February 2026

pspanMedical expenses occupy a strange position in the financial system. They are personal, often unavoidable, and frequently disconnected from consumer behavior or spending discipline. Yet they still interact with credit reporting systems that were designed primarily for traditional borrowing.

pspanAnyone who has ever called the IRS knows the drill. Thirty minutes on hold, maybe longer, listening to the same recorded message loop while wondering if a real person will ever pick up. The good news? Much of what used to require those painful phone calls can now happen online.

pspanThe One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law on July 4, 2025, created a brand new deduction that lets taxpayers write off interest paid on car loans.

pspanNobody wants to think about criminals rifling through their financial life, but tax return fraud has turned into one of the biggest headaches facing American taxpayers. The IRS flagged over a million returns for possible identity theft back in 2023 alone—returns worth roughly $6.3 billion in fraudulent refunds.