Author: Alex Clark
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The Home Office Deduction: Who Actually Qualifies
Remote W-2 employees cannot claim the home office deduction. Who can, how the $5-per-square-foot shortcut works, and the exclusive-use rule that trips people up.
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Medicare’s Fall Enrollment: The Dates Ahead and What You Can Change
Medicare open enrollment runs October 15 to December 7. What you can change, what arrives in the mail this fall, and how to prepare over the summer.
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Certificates of Deposit: Early-Withdrawal Penalties, Compared
CD early-withdrawal penalties range from a few months of interest to more than a year. Here is the federal floor, the fine print, and when paying up makes sense.
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Property Assessments and Appeals: How Your Tax Bill Is Built
Property tax bills are built from an assessment you can challenge. How assessments work, when appeal windows open, and what evidence actually wins.
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Treasury Bonds, Bills, and Notes: How to Buy Them Direct
How to buy Treasury bills, notes, and bonds straight from the government at TreasuryDirect: $100 minimum, no fees, and an auction calendar that runs weekly.
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Social Security Scam Calls: What the Real SSA Will Never Say
Government impersonation complaints jumped 25% last year. The exact things the real Social Security Administration will never say on a call, per SSA and its OIG.
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RMDs at 73: What You Must Withdraw and How It’s Taxed
Required minimum distributions now start at 73. How the IRS calculates the amount, how it’s taxed, and the 25% penalty that drops to 10% if you fix it fast.
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The Extra Help Program: Prescription Costs for Under $12
Medicare’s Extra Help caps 2026 prescription copays at $5.10 for generics and $12.65 for brand names, with no premium or deductible. Who qualifies and how to apply.
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Why Health Insurance Premiums Outrun Inflation
U.S. health spending hit $5.3 trillion in 2024 and family premiums near $27,000. The forces that keep health insurance rising faster than everything else.
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Earning Money in Retirement Without Losing Benefits
How a part-time job in retirement interacts with Social Security’s 2026 earnings test, SSI’s income rules, and SNAP, and what actually gets reduced.