Money, Wealth & Power—A Daily Look at the Financial World
Tax filing season has become open season for criminals who see confusion, tight budgets, and digital habits as an opportunity to steal refunds and identities. The Internal Revenue Service is warning that scams are surging in sophistication and volume, from fake messages about “held” refunds to abusive schemes that promise huge payouts. I see the…
Millions of households entered this filing season steeling themselves for thinner Internal Revenue Service checks, even as Washington touts a wave of new tax breaks. The fear is simple: withholdings have not kept up with shifting rules, so the surprise at the end of the process could be a smaller cushion than families are counting…
Property tax bills are rising fast enough to push some longtime homeowners out of their neighborhoods, and state politicians have noticed. A handful of states have already moved to cut or cap those bills, while others are racing to copy them with proposals that range from targeted relief to abolishing the tax entirely. I see…
California’s fight over how to pay for its roads has turned into a proxy war over trust in government. Democrats are backing a shift from gas taxes to a per‑mile charge, arguing that electric vehicles and fuel efficiency are blowing a hole in the state’s transportation budget. California Republicans, in response, say the plan treats…
Tax season is colliding with a rare legal moment that could put unusually large checks in some Americans’ mailboxes. Between new tax law provisions, high stakes tariff litigation and a headline grabbing lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service, the outcome of several court fights will help decide who gets paid back and how much. At…
Florida’s push to unwind local property taxes has moved from slogan to a detailed, high stakes experiment in rewriting how the state pays for schools, police, and basic services. Governor Ron DeSantis is now tying that effort more tightly to his broader budget and constitutional agenda, sharpening the focus on who actually benefits and who…
Property taxes are suddenly at the center of some of the boldest tax experiments in decades, from statehouse plans to wipe out bills for homeowners to federal efforts that reshape how much local tax you can write off. Together, these moves could shift thousands of dollars a year for households that own even a modest…
Retirees are staring at one of the most dramatic tax rewrites in years, as President Donald Trump’s so called “big beautiful bill” reshapes how seniors are taxed and how much help they get from Medicare. The law promises richer deductions and short term relief, but it also sets up a cliff that could leave older…
President Trump is selling his new tax law as a windfall for working families, pointing to bigger refund checks and fresh breaks that kick in for the 2026 filing season. The reality is more complicated. Many households will see short term gains, but the structure of the changes quietly shifts more of the long term…
California’s electric vehicle market has been jolted by the sudden disappearance of federal tax credits, turning what was once a straightforward $7,500 discount into a confusing scramble for new incentives. State leaders are now racing to rebuild a patchwork of rebates and matching funds that can keep EVs moving off dealer lots and onto freeways….