A new federal education-related tax benefit is scheduled to begin in 2027. The Education Freedom Tax Credit could allow eligible individual taxpayers to receive a dollar-for-dollar federal income tax credit when they make qualifying cash contributions to approved scholarship-granting organizations. But the rules are specific, and contributing to just any education charity will not necessarily…

Knowing how to reconstruct tax records after a disaster can make a difficult recovery process more manageable. Floods, fires, storms, and other emergencies may destroy tax returns, receipts, financial statements, and property records. Those documents can matter for federal taxes, insurance reimbursements, and disaster assistance. IRS Tax Tip 2026-67 outlines practical ways to recover missing…

Enrolled Agent advocacy plays an important role in protecting taxpayers, strengthening IRS representation, and helping lawmakers understand the real-world challenges Americans face when dealing with the federal tax system. From October 26–30, 2026, the National Association of Enrolled Agents (NAEA) is organizing EA Advocacy Week Across the Nation, an opportunity for federally credentialed tax professionals…

Trump Accounts automatic enrollment is bringing an important change to a new federal tax-advantaged investment program for children. The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced on October 1, 2026, that eligible children under age 18 with valid Social Security numbers have accounts established and ready for parents or guardians to claim. Automatic enrollment does not…

Estimated tax payments are often associated with freelancers, independent contractors and business owners, but the IRS recently reminded taxpayers that self-employed individuals aren’t the only people who may need to make them. Federal income tax operates on a pay-as-you-go system. In other words, taxpayers generally need to pay tax as income is earned or received…

Business travel per diem rates changed October 1, 2026, and employers that reimburse employees for business travel should take note. The IRS recently released Notice 2026-60, establishing updated special per diem rates for the period beginning October 1, 2026. These rates can be used under applicable IRS rules to substantiate certain ordinary and necessary business…

The right to retain representation means you don’t necessarily have to face the IRS alone. When taxpayers receive an IRS notice, face an audit or find themselves dealing with IRS collection, they may assume they have to personally handle every conversation and meeting with the IRS. That’s not always the case. The Taxpayer Bill of…

Disaster tax preparedness probably isn’t the first thing most people think about when preparing for a hurricane, tornado, flood, wildfire or other emergency. But protecting your tax and financial records before a disaster can make the recovery process much easier. Tax returns, insurance policies, property records, payroll information and other financial documents may be needed…

IRS Revenue Officer procedures for analyzing taxpayers’ finances changed significantly in 2026—and taxpayers facing serious IRS collection problems should understand what those changes could mean. On June 29, 2026, the IRS issued a major revision to Internal Revenue Manual (IRM) 5.15.1, Financial Analysis Handbook. This is the guidance used by IRS Collection personnel when securing,…

Payroll tax responsibilities are an important part of running a business with employees, and National Payroll Week provides a timely reminder to make sure those responsibilities are being handled correctly. Observed September 7–11, 2026, National Payroll Week recognizes the payroll professionals who help ensure America’s workers are paid accurately and on time. This year, the…

IRS tax transcripts provide taxpayers with important information about their federal tax history. You may need one when preparing a tax return, applying for a mortgage or loan, verifying income, investigating an IRS account issue or trying to understand an unresolved tax problem. On August 26, 2026, the IRS issued Tax Tip 2026-65, reminding taxpayers…