Taxes & Budget
Coverage of the national budget and your taxes.
Trump calls for Senate GOP to move Reconciliation 3.0 ‘immediately’
President Trump Thursday called on the Republicans’ Senate leaders to take swift action on the $350 billion reconciliation package.
IRS raises 401(k) contribution limit for 2027
Workers will be able to contribute up to $25,500 of their income to their 401(k) plans next year, the IRS announced Thursday.
Wealth tax divides California liberals, heads for expected defeat on Nov. 3 ballot
California’s proposed wealth tax is struggling to reach majority support, battered by an intense opposition campaign and liberals divided over whether a one-time levy is worth losing rich job creators and future revenue to other states.
Trump administration to provide $8 billion to farmers amid high diesel prices
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will dole out $8 billion to farmers to offset rising diesel fuel prices.
Trump offers bounty for Americans who spot fraud
President Trump escalated his war on fraud Tuesday, announcing what he called a groundbreaking program to pay a 1% “commission” to anyone who successfully exposes fraudulent activity in government programs.
How to steal a billion dollars from Uncle Sam
Brett Blackman sits behind bars in the federal prison in Miami, fresh off getting a 19-year prison sentence from U.S. District Judge David Leibowitz. His crime? He aimed to steal a billion dollars from the government — and succeeded in getting Medicare and other insurers to actually pony up more than $450 million.
$2 trillion man: Trump oversees deep deficit in 2026
President Trump’s first full year back in the White House ended with a $2 trillion deficit, as Uncle Sam’s budget woes deepened.
Bigger than Trump: Senate candidates sound alarm on Social Security
In New Hampshire, where most voters are older than 50, Social Security, not President Trump, tops the list of voters’ concerns.
Social Security checks to see 3.6% cost-of-living increase next year
Persistent inflation will drive up older Americans’ Social Security checks next year, with the government announcing a 3.6% cost-of-living increase.
Supreme Court to decide whether Trump can shield DOGE documents from public view
The Supreme Court said Tuesday it will hear a case involving President Trump’s attempt to block a liberal watchdog group from obtaining documents about the internal workings of DOGE, the White House’s now-defunct cost-cutting initiative.
More Americans fear worse finances with a GOP Congress than a Democratic Congress: Poll
Nearly four in 10 Americans believe they will be worse off financially if Republicans keep control of Congress in the midterm elections, according to a new poll published Tuesday.
Federal budget deficit climbed to $2 trillion for fiscal ‘26
The federal budget deficit ballooned to $2 trillion in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, compared to $1.8 trillion last year, according to a new report.
Senate advances bill to ban penny production
The Senate on Monday approved a bill that would put into law President Trump’s policy to stop minting pennies, each of which costs 3.69 cents to produce.
From Epstein to Biden’s autopen: The biggest fights of Comer’s Oversight Committee
Who knew the U.S. government loses up to $521 billion every year to fraud?
Democrats eye probe into Trump’s $400 million White House ballroom if they retake the House
The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee signaled Monday that if his party wins back the House, Democrats could dig into how the Trump administration’s $400 million White House ballroom was funded.
Is it a crime? Lawmakers from both parties question Trump’s taxpayer-funded ads
The White House’s decision to run taxpayer-funded ads with images of President Trump and campaign-style rhetoric is sparking bipartisan alarm and calls for legislative fixes or punishment under campaign-finance laws.