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
IRS Free File offers free federal tax filing to most taxpayers under an income limit
Filing a federal tax return doesn’t have to cost anything for the large majority of taxpayers, yet the program that makes that true remains one...
Airlines must now refund a canceled flight in cash, not just a voucher
For years, an airline that canceled a flight could steer a passenger toward a travel credit or voucher by default, leaving many travelers to assume...
Leftover money in a 529 college plan can now roll into the beneficiary’s Roth IRA
For nearly three decades, money left over in a 529 college savings plan after graduation had one honest use: more education, for the same beneficiary...
A Roth IRA has no required withdrawals, so the money can grow untouched for heirs
Every other tax-advantaged retirement account eventually forces the owner’s hand: traditional IRAs, 401(k)s, and similar plans require withdrawals starting at age 73, whether or not...
The Rule of 55 lets someone who leaves a job at 55 or older tap that 401(k) penalty-free
Most people are told that retirement accounts are locked until age 59½, with a 10 percent penalty for anything withdrawn earlier. But a worker who...
The “widow’s penalty” can push a surviving spouse into a higher tax bracket the next year
A surviving spouse who files a joint return in the year their husband or wife dies can be caught off guard the following year, when...
The home-sale tax exclusion lets a married couple shield up to $500,000 of profit
A married couple who sells the home they have lived in for years can walk away with up to $500,000 of profit and owe the...
States are holding billions in unclaimed money, and a free official search can reunite you with it
State governments are currently holding more than $70 billion in unclaimed property nationwide, money and assets that once belonged to ordinary people before contact with...
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...
