Personal Finance

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Staffing The Future Of Federal Prisons

The Bureau of Prisons has a problem attracting new workers. However, there are no easy answers and a tough environment is as much to blame as low salaries.

ByWalter Pavlo,

Contributor

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Tax Breaks: The Slow Down, Double-Check Edition

Plus: Social Security benefits, IRA contributions, AI and the IRS, tax season filing statistics, Taxes From A to Z, tax filing deadlines, tax trivia and more.

ByKelly Phillips Erb,

Forbes Staff

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Are Your Social Security Benefits Taxable This Year?

A growing number of retirees have been paying federal tax on their benefits. A new $6,000 per person senior deduction reduce taxes for some seniors, but doesn’t change the way Social Security is taxed.

ByKelly Phillips Erb,

Forbes Staff

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Student Loans In SAVE Plan Thrust Into New Uncertainty After Major Court Ruling

A federal court on Friday injected new uncertainty into the years-long legal battle over the future of the SAVE plan, a popular repayment plan for federal student loans.

ByAdam S. Minsky,

Senior Contributor

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IRS Filing Season Still Trails 2025, But Refunds Are Up More Than 10%

Tax returns received and processed remain slightly below last year’s pace, even as the average refund climbs to $3,804.

ByKelly Phillips Erb,

Forbes Staff

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Moving On After Prison, Making A Contribution And Reducing Costs

Many federal inmates, particularly at federal prison camps, go on to do amazing work and become better members of society. Tax payers are getting a payback from some.

ByWalter Pavlo,

Contributor

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When Is It Too Late To Start Saving For Retirement?

Is it ever too late to save for retirement? A closer look at the $1,000 savings statistic, 401(k) catch-up rules, and strategies for starting after 50.

ByWes Moss,

Contributor

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Bureau Of Prisons Challenges Remain After Trump’s State Of The Union

The Bureau of Prisons, despite all of its issues, is once again being pushed to the side. Staffing shortages and crumbling buildings still dominate under Trump.

ByWalter Pavlo,

Contributor

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Tax Returns Need Extra Diligence After IRS Cuts, Warn Tax Advisors

This is not the year to slack off on your tax return. IRS technology reliably catches errors, but the Trump admin's IRS staff cuts mean resolving issues could take years.

ByBruce Brumberg, JD,

Contributor

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I Learned These Tax Extension Lessons The Hard Way

Tax season can be busy. Here’s what taxpayers should know about filing for extension, making payments and planning for the unexpected.

ByKelly Phillips Erb,

Forbes Staff

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How Would Trump’s Retirement Savings Idea Work For You?

In some respects, Trump’s idea is less generous than current law. Still, he'd fill some gaps for higher-income people who do not have sufficient savings for old age.

ByHoward Gleckman,

Senior Contributor

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The New AI Is Starting To Sound Like The Old Dot Com

Once again, companies don’t need to prove their ability to make money to attract investors, and that’s something you might wish to avoid.

ByErik Sherman,

Senior Contributor

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Trump Says Tariffs Can Replace The Income Tax. They Can’t.

Import taxes raise vastly less revenue than the income tax. If import duties offset any income taxes, government would be moving money from your left pocket to your right

ByHoward Gleckman,

Senior Contributor

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Automatic Discharges Of Student Loans To Proceed After Dual Court Wins

Student loan borrowers notched two major court victories this week, paving the way for automatic discharges of federal student loans.

ByAdam S. Minsky,

Senior Contributor

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Is Mortgage Preapproval Worth It? Pros, Cons, And Best Practices

This article explores how a mortgage preapproval works, highlighting the benefits and drawbacks, and lists key best practices to help you use it wisely.

ByTrue Tamplin,

Contributor

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IRS Struggled To Onboard New Hires Even Before Current Woes, Report Finds

A TIGTA report found that thousands of IRS new hires during the agency’s 2024 expansion lacked training and equipment, raising concerns about the tax filing season.

ByKelly Phillips Erb,

Forbes Staff

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Why HSAs May Be The Missing Link Between Health And Retirement Planning

For decades, retirement planning has focused on saving aggressively, investing consistently and preparing for rising healthcare costs. HSAs help change the conversation.

ByJuan Carlos Medina,

Contributor

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Some Student Loan Borrowers May Soon Receive Refunds Worth Thousands

Many student loan borrowers may soon be receiving unexpected refund checks in the mail, in some cases totaling hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Here's why.

ByAdam S. Minsky,

Senior Contributor

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Forget A Bifurcated Economy, It’s Now Trifurcated

The upper-income households are doing great, the middle ones are getting by, the lower-income households are seeing the earth erode underneath them.

ByErik Sherman,

Senior Contributor

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Tax-Loss Harvesting Through Direct Indexing

The S&P 500's performance often diverges from that of its constituents. Direct indexing takes advantage of this by harvesting losses stocks with losses.

ByKristin McKenna,

Senior Contributor