withholding

CNBC personal finance expert Sharon Epperson says the spring is a good time to clean up your finances by adjusting your payroll withholding, boosting your retirement contributions and scheduling automatic savings.

As IRS checks start to pour in around the country, you'll soon hear a chorus of financial advisers telling you why getting a tax refund is a bad thing -- because it means you gave an interest-free loan to Uncle Sam. But at least for right now, that isn't a such big deal.

Your taxes are filed and done. Victory dance? Actually, hold on. There's one more step you should take, whether you got a big refund or owed Uncle Sam a big check: It's time to take another look at your withholding.

If you have to write the IRS a check every year, there's a chance you could get even worse news from the tax man: an extra bill for interest and penalties. How can you avoid that? Welcome to the nerve-wracking world of estimated tax payments.

Thanks to yet another lapse by Congress, more than 20 million taxpayers may pay a tax in 2012 that was originally designed to hit only the ultra-rich. It may not happen -- but you should plan ahead for it in case it does.

2011 wasn't a good year for those expecting big checks from the IRS. Not only were fewer refunds delivered, but the average refund was smaller. That's no surprise in this economy, but it's also a sign that Americans are getting smarter about how we handle our taxes.

There may be a way to unlock some extra cash for the holidays right under your nose. If you're getting a tax refund of more than $500 come springtime, it means you are giving the government an interest-free loan. Wouldn't you rather have some of that money now? Here's how to get it.

Joe did right by his mother in her declining years, but half a decade of expensive care for her has left the 53-year-old in a financially precarious position. Money and Happiness columnist Laura Rowley offers him a step-by-step plan to get out of debt and back on track for his own retirement.

While the pains and pressures of this year's tax season are fresh in your mind, give some thought to next April 15. Here are five tips from the personal finance pros for making next year's tax filing season less stressful and more monetarily rewarding.

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.