On Thursday, the IRS released its annual adjustments for the 2024 tax year, which include changes to income tax brackets and a higher standard deduction. These shifts happen every year to account for “bracket creep,” which causes people to pay more in taxes due to inflation without actually earning more income.
Tax day 2024 is not until Mon, Apr 15, 2024, and also right around the corner. The luxury of time doesn’t mean you should wait until the last minute to figure out how you’re going to file your 2023 taxes—especially when you can save some money if you plan ahead.
We’re still a ways out from the winter holidays, but they’ll be here before you know it—so now is the time to mark your calendars so your gifts arrive on time. The major shipping services—USPS, UPS, and FedEx—each have deadlines for sending mail and packages if you want them to arrive ahead of Dec. 25.
It’s almost time to fall back for Daylight Saving Time, but who came up with this bizarre practice? And why? If you just answered “Benjamin Franklin” and “to help farmers,” you don’t know the real history.
The Department of the Treasury announced last week that the new rate for I bonds issued between November 2023 and April 2024 is 5.27%. This number includes a fixed rate of 1.30%. With inflation causing concerns for your investments across the board, U.S. savings bonds are considered a safe bet, since they’re fully…
Welcome to Evil Week, our annual dive into all the slightly sketchy hacks we’d usually refrain from recommending. Want to weasel your way into free drinks, play elaborate mind games, or, er, launder some money? We’ve got all the info you need to be successfully unsavory.
Law enforcement officers and agents will hide who they are for all kinds of reasons, from catching speeders to infiltrating extremist political groups to preventing the kidnappings of state governors. It’s often hard to recognize undercover cops, but there are some tells, so here’s a rough guide to recognizing cops…
Leftover cornbread is a sad, dusty thing. It’s hard to believe it could ever even be left over—the stuff is so exquisite when fresh—but Thanksgiving leads to leftover everything. Whether you made too much for your famous stuffing, or the cornbread muffins were forgotten at dinner, there’s a way you can give stale…
Good news for savers: The IRS announced yesterday that next year’s contribution limits for 401(k)s and other tax-advantaged retirement plans are being increased to account for inflation. Since it’s always a good idea to max out your retirement contributions, let’s take a look at what these new limits are for the 2024…
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) determines your eligibility for need-based financial aid for college. In previous years, the FAFSA asked families about the amount they contributed to employer-sponsored retirement accounts like 401(k)s each year, and factored it into households’ overall yearly…
Cold weather is coming, which means it’s time to light up your fireplace or firepit and build up your woodpile for the season. Whether you’re chopping firewood yourself or buying it and bringing it home, make sure you’re storing it correctly—don’t just dump it on the ground.
Making a cake is never easy. With all the bowls, whisks, and measuring cups involved, it can feel a lot more like a chemistry experiment than a celebratory snack. “One bowl” recipes can make the process less of a chore, but all I really want to do is just dump everything in a dish and bake it. Turns out I’ve been in…
Hot chicken has foodie virality at the moment, but it isn’t a passing fad. This spicy fried poultry has been searing the taste buds off of Nashvillians for generations. You can give large chicken cuts the hot chicken treatment, or shrink it down to party snack size. Bring a tiny piece of Nashville into your home with…
Picture perfect apples are tumbling into grocery stores with no sign of stopping. Make the most of this bounty by cooking up one of the more concentrated iterations of apple—apple butter, with a twist. It’s always been a dippable, spreadable, velvety smooth fall favorite, but take it a step further with a dose of…
Paramount+ has a handful of original titles worth watching in November. On one end is Lawmen: Bass Reeves (November 5), a Wild West drama starring David Oyelowo as the real-life Bass Reeves, the first Black deputy U.S. marshal to work west of the Mississippi. On the other is Colin From Accounts (November 9), an…
Being self-employed gives you the freedom and flexibility to be your own boss. However, one major drawback of being your own boss is securing your own affordable health insurance.
Sadly, we did not manage to abolish Daylight Saving time changes during that brief, hopeful moment last year, so in less than two weeks we will be going ahead with our usual ritual: Wake up early, forgetting that the time changed during the night, then get confused that the clock on our phone doesn’t match the one on…
Max has a handful of original series worth streaming in November, starting with season two of the Issa Rae comedy Rap Sh!t, which stars KaMillion and Aida Osman as estranged friends turned rap partners (November 9) followed by season two of Julia, the comedy-drama based on the life of Julia Child (November 16). At the…
Saving for retirement is a crucial part of everyone’s financial planning. I’ve recommended before that dividing your money into multiple accounts helps you see all your saving goals separately. A big part of that is taking advantage of retirement-specific accounts in order to invest in your future. So, how can…
In addition to the beeps and chimes that you hear on an airplane, you may also pick up on a variety of mechanical sounds before and during a flight, as well as after you’ve landed. Unless you have aviation experience or knowledge (or are traveling with someone who does), you may be curious—or anxious—about what’s…