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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...

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 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 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 TakeawaysUse 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...

Key TakeawaysFederal law protects you from being fired because of an IRS wage levy. A tax levy takes from your wages. A federal tax lien secures the IRS’s claim against your property. A wage levy can still create workplace tension and cash flow problems,...

Key TakeawaysA federal extension provides six extra months to file, but all taxes owed must still be paid by the April 15th deadline to avoid penalties and interest. For 2026, the IRS assesses a 0.5% monthly failure-to-pay penalty plus 7% annual interest...