Best Tax Software for Freelancers in 2026
The same Schedule C costs $0 or $218 depending on the software — yet the 2026 Social Security wage-base jump quietly adds $1,042 to every high-earning freelancer's tax bill.
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The 2026 Standard Deduction Increase: Exactly How Much More You Keep
A $700 bigger standard deduction sounds like $700 back. At the 22% bracket it's worth $154 — and most of the 2026 bump just offsets inflation. Here's what you actually keep.
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2026 Capital Gains Tax Brackets: 0%, 15%, or 20%?
Married couples can sell appreciated stock on $80,000 of income and pay $0 federal tax — but one bigger sale triggers 15%. The rule that decides which is "stacking," and almost no one shows it.
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2026 Estate Tax Exemption: The $15M Cliff That Vanished
The cliff most planners still warn about was repealed in 2025 — yet a family safely under the $15M federal line can still owe estate tax in states that start taxing near $1M.
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Every Major Tax Software Compared 2026: Pricing, Free-Filing Limits, and Audit Support
A TurboTax Premium return with a brokerage and two states runs $267. The same return on FreeTaxUSA: $32. Which tax software actually earns its price tag in 2026?
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401(K) Contributions by Salary: What to Actually Aim for
The IRS lets you put $24,500 in your 401(k) in 2026, but the median worker only saves 6.8% of pay — and that gap costs roughly $700,000 by retirement.
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Side Income Tax Trap: What Employees Miss
A $10,000 side hustle costs you $1,413 in self-employment tax that W-2 withholding never covers — even if you set aside 25% like your paycheck.
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Best Tax Software for Self-Employed Filers 2026
TurboTax Premium charges $203 for a Schedule C return that FreeTaxUSA produces for $15.99 — same forms, same IRS e-file, same refund. Here's when paying the $187 premium actually makes sense.
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401(K) vs IRA: Which to Max Out First in 2026
High earners over 50 now face mandatory Roth catch-ups, and a new super catch-up lets 60–63-year-olds shelter up to $44,350 tax-advantaged. The funding order matters more than ever.
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SECURE 2.0 Changed 401(k) Catch-Up Rules: Here's Your New Limit
The 401(k) "super catch-up" bonus shrank by $500 in 2026, and the full four-year window now adds roughly $13,000 in extra tax-advantaged space — less than a single year of standard deferrals.
