Daniel Harper
Daniel is a finance writer covering personal finance topics including budgeting, credit, and beginner investing. He began his career contributing to his Substack, where he covered consumer finance trends and practical money topics for everyday readers. Since then, he has written for a range of personal finance blogs and fintech platforms, focusing on clear, straightforward content that helps readers make more informed financial decisions.
Latest Articles by Daniel Harper
In a no-income-tax state you can deduct state sales taxes instead
Taxpayers who live in states that do not levy a personal income tax still have a path to an itemized deduction for state and local...
Still working before full retirement age in 2026? Social Security holds back $1 for every $2 you earn above $24,480
Workers collecting Social Security before they reach full retirement age in 2026 face a direct hit to their monthly checks if their earnings cross a...
The IRS issued more than 90 million refunds this filing season and processed nearly 139 million returns, its watchdog reported this week
The Internal Revenue Service’s internal watchdog reports that the agency has already processed nearly 139 million individual tax returns this filing season and issued more...
A transfer-on-death deed passes your house to heirs without probate
Homeowners in California and Texas now have a direct way to pass real property to heirs at death without opening a probate case. A transfer-on-death...
An ABLE account lets people disabled before age 26 save up to $19,000 a year without losing benefits
Americans whose blindness or disability began before age 26 can shelter savings in a tax-advantaged ABLE account, keeping money that would otherwise push them past...
Roth IRA earnings come out completely tax-free only after the account is five years old and you are 59½
Millions of Americans saving through Roth IRAs expect their investment gains to come out free of federal income tax. That expectation is correct, but only...
Enroll Confidently data-breach victims can take about $100 with no proof, or up to $3,500 with records, before the July 22 deadline
People affected by the Enroll Confidently, Inc. data breach face a narrow window to file settlement claims, with a July 22 deadline that splits claimants...
The IRS generally has only 10 years to collect a tax debt
Millions of Americans carrying older tax debts face a ticking clock that rarely runs in a straight line. Federal law gives the IRS 10 years...
Anyone can convert a traditional IRA to a Roth, because conversions carry no income limit even when contributions do
High-earning taxpayers who cannot contribute directly to a Roth IRA still have a clear path to get money into one. Federal law draws a sharp...
About 2.6 million more federal student-loan borrowers slid into default and were sent to collections in just the first quarter of this year
Roughly 2.6 million federal student-loan borrowers fell into default and were referred to collections during the first quarter of the current fiscal cycle, pushing the...
Self-employed workers can deduct up to 20% of their business income before figuring tax
Millions of sole proprietors, freelancers, and small-business owners filing 2025 returns stand to reduce their taxable income by as much as 20 percent of their...
Keep working and Social Security recomputes your benefit each year a higher-earning year replaces an old low one
Retirees who stay on the job can receive higher Social Security checks without filing a single new claim. Federal law requires the Social Security Administration...
Money moved into a qualified longevity annuity escapes required withdrawals until payments begin, as late as age 85
Retirees holding traditional IRAs or employer-sponsored plans can shield a portion of their savings from annual required minimum distributions by purchasing a qualified longevity annuity...
Check your Social Security earnings record every year, because a payroll mistake can quietly shrink your future check
A single payroll error, left unchecked for a few years, can permanently reduce a worker’s monthly Social Security payment. The Social Security Administration calculates retirement...
Jeep is recalling about 1.1 million Wrangler and Gladiator SUVs because a power-steering pump can catch fire even while the vehicle is parked
Owners of more than a million Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator SUVs face a fire risk that persists even after they turn off the engine and...
A long-term-care partnership policy shields a matching amount of your savings from Medicaid spend-down
Families with moderate savings face a sharp financial cliff when a loved one needs nursing home care or extended home health services. Medicaid, the primary...