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Quick AnswerStudent loan forgiveness may count as taxable income in 2026 if the forgiven balance does not qualify for a separate federal exclusion. Long-term income-driven repayment forgiveness is the main area where borrowers may face a tax bill. Public Service Loan...

Quick Answer: Under the SECURE 2.0 beneficiary IRA tax rules, most non-spouse heirs must fully liquidate an inherited IRA within 10 years, with many also facing mandatory annual required minimum distributions (RMDs) if you pass away after age 73. Because the...

Quick Answer: The American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) must be claimed by whoever legally lists the student as a dependent on their federal tax return. If a parent claims the undergraduate, the parent gets the credit; if the student is independent, they claim...

Quick AnswerIf you pay quarterly estimated taxes late, the IRS may charge an underpayment penalty based on the amount you should have paid, when it was due, and how long it stayed unpaid. Paying late is still usually better than waiting until you file, but it may not...

Key TakeawaysMost married couples lower their tax liability by choosing the Married Filing Jointly status, which preserves access to deductions that separate filers lose. When there is a significant income gap between partners, combining earnings on a joint...

Key TakeawaysYou do not have to pay federal income tax on rental earnings if you rent your home for 14 days or fewer per year and use it personally for more than 14 days (or 10% of the rental period). You will only receive a Form 1099-K if you exceed $20,000 in...

Key TakeawaysFiling for bankruptcy does not automatically get rid of student loans. You usually have to take an extra legal step and prove repayment would create an undue hardship. If student loan debt is discharged, forgiven, settled, or canceled, the tax result...

Key TakeawaysThe IRS considers all sports betting payouts as ordinary income, regardless of the amount or whether you received a tax form. For the 2026 tax year, you can only deduct 90% of your gambling losses against your winnings, even if you ended the year...

Key TakeawaysA large refund is an interest-free loan to the government, while a big bill suggests you are at risk for IRS underpayment penalties. Updating your Form W-4 by late April allows you to spread adjustments across the majority of the year, minimizing the...

Key TakeawaysBusiness tax debt starts when tax money gets used to solve a cash flow problem somewhere else in the business. Payroll tax debt is especially dangerous because the IRS can sometimes hold owners and other responsible parties personally liable for...

Key TakeawaysAs a W-2 employee, you pay half of Social Security and Medicare tax through withholding. As a self-employed taxpayer, you pay both halves through self-employment tax. Self-employment tax is 15.3% of your adjusted net earnings, and you also pay...

Key Takeaways Use your 2025 return as a diagnostic tool to calculate your real tax percentage and identify specific areas for AGI reduction. Use the post-tax season window to calibrate your withholding or estimated payments. IRS limits have increased for 401(k)s...