President Obama's proposal for tax reform and a simplified tax code will run into trouble once talk turns to ending specific tax benefits.
Low-income workers may actually pay higher taxes this year, with the loss of the Making Work pay credit.
Dec. 31 is the deadline to sell losing investments, open a Keogh account or donate to charity for the 2010 tax year.
You have one more week to pay property taxes, add energy-saving improvements, dump losing stocks and empty your FSA account.
You may want to buy office equipment, set up a retirement plan or pay next year's health insurance premiums before Dec. 31.
The plan extends tax cuts, including the estate tax and the child tax credit. It also cuts payroll taxes. The unemployed and businesses would benefit, too.
Partly because of the recession, Americans are devoting the smallest percentage of their income to taxes in 60 years.
A number of wealthy Americans have banded together to insist that their tax rates go up.
VIDEO ON MSN MONEY
DATA PROVIDERS
Copyright © 2013 Microsoft. All rights reserved.
Quotes are real-time for NASDAQ, NYSE and AMEX. See delay times for other exchanges.
Fundamental company data and historical chart data provided by Thomson Reuters (click for restrictions). Real-time quotes provided by BATS Exchange. Real-time index quotes and delayed quotes supplied by Interactive Data Real-Time Services. Fund summary, fund performance and dividend data provided by Morningstar Inc. Analyst recommendations provided by Zacks Investment Research. StockScouter data provided by Verus Analytics. IPO data provided by Hoover's Inc. Index membership data provided by SIX Financial Information.
Japanese stock price data provided by Nomura Research Institute Ltd.; quotes delayed 20 minutes. Canadian fund data provided by CANNEX Financial Exchanges Ltd.
TOP STOCKS
TJ Max, Saks and seven others report earnings, some following multi-year stock highs.
MARKET DISPATCHES
The Market Dispatches column has been discontinued. Here's where to find the latest stock and business news on MSN Money, and the latest from market writer Charley Blaine.
FRUGAL COOL
Starting Monday, this site is joining forces with MSN Money Smart Spending. Here's why.
MONEY & POLITICS
Breaking up big banks is an untested solution to the too big to fail problem that attempts to isolate and dismantle large, troubled institutions while protecting the rest of the economy.
SMART SPENDING
Selling your home? A few minor -- and inexpensive -- changes can give your house mass-market appeal.
SMART TAXES
The IRS is struggling to combat identify thieves who file fraudulent tax returns in the names of older residents who don't need to file.
