Tax & Money
Clear explanations and practical insights about paychecks, salaries, taxes, state taxes, retirement savings, and the money decisions that affect take-home pay.
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The Half of Your Payroll Tax You Never See
Your stub shows 7.65%. Your employer pays the same again, invisibly, plus two taxes you never see. What that means for self employment tax and for comparing a contract rate.
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New Boxes on Your 2026 W-2: What TA, TP, and TT Mean
Three new Box 12 codes appear on the 2026 W-2, plus a split Box 14. What TA, TP and TT actually report, why TP is not your deduction, and why TT is only a third…
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Marginal or Effective? The Two Tax Rates People Mix Up
Your bracket is not what you pay. The difference between marginal and effective rate, which to use for which decision, and where phase-outs make the bracket table misleading.
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Trump Accounts Are Live: Who Actually Qualifies for the $1,000
Six million children have a Trump Account. About 1.4 million qualify for the $1,000. Here is who actually gets the seed money, what can go in, and how it compares to a 529.
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The 2027 Social Security COLA: What the Next Three CPI Reports Actually Decide
The 2027 COLA is not a decision, it is arithmetic on three CPI readings that have not been published yet. Here are the dates that matter and why the projections keep moving.
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Retiree Paycheck Taxes: W-4P, Social Security, Pension, and IRA Withdrawals
Pensions, IRAs, and Social Security each follow a different withholding rulebook, and nobody coordinates them. Here is how W-4P, W-4R, and W-4V work and how much of your benefits are actually taxable.
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Two Jobs or Working Spouse: Why W-4s Go Wrong So Easily
Two-earner households often owe tax even though both jobs withheld. Here is exactly why the shortfall happens, worked out in dollars, and the three ways Form W-4 fixes it.
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New Baby, Marriage, Divorce, or New Job: The Tax Updates People Forget
A practical checklist for the tax and payroll updates that follow a new baby, marriage, divorce, new job, raise, or move, including the 30 day benefits window most people miss.
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Child Tax Credit vs EITC: Why Credits Matter More Than Deductions
A practical explanation of why tax credits can matter more than deductions, using the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit as family focused examples for refund and withholding planning.
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Why Your Paycheck Can Increase Mid Year After You Hit the Social Security Wage Base
A practical explanation of why high earners may see a mid year paycheck increase after reaching the 2026 Social Security wage base, why Medicare tax continues, and why the change resets each January.