Tyler Foster
Latest Articles by Tyler Foster
The IRS Direct File program lets many taxpayers file federal returns online for free
Taxpayers in 25 states can now file their federal returns online at no cost through the IRS Direct File program, which the Treasury Department and...
A durable power of attorney lets a trusted person manage your money if illness leaves you unable
Millions of Americans already handle money or property for a family member who can no longer do it alone, and the single document that keeps...
The federal estate-tax exemption rose to $15 million per person and is now permanent
Families with estates above roughly $13 million no longer face a looming deadline that threatened to cut their federal tax shelter in half. Public Law...
A high-deductible Medigap Plan G lowers premiums for healthy retirees who rarely need care
Retirees on Original Medicare who stay relatively healthy and rarely visit a doctor face a straightforward trade-off when shopping for supplemental coverage: pay higher monthly...
FMC customers can claim about $75, or up to $5,000 for losses, from a data breach by August 31
People affected by the FMC Services, LLC data breach that occurred on July 26, 2022, face a closing window to file claims for roughly $75...
Scammers posing as Amazon and federal agents drained over $1 million from East Coast seniors, and three men are now under arrest
Three men are now in federal custody after allegedly draining more than $1 million from seniors in Virginia and Maryland through a scheme that paired...
You can claim Social Security up to four months before you want it
Workers approaching retirement age can file their Social Security applications well before they want monthly checks to arrive, but the window is fixed at exactly...
The new SALT deduction cap jumped to $40,000, easing income taxes for homeowners in high-tax states
Millions of homeowners in states with steep property and income taxes gained a significant federal tax break when the SALT deduction cap quadrupled from $10,000...
A retiree with a child under 18 at home can collect up to 50% more each month in Social Security for that child
Older Americans raising school-age children can unlock a separate monthly Social Security payment on top of their own retirement check, set by federal law at...
Seniors can get taxes prepared free through AARP Tax-Aide and IRS VITA sites
Older Americans living on fixed incomes face real costs when they pay commercial tax preparers to handle returns that include Social Security benefits, pension distributions,...
Medicare Advantage plans are set to trim dental, vision and gym perks in 2027 after insurers called their raise too thin
Millions of Medicare Advantage enrollees who rely on dental coverage, vision exams, or gym memberships through their plans face the prospect of losing or seeing...
Turning 65 opens a seven-month Medicare sign-up window you shouldn’t miss
Every year, millions of Americans cross the age-65 threshold and face a federal enrollment deadline that carries permanent financial consequences. The Initial Enrollment Period for...
You can now pull $1,000 from a 401(k) or IRA once a year for an emergency without the 10% early-withdrawal penalty
Americans who keep retirement savings in a 401(k) or IRA can now withdraw up to $1,000 once per calendar year for an emergency without paying...
Wartime veterans and their surviving spouses can qualify for an Aid and Attendance pension worth up to roughly $2,900 a month
Wartime veterans who can no longer dress, bathe, or feed themselves without help, along with their surviving spouses, stand to collect a VA pension of...
A House bill would raise survivors’ benefits for veterans’ widows and add a new monthly payment for severely disabled vets
Surviving spouses of veterans who depend on Dependency and Indemnity Compensation would receive annual payment increases above the standard cost-of-living adjustment, and the most severely...
Regret your Medicare Advantage plan? Each year from January 1 to March 31 you can switch back to Original Medicare
Medicare beneficiaries who feel trapped in a Medicare Advantage plan they regret choosing have a federally guaranteed exit window open right now. From January 1...