
What you can do now to protect tax refund
Take action to make it difficult for identity thieves to steal your tax refund.
Liz Weston is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, award-winning journalist and the author of five books about money, including the "The 10 Commandments of Money," "There Are No Dumb Questions About Money" and "Your Credit Score."
Liz started covering personal finance in the early 1990s, just as interest in 401(k)s, credit scores and other money topics was about to explode. After stints at the Orange County Register and the Los Angeles Times, she began writing online for MSN and soon became the Internet’s most-read personal finance columnist, according to Nielsen/NetRatings surveys.
She has appeared on CNBC, “NBC Nightly News,” the “Today” show, “Dr. Phil” and numerous radio shows, including American Public Media’s “Marketplace”; NPR’s “All Things Considered,” “Talk of the Nation” and “On Point”; and KPCC’s “Air Talk.” Weston writes a weekly question-and-answer column, “Money Talk,” that appears in the Los Angeles Times, among other outlets.
Liz has been a columnist for Reuters, AARP the Magazine and NerdWallet, among other outlets. She retired from full-time work in early 2024. She and her husband, the artist Will Weston, live in Los Angeles when they’re not in Paris or somewhere else in the world, exploring the joys of semi-retirement.
No one is born knowing how to handle money. We all have to learn, and we all make mistakes. The key is finding a balance, so that you’re able to save for the future while enjoying your life today.
— Liz Weston, CFP®
The AMT, or alternative minimum tax, has its own set of tax rates and rules. Here’s how it works, how to calculate your bill, and the changes coming in 2026.
When someone dies, the assets they leave behind are subject to the estate tax. But only if the estate’s total value exceeds a multimillion-dollar exemption amount.
Knowing your federal income tax bracket can help you manage your money better. Here are the federal tax brackets and income tax rates for 2025 and 2024.
The standard deduction is a valuable tax benefit, and one of the easiest to claim. And it got a boost in the new tax law.
Gross income is your total pay, before deductions or taxes are taken out. It plays a big role in some key personal finance calculations.
The gift tax prevents large tax-free transfers of wealth. But few taxpayers owe this tax, thanks to the annual and lifetime exemptions.
Paying attention to short-term capital gains tax rates can help you save money in the long run.
If you own rental property, you can reduce your tax bill by claiming valuable tax deductions.