taxgirl
I share tax and law stories for Forbes.
Lawyer, writer, plant lover, sports fan, proud mom.
Happiest with coffee ☕ and my kids.
Originally from NC, moved to Philly for school, stayed for snow and pretzels.
Have a tip for me? I'm on Signal @taxgirl.1040
- Joel Rufus French, a former college football standout, was found guilty of running a years-long scheme that exploited Medicare and veterans’ health programs by billing nearly $200 million for unnecessary and nonexistent medical equipment. www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp...
- Our Getting To Know You Series is back! This week? Document, document, document. Patrick Malloy, Co-Director, National Tax Practice and Strategy with Crescent Grove Advisors, cites that among the best advice he’s ever received in tax. www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp...
- Reposted by taxgirl[Not loaded yet]
- The latest edition of our free @forbes.com newsletter is out! This week: Tax season has kicked off. Plus: TIGTA worries about the filing season, the Taxpayer Advocate says backlogs are still a problem, tax form numbers, evaluating Trump accounts, tax trivia and more. www.forbes.com/sites/tax-br...
- This was a fun article to write (and I learned something). The launch of Form 4547—to make a Trump account election—raised some eyebrows. It made me wonder whether the numbers on tax forms are trying to tell you something. (Spoiler alert: usually no.) www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp...
- Forget the hacks and social media shortcuts promising unbelievable tax results. A former IRS insider explains the real traps that could trip up taxpayers this filing season—and how to avoid them. www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp...
- *waves to new followers* I’m a tax lawyer who explains why “that advice you saw online” sometimes goes very wrong. I write tax stories for @forbes.com, help taxpayers stay out of trouble, and translate complex rules into plain English. Coffee helps. ☕️ (I'm also a mom and a little plant-obsessed.)
- In her new report to Congress, National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins highlighted the 10 biggest challenges taxpayers now face when dealing with the tax agency. At the top of the list? Amended returns (no surprise here). You can find the whole list here: www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp...
- How’s IRS doing? Staffing losses, backlogs, and tech delays leave the agency entering the tax filing season under strained conditions, according to TIGTA. (The IRS' inventory is about 2 million--largely amended returns--for individual taxpayers alone.) www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp...
- I’ve been asked a lot about whether you can still write a check this tax filing season. The answer is yes—but your tax refund will likely be direct deposit. www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp...
- Treasury announced it is canceling all contracts with Booz Allen for failing to protect sensitive taxpayer information. The decision follows the Charles Littlejohn tax leak, one of the most serious breaches of confidential taxpayer data in U.S. history. www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp...
- One of the pieces of OBBBA that has gone under the radar was the extension of the FICA tip credit to salons, spas, and barbers. It's a huge relief for those industries. I wrote about the push to get it passed back in 2023. If you missed it, worth a read: www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp...
- Thinking about taking an aggressive position on your tax return? It's true that IRS audits very few returns, but its computers can spot mismatched income, overstated deductions, and other errors, triggering IRS notices, reviews, and costly follow-ups. www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp...
- The latest edition of our free @forbes.com newsletter is out! This week: Tax season begins! Plus: Average tax refunds, filing status, a new global tax deal, commuting expenses, a closely watched tax case, Taxes From A to Z, tax trivia and more. www.forbes.com/sites/tax-br...
- It's time!
- Your filing status affects everything from your tax brackets to whether you have to file at all. Here’s how the rules work. www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp...
- The IRS has released more guidance about eligibility, reporting, and limits for the new, temporary overtime deduction. www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp...
- I'm not saying I'm tired, but I did tell my husband that the bathroom was free by advising I was "out of the dishwasher" this morning.
- Tax season opens Monday. We're also expecting snowmageddon on the East Coast. Coincidence?
- Homemade oatmeal scotchie for breakfast? Don't mind if I do! (Oatmeal is healthy, right?)
- Many taxpayers could see bigger refunds this year. From average refund amounts to delays, deductions, and credits, here’s what taxpayers should know as the 2026 tax filing season gets started. www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp...
- Tax season opens January 26, 2026, which means that tax forms will be arriving in mailboxes and inboxes soon. Here’s when to expect Forms W-2, 1099 and others—and what to do if they don’t show up on time. www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp...
- In Sirius Solutions, the court rejected a participation-based test for self-employment tax, finding that limited liability, and not day-to-day activity, controls who qualifies for the self-employment tax exception. www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp...
- The IRS says the December 2025 $1,776 payment was treated as a supplemental housing allowance, not taxable income. That’s consistent with tax rules that exclude military allowances from gross income. www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp...
- Me: I was recognized for my tax work and tax reporting (proceeds to read some nice things out loud). Mom: Did you write that yourself or…? Me: MOM!
- Here's the crazy part about IRS' "digital first" approach: if you can't resolve your issues online (often the case) and you can't reach anyone by phone (bc they keep pushing you online), the result is MORE PAPER. I'm sending more letters than ever, which is counterproductive.
- Fun fact: IRS Notice CP71C (unpaid balance) doesn't provide a single phone number anywhere on the notice for taxpayers to call the IRS—just links and QR codes.
- Fake calls claiming you owe back taxes are rising, the FTC warns. These scams rely on pressure and confusion, but a few simple checks can help you avoid becoming a victim. www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp...
- Business owners got their wish in 2025 when Congress made 100% bonus depreciation permanent. The IRS has issued guidance on the deduction for eligible depreciable property acquired after January 19, 2025. Here’s what you need to know. www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp...
- The IRS has released Form 4547, which allows taxpayers to register an eligible child for a Trump Account while filing a 2025 tax return. www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp...
- I’ve been asked (A LOT) about our @forbes.com Getting To Know You Tuesday series. You can see an example here: www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp... If you’d like to nominate a tax pro, send your suggestion to kerb@forbes.com w/ the subject: Getting To Know You Tuesday. (Self-noms ok.)
- Lawmakers rejected deep IRS cuts, opting for a 7% reduction instead. With the Senate moving the bill forward, a shutdown may be avoided—but questions remain about how long the IRS can keep functioning under ongoing pressure. www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp...
- Work-issued laptops and phones feel personal, but they are often managed by employers. Sensitive personal data—like tax forms and financial records—can remain on devices even if you think they're gone. www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp...
- From IRS today: Thank you for your inquiry dated Sept. 20, 2024.
- OH in my house just now: Wait, so Taylor Swift is out of the playoffs?
- I've decided to get bangs. My daughters appreciate your thoughts during this difficult time for them.
- The IRS has announced that the 2026 filing season will begin January 26, when tax law changes enacted in 2025 take effect. Some questions remain about the changes, and further IRS guidance is expected. www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp...
- No surprise, IRS says the season will open on Jan. 26. More to follow!
- There's nothing quite like checking in on your airline app to make you question whether you actually know your own kids' birthdays...
- The IRS shut down its direct filing program for 2026, but some free filing tools remain—if you know where to look. Here’s how to navigate the free options that are still available. www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp...
- 📢 IRS planned maintenance notice: Payments made Jan. 2 – Jan. 25, 2026, will process normally but may take longer to show as processed. Updated balances will be available the week of Jan. 26, 2026. Nothing to worry about — just a delay. ➡️ Follow me for tax updates & reminders.
- A year-end look at the money and tax stories that resonated most with readers, the pieces that I loved, and a few important reads that slipped by in a busy year. Did your favorites make the list? www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp...
- The IRS has issued proposed regulations for the temporary car loan interest deduction enacted under the new tax law. Here’s what you need to know. www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp...
