Category: Credits & Deductions
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Even non-itemizers can deduct up to $1,000 in cash gifts to qualified charities this year.
A tax change for 2026 gives charitable donors a reason to save receipts even when they plan to take the standard deduction. The new break applies to qualifying cash gifts and has separate limits for single and joint filers, so the amount donated is not automatically the amount saved on the tax bill. The deduction…
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Standard vs. Itemized: The Simple Test Most People Pass
The 2026 standard deduction is $16,100 single and $32,200 joint. A four-number test tells you in minutes whether itemizing could ever beat it.
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The Child and Dependent Care Credit, Step by Step
Summer day camp can count toward the child and dependent care credit. Here are the qualifying rules, the $3,000/$6,000 limits, and the new 2026 rates.
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Charitable Deductions: What Counts and What Doesn’t
New for 2026: a charitable deduction you can claim without itemizing. What counts, what doesn’t, and the receipts the IRS requires to keep it.
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The Earned Income Tax Credit: Do You Qualify?
The EITC is a refundable credit worth thousands for working families, and the IRS says about one in five eligible workers never claims it. Here is who qualifies.
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The Saver’s Credit Pays You to Put Money Away
The Saver’s Credit gives lower- and moderate-income workers a tax credit worth up to half of what they put into a retirement account. Here is how it works in 2026.
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The Child Tax Credit in 2026: Amounts and Income Limits
The child tax credit is $2,200 per child for 2026, with up to $1,700 refundable. Here are the income limits, the phase-out math, and who qualifies.