How to write off a computer, laptop or camera used for business in 2026: the $2,500 de minimis safe harbor, Section 179 (limit $2,560,000, business use over 50%), the restored 100% special depreciation allowance and regular depreciation, with three worked examples.
The self-employed health insurance deduction on Schedule 1, line 17: medical, dental, vision and certain long-term care premiums for you, your spouse and dependents, limited by net profit and unavailable for months you could join a subsidized employer plan. Form 7206 does the math.
The IRS charges 5% a month for filing late (up to 25%) and 0.5% a month for paying late (up to 25%). See a month-by-month table for a $5,000 balance, how the two penalties combine, and how first-time penalty relief works.
Can’t pay your tax bill in full? Compare the IRS short-term plan (180 days, $0 setup) with long-term installment agreements ($29 to $178 setup fees), see eligibility limits, and what penalties and interest still cost while you pay.
Estimate how a monthly S&P 500 investment could grow and what you would keep after the federal tax on dividends and on the sale. Free calculator with worked examples, tax-rate and time comparisons.
Your marginal tax rate is the rate on your next dollar; your effective rate is your total tax divided by your income. A 2026 worked example for a freelancer with $100,000 of profit shows about 25.7% effective federal tax and about 34.6% marginal, plus how to work backward from a take-home goal.
Up to 85% of Social Security benefits can be taxable, depending on provisional income. Work through the IRS thresholds ($25,000 and $34,000 single; $32,000 and $44,000 joint) with three examples that show the arithmetic line by line.
Your filing status sets your standard deduction and tax brackets. Use six questions to choose among single, married filing jointly or separately, head of household and qualifying surviving spouse, with 2026 standard deductions and a married-versus-separate example.
The 2026 Child Tax Credit is up to $2,200 per qualifying child, with up to $1,700 refundable. See the qualifying tests, the $200,000 / $400,000 phase-out, the $2,500 earned income rule, and three worked examples.
Find your situation in the table (one job, two jobs, two earners with kids, side income, itemizer or exempt) and see exactly which steps of the 2026 Form W-4 to complete, with the $2,200 per-child amount and the multiple-jobs options explained.
