Author: Elizabeth Blessing
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The IRS replaced IRS2Go with a free app for refunds, payments and notices
The IRS has replaced its IRS2Go phone app with a new, free IRS app that lets taxpayers see refund status, payments and select notices on a phone. The agency announced the change on September 25 in news release IR-2026-114, saying IRS2Go “becomes IRS app.” People who already use IRS2Go do not need a second download.…
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Farmland owners who sell to an active farmer could pay the tax in yearly installments under proposed IRS rules for Trump’s 2025 law, with comments due November 30
Farmers and landowners who sell farmland to someone who actually farms it could be allowed to pay the tax on the gain over four years instead of in one bill. Treasury and the IRS put the proposed rules out on September 28, and written comments must be received by November 30, 2026. The installment option…
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California homeowners must file by February 15 to get the full $7,000 homeowners’ exemption taken off their home’s taxable value
California’s homeowners’ exemption takes $7,000 off the taxable value of an owner-occupied home, and a first-time filer has to get the claim in by February 15, 2027, to receive the full amount for the coming tax year. The state Board of Equalization describes it as a reduction in value, not a $7,000 cut in the…
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Broward County homeowners 65 and older have until March 1 to file for the low-income senior exemption, which capped 2026 income at $38,686
Older Broward County homeowners with modest incomes have until March 1, 2027, to apply for the low-income senior exemption on their 2027 property tax bills. The Broward County Property Appraiser lists $38,686 as the household income limit, measured against 2026 income. The exemption has to be applied for every year, so last year’s approval does…
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Medicare enrollees with Extra Help can join a stand-alone drug plan once a month, any month of the year, instead of waiting for open enrollment
People who get Medicare’s Extra Help with drug costs are not tied to the fall open-enrollment calendar for a stand-alone drug plan. They can switch once a month, any month of the year. The rule covers stand-alone Part D plans only, not Medicare Advantage plans that include drug coverage. How does the monthly switch work?…
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Food stamp households in New Jersey cut off at recertification under the noncitizen limits in Trump’s 2025 law will not be billed for benefits already paid
New Jersey will not ask for money back from food stamp households that lose their benefits because of the new noncitizen rules. The state’s Department of Human Services says households that lose eligibility at recertification because of the changes are not subject to a claim for over-issuance for benefits received during their certification period. A…
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The IRS charges a 25% excise tax on a 2026 required minimum distribution that retirees 73 and older have not taken by December 31, unless it is their first
Retirees who are 73 or older and have not yet pulled their 2026 required minimum distribution have until December 31 to do it. The IRS says the amount not withdrawn may be subject to an excise tax of 25%. With the calendar at October 22, that leaves 70 days. A required minimum distribution, or RMD,…
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Social Security pays a child of a retired or disabled parent up to half of that parent’s full benefit, usually until 18, or 19 if still in high school
A child can draw a Social Security check on a retired or disabled parent’s record, worth up to half of what the parent receives at full benefit. Social Security’s retirement benefits guide puts it simply: “Your child may get up to half of your full benefit.” The payments usually end at 18, or at 19…
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Social Security pays more than 200,000 students a year, and the agency warns a missed school-attendance report can mean benefits that must be paid back
More than 200,000 students receive Social Security benefits every year, and a good number of them depend on a school to confirm they are still in class. Social Security used an October 15 blog post to warn families that failing to report changes in school attendance can lead to incorrect payments, which may need to…
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Anthem Medicaid members in Charlottesville and Western Halifax have until October 31 to switch plans if they want to keep Sentara doctors in network
Anthem Medicaid members in Charlottesville and Western Halifax have until Saturday, October 31 to switch health plans if they want to keep Sentara doctors in network. Sentara Health ended contract talks with Anthem after Anthem did not accept its proposal by an October 1 deadline. Anthem’s Medicaid plans are expected to go out of network…