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I've Always Wondered ...

Why are bagels sold at the grocery store only partially sliced? 

by Janet Nguyen
Jan 12, 2024
It keeps the bagel intact and ensures that it stays fresh.
If you're a bagel-shop owner based in New York, the question of whether to slice or not to slice is a complicated one.
chandlerphoto/Getty Images
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The IRS is trying a free online tax-filing system that cuts out vendors

by Stephanie Hughes
Jan 2, 2024
The Treasury Department found that that third-party vendors were directing users to paid products.
Advocates protest tax preparation companies that direct users to paid products instead of free tax-filing services. Now, 12 states will test the IRS' own free filing service.
Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for Economic Security Project
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What should Ireland do with its budget surplus?

by Leanna Byrne
Oct 9, 2023
Ireland has a budget surplus of $10.9 billion, which has been driven by soaring corporate tax revenue from tech and pharmaceutical companies.
Above, a boarded-up property is pictured in Dublin. Some Irish residents see housing as a key area where a surplus in tax revenue could be put to use.
Paul Faith/AFP via Getty Images
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As gas taxes dwindle, states seek ways to charge EVs

by Elizabeth Trovall
Sep 12, 2023
With electric vehicles becoming more common, some states, like Texas, are levying flat fees to make up the shortfall.
Some road maintenance is funded by gasoline tax revenue, so the increasing popularity of electric vehicles may require new ways to bring in cash.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images
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Why do some states still have a grocery tax?

by Jordan Mangi
Sep 6, 2023
The poorest Americans spend the largest share of their paychecks on food at home.
Across the U.S., state grocery taxes can range from less than 1% to 7% on non-prepared foods.
Elijah Nouvelage
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Social Security has funding problems. How do we fix it before benefits are cut?

by Kai Ryssdal and Sarah Leeson
Jun 12, 2023
The trust fund supplementing income taxes could run dry within 10 years. Dennis Jansen of Texas A&M suggests reforms.
About 67 million Americans receive Social Security income.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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Taxpayers aren't the only ones disappointed with taxes this year

by Savannah Maher
May 15, 2023
Federal tax revenue is coming in short while the debt ceiling remains unresolved. The problem was signaled by meager refunds.
So far this fiscal year, the IRS has brought in an estimated $250 billion less than forecast, possibly caused by lower capital gains tax receipts and postponed filing in California.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
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Procrastinating on your taxes? Here’s our FAQ on extensions and filing late 

by Janet Nguyen
Apr 17, 2023
We also have the latest information on how to report business transactions conducted on payment apps.
NoDerog via Getty Images
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You can pay your taxes in cash — if you're up for the challenge

by Kai Ryssdal and Sarah Leeson
Apr 17, 2023
Jay Zagorsky of Boston University paid his taxes in $100 bills and exact change. A cashless society has some disadvantages, he says.
"There are some advantages of cash that we're going to lose once we suddenly go to a pure cashless economy," says Boston University professor Jay Zagorsky.
Murtaja Lateef/AFP via Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

How does the tax code influence what we do with our money?

by Janet Nguyen
Apr 14, 2023
Get married? Buy a house? Invest or work? Tax rates and deductions reveal what behaviors society values.
A view of single-family homes in Miramar, Florida. The mortgage interest deduction is helpful for homeowners, but economists say it can actually hurt homeownership rates.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
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