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Let’s get to the point. Straight talk about the taxes we paid this year. Not the political spin. Not the sound bites. The money you actually spent. If your household made less than about $361,400 in 2025, there’s a strong chance you paid more in total taxes this year than last year. That could be true even if you saw a slight drop in your income tax rate on paper. And the main reason is something that doesn't show up directly on your tax return: tariffs. According to the   In

Original Post: 11/28/23; Updated on 4/6/26 For many households, a tax refund is one of the largest single deposits they will see all year. And yet, when it arrives, the question often feels surprisingly unclear: What should we actually do with this money? Is it a chance to finally get ahead, or an opportunity to enjoy something you have been putting off? The answer is more important than it might seem. Research shows that about two-thirds of taxpayers say their refund plays a

At the end of a long day, convenience feels like relief. Dinner gets ordered with a few taps. A free trial quietly rolls into a paid subscription. A purchase is split into four smaller payments so it barely registers. No argument. No spreadsheet. No stress, at least not in the moment. For many couples, this is how money decisions happen now. Quietly. Automatically. Individually. The problem is not that convenience exists. The problem is that convenience spending has shifted f

Table of Contents Safer Options Than Mailing at the Last Minute Getting Organized Without Feeling Overwhelmed How Much Does a Tax Preparer Cost and When Should You Hire One? What Credentials Should a Tax Preparer Have? Wrapping It Up Many taxpayers have dropped their tax returns in a mailbox on the due date. And until now, you were fine. The postmark would reflect that date, even if the envelope moved slowly through the system. You can’t do that anymore. The USPS recently add

Filing taxes can feel like just another thing on your never-ending to-do list—but it's too important to ignore. When done right, you can lower your tax bill, maximize your refund, and stay on track with long-term goals like paying off student loans or saving for a home. Here’s a simple, practical guide to walk you through the process. ✅ Step 1: Gather Your Documents Before you file, collect everything you need in one place. Here are the essentials: W-2s from employers 1099s f

I just finished reading " When unpaid cooking, cleaning, and child care get a dollar value, income inequality in the US shrinks, but the gap has grown since 1965 ," written by Leila Gautham, Lecturer in Economics, University of Leeds, and Nancy Folbre, Professor Emerita of Economics, UMass Amherst. The authors argue that traditional measures of income inequality miss a major part of the economy: unpaid household work such as cooking, cleaning, and childcare. For context, belo

For decades, the default advice for couples was simple: open a joint bank account and combine everything: one household, one pot of money. But a growing number of couples are moving away from that model, and it is not because they are less committed. According to 2023 data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Income and Program Participation , the share of couples without any joint bank accounts  rose by more than half, from 15% in 1996 to 23% in 2023. The shift is especia

Every January, social media is filled with bold promises of resetting your finances with "No Spend January." Undo the damage of the holidays. Take control. You cannot “No Spend” your way out of child care, rent, health insurance, groceries, or medical bills. Those costs do not pause just because the calendar flipped. This isn't news to the millions of folks who are rolling their eyes at the $1,000 Trump account news , while the cost to live is so high that women are leaving t

Subscription-based services spiked over the past few years, largely due to COVID keeping some of us hostage in our homes. Statistics have shown  that “Growth in new subscriptions immediately increased during the first few weeks of the COVID period, ranging from 20%-40% higher than the pre-COVID timeframe.” Now that the world has returned to normal (well, sort of), it’s time to hunt down the subscriptions secretly sucking money out of our pockets. Pro Hack for Couples: Review

Table of Contents What a Tax Bracket Actually Means (Not What People Think) Step One: Start With Your Filing Status Step Two: Subtract the Deduction First Step Three: Find Where Your Taxable Income Falls A Calculator to Help You Plan Instead of React Tax Filing Support A surprisingly common Google search every year is: “How do I figure out my tax bracket?” It usually pops up after a raise, a bonus, RSUs vesting, a side hustle taking off, or a second income finally ramping up.

On Sunday night, January 11th, Federal Reserve Chairman Powell just announced that he is under investigation by Trump's Department of Justice. Trump is trying to coerce the Federal Reserve into lowering interest rates, and he's using any means necessary to do it. Click here  to listen to a statement from Chairman Powell, which I copied and pasted below. "Good evening. On Friday, the Department of Justice served the Federal Reserve with grand jury subpoenas, threatening a crim

Every January, millions of couples set financial resolutions with the best intentions. Save more. Spend less. Pay off debt. Create a budget. Feel more in control. Most of these resolutions collapse by February. Not because couples are lazy or undisciplined, but because the resolution depends on motivation, which always fades. A resolution that sticks needs a ritual behind it, a system that pulls you back into conversation even when life becomes chaotic. If you want a New Year

Most New Year's Resolutions are destined to fail, but that doesn't mean that yours will if you're serious about your financial goals in the upcoming new year. There are tried and true strategies for behavior change, which we will share in this post. Specifically, we will share how you can save more money and reduce debt. These are the two most common financial goals to set for the new year. Save More Money Whether you can save more money in your marriage comes down to three f

The most helpful resource or tool spouses can use to build a budget is a complete history of their past financial choices. Before we get to that, let's understand what you and your spouse hope to achieve. I prefer to look at a budget as a spending plan. Planned choices to spend money are not a guilty pleasure; it's planned happiness. A budget (spending plan) is not a long-term diet. It might be necessary to tighten your belts to pay down damaging debt obligations. After this

As the year winds down, most of us are focused on holiday plans, family logistics, and trying to wrap up work without burning out. But the end of the year is also one of the most important moments for your financial health. A few intentional steps now can save you money, reduce stress, and set you and your spouse up for a smoother, more confident start to the year ahead. These seven tasks are simple, practical, and take less time than assembling a toy on Christmas morning, bu

Partner With Your Spouse Controlling money in a relationship, that is, structuring a plan for your money should be a partnership between spouses. When you control money with your spouse, you foster open communication, trust, and shared responsibility, creating a strong financial foundation. Through collaboration, both partners can align their spending habits, priorities, and budgeting, resulting in a unified approach. 1. Schedule a money date Money dates are regularly schedul

As the year winds down, many families start weighing big-ticket financial decisions. For some, that includes whether to buy or lease a...

As an Accredited Financial Counselor®, I often guide individuals through the complexities of budgeting, debt management, and financial...

Many couples assume that spending power equals happiness. If you make more, you’ll enjoy experiences more, right? Dr. Jenny Olson,...

Opening a bank account is a foundational step for couples aiming to manage their finances collaboratively. Whether you're newlyweds,...