Income taxes

Happy 100th Birthday, Income Tax!

On Sunday, the 16th Amendment -- the one that laid the groundwork for a permanent federal income tax -- celebrated its 100th birthday. Needless to say, not everybody was lining up to celebrate. But perhaps they should have been.

Higher Taxes in 2013? You're Already Paying Them for 2012

More than 70 tax breaks enjoyed by individuals and businesses expired at the end of 2011. If Congress doesn't extend them retroactively back to the beginning of this year, a typical middle-class family could face a $4,000 tax increase when it files its 2012 return.

What Will You Do With Your Tax Refund?

For more than three-quarters of U.S. taxpayers, the silver lining of tax season is the refund check. This year, the IRS says the average refund is just under $3,000, and many people will use theirs to pay off debt or cover expenses. But it could also create an opportunity to save or invest.

Getting to Zero: How Congress Could Balance the Federal Budget

It took about 10 years of decisions for the federal budget to get more than a trillion dollars out of whack, and it's going to take at least five years to balance it again. The only way to do it is piece-by-piece, with equal sacrifices from both Republicans and Democrats.