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
Former SAVE-plan borrowers must pick a new repayment plan by about September 29 or a $0 payment can jump to hundreds
About 7.5 million borrowers who had been parked in the Saving on a Valuable Education plan are being pushed to choose a new way to...
Oregon is returning about $1.4 billion to taxpayers through its “kicker” credit this year
Oregon has certified a $1.41 billion revenue surplus for its most recent two-year budget cycle, and under a law unique to the state that money...
The maximum monthly SNAP benefit for a family of four has climbed to $994 in the 48 contiguous states
Households that rely on federal food aid are working with a slightly higher ceiling this year, though most will never see the full amount. Under...
The USDA plans to make every SNAP recipient reapply, starting in Minnesota
Federal agriculture officials have signaled that the roughly 42 million people who receive food-stamp benefits could eventually be required to reapply for them, and the...
Trump’s proposed $2,000 tariff-dividend checks still have not been introduced in Congress
President Trump’s promise of $2,000 tariff “dividend” checks remains just that, a promise, with no legislation to create the payments introduced in Congress nearly nine...
Holding an investment over a year taxes the gain at the lower capital-gains rate
Two investors can sell the same stock for the same profit and owe sharply different amounts of tax, and the deciding factor is often just...
Retiring before 59½? Equal periodic payments under IRS rule 72(t) let you tap an IRA without the 10% penalty
Reaching money locked in a retirement account before age 59½ usually means paying a 10% penalty on top of ordinary income tax, a toll designed...
High earners barred from a Roth IRA can still get one through the backdoor
The Roth individual retirement account comes with an income ceiling that shuts out many higher earners, yet the tax code leaves a side entrance open....
Selling a losing investment can offset gains and cut up to $3,000 off your income
A stock or fund sold at a loss stings, but the federal tax code turns part of that setback into a deduction. When investment losses...
A widow or widower can still file a joint tax return for the year their spouse dies, often at a lower rate
Losing a spouse rarely arrives with a tax plan attached, yet the filing status chosen in that first year can quietly change how much a...
Married couples 65 and older can now deduct up to $12,000 under the new senior tax break
Married couples in which both spouses are 65 or older can now deduct as much as $12,000 from their taxable income under a temporary tax...
Parents whose children used apps carrying Google’s AdMob ads can file a no-proof claim from an $8.25 million settlement by September 14
An $8.25 million fund set up by Google and its AdMob advertising arm is now open to a group few would expect to hold a...
Anyone who paid out of pocket for the stop-smoking drug Chantix can claim part of a $44 million Pfizer settlement by September 14
A $44 million fund now sits open to a broad group of Americans: anyone who paid out of pocket for the stop-smoking pill Chantix over...
Macy’s plans to close up to 150 stores by the end of 2026, so cardholders should spend rewards before their store shuts
Macy’s expects to shut roughly 150 department stores by the close of its 2026 fiscal year, the final stretch of a three-year retrenchment that has...
The FTC is mailing $23.8 million in Grubhub refunds to 640,000 customers, and the checks expire in 90 days
The Federal Trade Commission began mailing 640,038 payments worth more than $23.8 million to Grubhub drivers and diners on August 12, 2026, closing out an...
A new federal retirement account, TrumpIRA.gov, will offer eligible savers a government match worth up to $1,000 a year
A federal retirement platform called TrumpIRA.gov is scheduled to launch on January 1, 2027, alongside a government match that can deposit up to $1,000 a...
