 76 cents), and which parking, toll, and expense receipts to keep as a gig driver.
Read more →Retirement Income in Florida: How Much of Social Security and a Pension Is Taxable Federally?
How much of your Social Security and pension is federally taxable? Learn the base amounts, the 50% and 85% rules, and see a worked example.
Read more →How Do I Fix a Mistake on a Return I Already Filed?
Found an error after filing? Learn when to use Form 1040-X, the refund deadlines, how to fill in the columns, and how long processing takes.
Read more →Estimated Taxes: The Safe Harbor Rules
The IRS safe harbor rules explained: the $1,000 test, the 90% and 100% (or 110%) targets, and how the underpayment penalty is figured.
Read more →How the Earned Income Tax Credit Works, and Why People Miss It
The Earned Income Tax Credit can be worth up to $8,231 for 2026. Learn the income limits, the no-child rules, and why eligible workers skip it.
Read more →Do I Have to File a Tax Return If I Only Made a Little Money?
Low income doesn't always mean no return. Learn the federal filing thresholds, the self-employment $400 rule, and when filing still pays.
Read more →What Is the Child Tax Credit, and Who Qualifies for It?
The Child Tax Credit can be worth up to $2,200 per child for tax year 2026. Learn the age, residency, and Social Security number rules, with an example.
Read more →I Got a 1099-NEC Instead of a W-2: What Changes on My Taxes?
Got a 1099-NEC instead of a W-2? Learn how the income is taxed, why no tax is withheld, and what to set aside before the filing deadline.
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