What is a Trump Account and how do I open one for my child? A Trump Account is a new federally authorized investment account for children, created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act as IRC Section 530A. The Trump Accounts guide below walks families through the $1,000 federal seed deposit, $5,000 annual contribution cap,…
What tax steps should newlyweds take after the wedding? Update your name with Social Security, file a fresh Form W-4 with each employer, tell the IRS if you moved, and model your return under both joint and separate filing status. This newlywed tax checklist walks through each step so next spring is calm, not chaotic….
Who can claim the new Federal Scholarship Tax Credit? Starting January 1, 2027, individual taxpayers can claim the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit — a federal credit of up to $1,700 for cash donations to Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs) in a participating state. Twenty-eight states have already opted in. Beginning next year, a new line item…
Will California start charging sales tax on my SaaS subscriptions? Under a 2026 budget trailer bill (SB/AB 122), yes — as drafted, the California SaaS sales tax would extend the state’s 7.25% (plus district) sales and use tax to prewritten software and Software-as-a-Service beginning January 1, 2027, sourced to the purchaser’s California billing address. If…
Do I have to file a gift tax return for money I put in a Trump Account? In most cases, no. Under IRS Rev. Proc. 2026-25, the Trump Account gift tax safe harbor treats qualifying cash contributions as current-interest gifts within the $19,000 annual exclusion, so most families skip Form 709 entirely. The launch of…
Who qualifies for the new $25,000 federal tip deduction? The tip deduction 2026 is an above-the-line deduction for workers in customarily tipped jobs — waiters, bartenders, stylists, rideshare drivers and roughly 70 other IRS-listed occupations — worth up to $25,000 of qualified tips for tax years 2025 through 2028, subject to income phaseouts. For decades,…
When is a California resident beneficiary of a discretionary trust actually taxed on trust income? Only when the trustee decides to distribute. In its new Legal Ruling 2026-01, the FTB confirmed that California discretionary trust tax under R&TC section 17742 hinges on whether the beneficiary’s interest is “contingent” — and while the trustee holds sole…
Does my state follow the new federal OBBBA tax breaks? Not automatically. OBBBA state conformity varies widely — some states adopt the new federal rules on R&D expensing, bonus depreciation, and Section 179, while others decouple. A deduction you claim on your federal return may be added right back on your state return. The One…
What are the 2026 retirement plan limits? The 401(k) elective deferral limit rises to $24,500, the age-50 catch-up to $8,000, and a new “super catch-up” lets employees aged 60–63 add $11,250. The 2026 retirement plan limits also bring a major SECURE 2.0 change: high earners must now make catch-up contributions as Roth. If you sponsor…
What are the new 2026 tips and overtime deduction rules for employers? For tax years 2025 through 2028, employees can deduct up to $25,000 of qualified tips and up to $12,500 of qualified overtime pay ($25,000 for joint filers). The tips and overtime deduction is claimed on the employee’s return, but it creates new payroll…
