Personal Income Taxes

Top Personal Tax Deductions

Don't overlook any of these personal tax deductions -- they make itemizing your deductions well worth it.

Tips for Last-Minute Tax Filers

Still haven't filed your taxes? Don't worry -- millions of people wait until the last minute to do their taxes. You can easily get a six-month extensi...

Tax Issues for Same-Sex Couples

If you are part of a same-sex couple, April 15th can be a daunting date.

Tax Exemptions and Dependents: Six Things to Know

Tax rules on dependents and exemptions apply to everyone who files a federal income tax return. If that's you (and it probably is), here are six impor...

Seven Steps to Lower Your Taxes

We've all heard that death and taxes are inevitable. Well, death may be inevitable, but taxes are not. With some tax planning, you can owe less money ...

Our Tax Laws -- Understanding the Rules of the Game

Congress writes the tax laws, which become part of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), or tax code for short. The tax code is amended every year; present...

An Overview of Personal Income Taxes

With the possible exception of accountants, nobody likes taxes. As an individual, you're responsible for paying taxes on any income that you earn. The...

The Kiddie Tax: Limits on Shifting Unearned Income to Children

For a long time, a popular tax-saving strategy for high-income families was to funnel unearned income through their children to reduce their overall t...

How Long Should You Keep Tax Papers?

In general, the IRS has up to three years after you file your tax return to complete an audit of you.

How to Reduce the Chance of an Audit

There is no surefire way to audit-proof your tax return. Nevertheless, there are numerous steps you can take to reduce your audit risk, such as using ...

Filing a Tax Return When You Live Outside the United States

If you live abroad and have income, you will still have to file a tax return.

Filing and Paying Taxes Late

What if April 15 rolls by and you haven't had time to complete your return? The consequences may not be as serious as you fear -- if you take some sim...

Key Changes in Tax Laws for 2010 Individual Returns

Every year, taxpayers and tax professionals dust off their magnifying glasses and try to understand what's new in the Internal Revenue Code and in the...