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
Veterans’ disability pay rose 2.8% for 2026, and a new tier can raise checks for the most severely disabled
Veterans receiving VA disability compensation saw their monthly checks rise 2.8% starting with the December 31, 2025 payment, the same cost-of-living adjustment percentage the Social...
A new federal match will add up to $1,000 a year to a low earner’s retirement savings starting in 2027
Starting with the 2027 tax year, the federal government will deposit up to $1,000 directly into the retirement account of a low- or moderate-income saver...
The Supreme Court struck down Trump’s emergency tariffs, but the White House has kept most in place under a different law
The Supreme Court struck down the tariffs at the center of President Trump’s trade agenda on February 20, 2026, ruling 6-3 that the law he...
Medicaid’s new 80-hour-a-month work rule takes effect January 1, and federal estimates say up to 3.3 million could lose coverage
A new federal work requirement for Medicaid takes effect January 1, 2027, requiring millions of adults in the program’s expansion group to document 80 hours...
Married couples 65 and older can deduct up to $12,000 under the new senior bonus, but it phases out above $250,000
Married couples where both spouses are 65 or older can now deduct up to $12,000 in taxable income for the 2025 through 2028 tax years...
The IRS rolled back the $600 1099-K rule, so casual online sellers get a tax form only above $20,000 and 200 sales
The IRS has confirmed that the Form 1099-K reporting threshold reverts to $20,000 in payments and 200 transactions, undoing a 2021 law that would have...
The White House says $2,000 tariff-rebate checks are “likely,” but no bill has passed and the IRS has approved no payment
National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett has told reporters that a $2,000 tariff-rebate check for most Americans is now “likely,” citing a shrinking federal deficit...
A power of attorney ends at death, when the named executor takes over an estate
A power of attorney is one of the most useful documents in financial caregiving, letting a trusted agent pay bills, manage accounts, and handle property...
Naming both a primary and a backup beneficiary keeps an account out of probate if the first dies
A payable-on-death designation is one of the simplest ways to keep a bank account out of probate, but the simplicity depends on naming more than...
A living will and health-care proxy direct your care when you cannot speak for yourself
A living will and a health-care proxy answer the same unsettling question in different ways: who decides on medical treatment when the patient cannot decide...
Bunching two years of medical bills into one can clear the deduction floor
Itemizing medical expenses on a federal tax return only pays off once total qualifying costs for the year exceed 7.5% of adjusted gross income, a...
A 401(k) loan avoids taxes and penalties as long as it’s repaid on time
A 401(k) participant who borrows from their own retirement account is not making a taxable withdrawal at all, as long as the loan follows the...
Spreading a required IRA withdrawal across the year can smooth a retiree’s tax bill
Retirees who own traditional IRAs and most workplace retirement accounts must begin required minimum distributions the year they turn 73, and the total owed for...
A federal retiree’s survivor annuity continues for a spouse only if the worker elected it
A federal employee who retires under CSRS or FERS does not automatically guarantee their spouse a monthly income after they die. The survivor annuity that...
Veterans can fill most prescriptions through the VA for a small copay or free
A veteran enrolled in VA health care does not shop for a pharmacy plan the way most retirees do. Medications prescribed by a VA provider...
PACT Act presumptive conditions can speed a veteran’s disability claim for toxic exposure
Getting a VA disability claim approved has always come down to one hurdle: proving the military caused the condition. The PACT Act, a law expanding...