@taxgirl
I share tax and law stories for Forbes. Lawyer, writer, plant lover, sports fan, proud mom. Happiest with coffee ☕ and my kids. Originally from NC, moved to Philly for school, stayed for snow and pretzels. Have a tip for me? I'm on Signal @taxgirl.1040
About a month before the close of the 2026 tax filing season, there’s a big question in Washington: who is running the IRS?
Senators warn that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s legal authority to serve as Acting IRS Commissioner appears to have run out.
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IRS and Treasury have issued proposed regs for Trump accounts (also called 530A accounts). Here’s how to open the accounts, who can request the federal $1,000 pilot contribution, and how the money will end up in your account.
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The latest edition of our free @forbes.com newsletter is out!
This week: The season heats up.
Plus: “No tax on tips” gets more complicated, taxing Social Security benefits, Taxes From A to Z, tax filing deadlines, tax trivia and more.
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From phishing emails to bogus tax credits, the IRS warns that scammers keep changing tactics. Here’s what you should know about the most common tax scams now.
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Backers project, based on Forbes’ billionaires list, that a new wealth tax would raise $4.4 trillion over 10 years for childcare, housing, and a $ 3,000-per-person check for many Americans.
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Most paid preparers aren’t subject to any licensing or competency standards. A new bipartisan bill would tighten enforcement against bad preparers, but it stops short of regulating the industry.
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A growing number of retirees have been paying federal tax on their benefits. A new $6,000 per person senior deduction reduces taxes for some seniors, but doesn’t change the way Social Security is taxed.
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Tax season can be busy. Here’s what taxpayers should know about filing for extension, making payments and planning for the unexpected.
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The latest edition of our free tax newsletter is out!
This week: The Olympics didn’t offer the only “hold your breath” moments this week.
Plus: SCOTUS on tariffs, AI and scams, state refund checks, tax season filing statistics, tax trivia and more.
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Is eating Girl Scout cookies for breakfast healthy?
Probably not.
But is it championing a program that teaches girls about money & people skills?
This is what I've told myself.
Also, the cookies were good. And the adorable girls who sold them had handmade thank-you notes.
This is why you don't tell your kids about your job.
I am losing to my kid in Scrabble. He played "levies" in an advantageous spot.
It’s a Wonderful Life bank run scene.
“You're thinking of the $175 billion in tariff money all wrong. As if I had the money back in a safe. The money's not here. Your money's in the White House ballroom, the renaming of the Department of Defense, the $10 billion transfer to the Board of Peace, and a hundred other unauthorized actions.”
The Supreme Court ended emergency tariffs under IEEPA, but questions remain, including what new tariffs could replace them and what the ruling means for taxpayers.
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Anyone's guess? The issue of refunds goes back to the lower courts (SCOTUS didn't address it).
SCOTUS ruling in. Roberts writes the opinion for the majority, holding that IEEPA doesn't grant the president authority to impose tariffs.
Thomas dissents (natch), as does Kavanaugh.
Seeing lots of bad takes on this.
For clarity, the PATH Act, which requires IRS to hold Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC)-related refunds until mid-February, is *not* a new law. The refund piece took effect on January 1, 2017.
Nope, that was my error. The % drop is correct, but I inverted the text from my chart. Fixing.
AI has helped romance scams blossom. IRS-CI Chief Guy Ficco walked me through how things are changing and how taxpayers can protect themselves.
(The tax code offers little relief for those who have lost money to a romance scam—unless it turns into an investment scam.)
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The first week of the 2026 tax filing season shows a slower start for federal income tax returns and IRS processing, but early filers are receiving larger refunds than a year ago.
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As CEO, Kevin Akeroyd leads Sovos, a SaaS technology platform company focused on enabling tax compliance in a digital, cross-border, regulated world.
Kevin is the latest tax pro to be featured in our Getting To Know You series.
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Looking for tax rates? Info about tax refunds? Not sure about those new tax breaks?
We’ve got you covered with our Forbes Tax Guide.
You’ll find links to articles with the basics, as well as what we’re watching (so that you don’t have to).
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A fun fact about the side judge for today's Super Bowl. It's once again Eugene Hall. I wrote about him—and his connection to IRS Criminal Investigations—for @forbes.com in 2023.
You can read about him here:
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Yes (thanks for asking).
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Federal tax credits come in a number of flavors, including refundable, nonrefundable and partially refundable. Here’s what you should know heading into tax season.
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Federal prosecutors claim that Carl Delano Torjagbo siphoned millions in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds and filed fraudulent tax returns to generate tax refunds.
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A bigger standard deduction, changes in the itemizing rules and new temporary deductions all complicate the decision. Here’s how to choose the option that’s best for you.
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Joel Rufus French, a former college football standout, was found guilty of running a years-long scheme that exploited Medicare and veterans’ health programs by billing nearly $200 million for unnecessary and nonexistent medical equipment.
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Our Getting To Know You Series is back! This week? Document, document, document. Patrick Malloy, Co-Director, National Tax Practice and Strategy with Crescent Grove Advisors, cites that among the best advice he’s ever received in tax.
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