Tax Insights 2026
Short guides written for tax year 2026. Each article links to the calculators that use the same IRS/SSA datasets.
- NIIT: The 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax
Who owes Form 8960 tax, which income counts, how MAGI thresholds work for 2026 planning, and how NIIT stacks with capital gains brackets.
Published 2026-06-01 · Updated 2026-07-20
- QBI Deduction Basics for 2026
How Section 199A’s 20% deduction works below and above the taxable-income threshold, what SSTBs change, and why W-2 wages and UBIA matter for larger firms.
Published 2026-05-08 · Updated 2026-07-20
- RMD Start Ages: 73 and 75
How birth year affects when required minimum distributions begin, which table to use, and what a missed RMD costs.
Published 2026-05-01 · Updated 2026-07-20
- SALT Cap, PTE Taxes, and 2026 Planning Tradeoffs
How the federal SALT limit works for 2026, why property tax plus state income tax still get clipped, and how PTE taxes interact without inventing loopholes.
Published 2026-04-12 · Updated 2026-07-20
- SNAP: Federal Baseline vs State Rules
Why a national SNAP calculator can only estimate, how net income is built, and where state BBCE policies change outcomes.
Published 2026-04-02 · Updated 2026-07-20
- W-2 vs 1099: What Actually Changes in Your Tax Bill
Payroll tax, withholding, deductions, and quarterly estimates—how employee and contractor status change cash flow more than the headline federal brackets.
Published 2026-03-22 · Updated 2026-07-20
- 401(k) Contribution Limits 2026
Elective deferral, catch-up, and ages 60–63 higher catch-up limits for 2026, plus how traditional vs Roth deferrals change your paycheck and AGI.
Published 2026-03-12 · Updated 2026-07-20
- IRMAA 2026: Medicare Premium Surcharges by MAGI
How IRMAA brackets work for Part B and Part D, which year’s MAGI CMS uses, and why a Roth conversion can raise next year’s Medicare premiums.
Published 2026-03-10 · Updated 2026-07-20
- SALT Deduction in 2026: Cap, Itemizing, and Tradeoffs
How state and local tax deductions interact with the 2026 standard deduction, why the federal SALT cap still drives the itemize-or-not decision, and what to model before year-end.
Published 2026-03-01 · Updated 2026-07-20
- FEIE 2026: Foreign Earned Income Exclusion Amount
The 2026 FEIE ceiling, physical presence vs bona fide residence, housing exclusion basics, and why Form 2555 is not optional if you claim the exclusion.
Published 2026-02-18 · Updated 2026-07-20
- Social Security Wage Base 2026
The 2026 OASDI wage base is $184,500. Here is what that means for high earners, self-employed filers, and paycheck planning once Medicare continues without a cap.
Published 2026-02-10 · Updated 2026-07-20
- Paycheck Withholding vs Annual Tax Liability
Why take-home pay and your Form 1040 balance due are not the same math, and how to use W-4 settings and estimates so April is not a surprise.
Published 2026-02-03 · Updated 2026-07-20
- Quarterly Estimated Taxes for 2026
When freelancers and side-gig workers need 1040-ES payments, how safe harbor works, and how to size each installment without overpaying.
Published 2026-02-01 · Updated 2026-07-20
- Standard Deduction 2026: Amounts and When to Itemize
IRS standard deduction amounts for 2026 by filing status, extra amounts for age or blindness, and a practical way to decide whether Schedule A still wins.
Published 2026-01-20 · Updated 2026-07-20
- ACA Premium Tax Credit and the 2026 Cliff
Why benchmark premiums matter, how advance credits are reconciled, and what changes when enhanced subsidies are not available.
Published 2026-01-20 · Updated 2026-07-20
- 2026 Federal Tax Brackets Explained
How the seven ordinary income brackets work for tax year 2026, what inflation adjustments changed from 2025, and how marginal rates differ from your effective rate.
Published 2026-01-15 · Updated 2026-07-20