In this episode:

• Premium tax credit changes affecting Marketplace health coverage enrollees.
• Long-term care insurance premium deductions and new retirement plan withdrawal rules.
• A proposed Newborn Tax Credit and updates to ABLE accounts.
• IRS partnership audit trends and lingering ERC (Employee Retention Credit) claim backlog.
• A rundown of current IRS-impersonation scam tactics targeting seniors.

In this episode:

• Federal Scholarship Tax Credit (2027) — Up to $1,700 non-refundable credit for K–12 scholarship donations; no income limits; requires state opt-in
• Cryptocurrency staking rewards — Tokens taxable as income upon receipt; deferral legislation proposed but not yet law
• 1099-DA reporting (2027) — Brokers must report digital asset sales; provide all 1099s to your preparer
• Charitable contribution rules — Cash must be documented; GoFundMe not deductible; large non-cash donations require appraisals
• $4.2M charitable deduction denied — Tax court disallowed due to inadequate documentation
• Hobby loss rules — Losses only deductible if activity is run with genuine profit motive
• Family limited partnership discounts — Court upheld IRS challenge; deemed tax-motivated with no business purpose
• Estate tax Form 706 & closing letters — Portability elections, new request fee, and 2–3 year processing delays
• 2027 Social Security wage base — Increases to $190,200; effectively a tax hike for higher earners
• Amended returns (Form 1040-X) — 3-year filing window; e-file for faster refunds
• IRS workforce decline — Staffing down 28%; enforcement agents down 33%; fewer audits and slower service

In this episode:

IRS call strategies – A tip for getting through when the IRS won't accept calls

• Tax identity theft – How fraudsters file returns using stolen Social Security numbers

• Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) – A little-known tax exclusion that could eliminate gains for eligible investors

• IRS First-Time Abatement – An automated penalty relief process coming soon for late filers

• Investment fee deductibility – Why individuals can no longer deduct these fees, but businesses still can

• IRS interest rate increases – Higher rates on underpayments and overpayments starting Q3 2026

• 2026 W-2 changes – New codes to identify deductible tips and overtime pay

• SALT cap – The $40,000 state and local tax deduction limit reaffirmed through 2029

• 2027 HSA limits – Contribution limits going up, with a reminder of the long-term savings benefits