Updated for November 2026

Your Personal Finance Guide to Tax Refunds, Retirement Plans & Government Benefits

Plain-English answers, kept current and checked against IRS, SSA, federal and state sources.

Filed Form 14039? How Long Your Refund Takes, and Why It’s Averaging 20 Months

Form 14039 likely doesn't mean much to most people. But if you are among the millions of Americans over the last few years dealing with your refund and identity theft then this article can help you get more insight into what is going on. If you filed Form 14039, the…

TRICARE Costs for 2027: Enrollment Fees, Deductibles and Catastrophic Caps by Group

You are probably aware that TRICARE costs will go up on January 1, 2027, and most fees rise about 3.6% to 3.7%. A retiree family in Group A will pay $792.96 a year for TRICARE Prime, up from $765, or $388.92 for TRICARE Select. The Defense Health Agency published the…

State Child Tax Credits 2026–2027: The 16 States That Add Money on Top of the Federal Credit

The federal Child Tax Credit (CTC) is $2,200 per child for 2026, rising to $2,300 for 2027. If you live in the right state, that isn't the only child credit on your return. Fifteen states pay their own child tax credit for the 2026 tax year, the return you file…

What the New Democratic Congress Could Change on Your 2027 Taxes, and What It Can’t

Democrats resoundingly won control of both the House and the Senate in the latest midterm election cycle and will run the new Congress from January 3, 2027. That doesn't change your taxes on its own. President Trump still signs or vetoes every bill, and the new majorities are well short…

How to Cash Old Savings Bonds in 2026 (And Check for the $70 Billion in Unclaimed Money You Might Be Owed)

If you've got a paper EE or I savings bond from a parent or grandparent sitting in a drawer, there's a good chance your own bank won't cash it anymore. Most banks stopped taking paper bonds from non-customers years ago, and plenty won't touch them even if you do have…

Is That Text About Your Tax Refund Real? How to Spot an IRS Scam in 2026

If you got a text saying your tax refund is "approved," "on hold," or "ready for direct deposit," it didn't come from the IRS. The agency doesn't send text messages about your refund, full stop, and it doesn't email you first either. Its own guidance is blunt about it: "We…

Federal Benefits Open Season 2026: Dates, 2027 FEHB Premiums and the FSAFEDS Deadline

Federal Benefits Open Season runs November 9 through December 14, 2026. Whatever you pick in those five weeks sets your health, dental, vision and FSA coverage for the 2027 plan year. The number that matters most this year: the average enrollee share of FEHB premiums rises 10.9% in 2027, according…

AI and Your Taxes in 2027: What It’s Actually Good For, and Where It Still Gets You Audited

Ask ChatGPT how much you owe the IRS and it will happily answer, with confidence, in a tone that sounds exactly as certain when it's right as when it's wrong. That gap between confidence and accuracy is the whole story of AI and taxes right now. Filing season for your…

Home and Auto Insurance Bundle Costs: Why My Cheapest Renewal Quote Wasn’t the Cheapest

My cheapest home and auto bundle for this year's renewal came in $219 a year below the competition. It also came with a $32,640 deductible for wind and hail damage. That's the whole story of bundled insurance in 2026 for me. Premiums keep creeping up, and the quote that looks…

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