Category: Taxes

One-time tax rebate checks could soon start arriving in Wisconsin mailboxes if lawmakers approve a plan to tap a projected state budget surplus. The proposal has exposed tensions inside the GOP while also prompting direct negotiations between Gov. Tony Evers and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos over how much to send back and how much to…

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has been telling television viewers that the “average tax refund” is up 22 percent, a headline-friendly figure that grabbed attention in a CNBC appearance. The IRS’s own early-season dataset tells a more modest story so far, with the average refund up 10.9 percent as of February 6, 2026, to $2,290 and…

The tax bill that Republicans pushed through the House arrived with a simple promise: bigger refunds and new Trump-branded savings accounts for families, starting in 2026. Treasury officials have talked up “bigger refunds in 2026” and a flagship “Trump Accounts” program as proof that working parents will come out ahead. Buried fine print in the…

Average IRS refunds are running lower so far this filing season, and the drop is catching many households off guard. The smaller checks reflect a mix of new law changes and paycheck withholding tweaks that are hitting some groups harder than others. The people most likely to see their refund shrink are those whose withholding…

Your 2026 tax refund will land in the middle of big shifts, from President Donald Tr tax changes to new IRS refund rules. Feb reporting warns that when You Got a Raise or Star at work, your refund can shrink even if your finances feel stronger overall. I will walk through seven specific reasons your…

In Columbus, Ohio, a new push to cut property taxes is zeroing in on the local levies that appear on almost every homeowner’s bill. A fresh proposal in the Ohio House would stack new state-funded discounts on top of what voters already approved, offering relief without dismantling the property tax system. Layered onto several recent…

For weeks, Americans have been told to expect an average $1,000 bump in their tax refunds, a windfall tied to President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act and pitched as proof that the new law is working. The political message is simple: bigger checks, happier voters, smoother path into the next election cycle. The reality…

Eight states have just pushed through sizable income tax cuts that will reshape paychecks and state budgets starting with the 2026 tax year. I focus here on the states that either lowered rates or set themselves on a path to eliminate the tax entirely, explaining what changed and why it matters. Together, these moves deepen…

Oregon lawmakers are racing to rewrite key parts of the state tax code, pitching a plan they say will deliver the largest break in state history for low and moderate earners while closing what they describe as costly loopholes for corporations and the wealthy. At the center is Senate Bill 1507, a proposal Democrats say…

President Donald Trump’s new auto tax break promises up to $10,000 a year in savings on car loan interest, a headline figure that sounds tailor made for stretched drivers. In reality, getting anywhere near that full benefit often requires a luxury-level purchase price and a carefully structured loan that many households will never touch. The…