INTERNACIONAL
Tax Day is this week: Avoid these 5 common mistakes that can cost you money
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With Tax Day arriving this week, millions of filers are rushing to submit returns—often increasing the chances of simple but costly mistakes. Even minor errors, like incorrect personal details or overlooked income, can delay refunds, trigger IRS notices, or lead to penalties that take time and money to fix.
The good news is that most of these issues are entirely avoidable with both extra attention and preparation.
Here are five common filing missteps to watch out for and how to avoid them:
1. Selecting the wrong filing status
A couple going over tax paperwork. (iStock)
Your filing status is one of the most important choices on your tax return because it helps determine your tax rate, your standard deduction and which credits you may be eligible to claim. Pick the wrong one, and you could end up paying more than you owe, getting a smaller refund or triggering delays if the IRS flags the return for review.
For many taxpayers, the confusion comes from life changes that happened during the year, like getting married or divorced, having a child, moving in with a partner, supporting an aging parent or sharing custody. Even if your situation feels straightforward, the IRS rules can be less intuitive, especially for taxpayers who aren’t sure whether they qualify as «head of household» or whether they can still file as a «qualifying surviving spouse» after a spouse has died.
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Head of household, in particular, can be costly to get wrong. It typically comes with a larger standard deduction and more favorable tax brackets than filing as single, but it has strict requirements tied to paying more than half the cost of keeping up a home and having a qualifying dependent. If you don’t meet the rules and claim it anyway, you may have to pay back tax benefits later, plus penalties and interest.
When in doubt, the IRS has an online filing-status tool, and many tax software programs will walk you through the questions to help you choose the right category.
2. Missing key deadlines
Experts say filing taxes early can protect your money and your identity. (Michael Bocchieri/Getty Images)
An extension can buy you time to file your paperwork, but it doesn’t give you extra time to pay. For most taxpayers, the IRS deadline to pay what you owe is April 15, 2026 — even if you request an extension to file later.
«Remember that even if you claim an extension, the money is owed on April 15,» said Mike Faulkender, co-chair of American Prosperity at the America First Policy Institute.
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Faulkender, a former Treasury official and IRS commissioner, said taxpayers who need more time should still estimate their bill and pay by the filing deadline to help avoid added costs.
«You have to actually send in a check or have the payment deducted from your account by the filing deadline,» he said.
If you can’t pay in full by April 15, pay what you can to help limit penalties and interest that accrue on top of your tax bill.
3. Leaving credits on the table
A woman preparing her tax paperwork. (iStock)
One of the biggest and most expensive tax-season mistakes is failing to claim every credit or deduction you qualify for. That can mean a smaller refund or a higher bill.
«I think the top mistake people make is not fully understanding or taking the time to really research what are all the different deductions and the ways that you can put a little bit of extra money in your pocket that are available to you,» said Bill Sweeney, senior vice president of government affairs at AARP.
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Sweeney also warned taxpayers not to rely on last year’s return as a blueprint for filing because of recent changes to the tax code from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
«This would be a good year, given that there are these changes to the tax code, to make sure not to assume that what you did last year will convey over to this year. Really take a fresh look at your tax situation and see if there’s money that you’re leaving on the table,» he said.
4. Filing before all your tax forms arrive
A sign for the Internal Revenue Service outside its building on Feb. 13, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)
Timing matters when it comes to filing your taxes. Submitting your return before you’ve received all your key paperwork, like W-2s or 1099s, can lead to errors, missing income or a return you have to amend later.
Faulkender said there’s a simple way to double-check what’s been reported under your name before you file.
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«One of the things that I learned last year when I was IRS commissioner was that if you create an account on irs.gov, you can see everything that’s been filed under your tax ID,» he said.
«We’re supposed to receive all of our W-2s and our 1099 forms in the mail in January and February. But if you’re missing one, or you misplaced it, rather than requesting it again, you can actually go and see what was filed under your taxpayer identification number if you create an account on IRS.gov.»
5. Entering bank account details incorrectly
If you choose direct deposit for your refund, the IRS relies on the routing and account numbers you provide. One wrong digit can lead to delays.
If you pay what you owe by direct debit, incorrect banking details can also lead to a rejected payment and potentially result in penalties and interest.
Filing late can also cost you extra money, especially if you owe. The goal is to wait until you have what you need, then file as soon as you’re ready, without rushing prematurely.
taxes, economy, politics, congress
INTERNACIONAL
Se esfuman las chances de rescatar a Fabio, un nene venezolano que lleva 9 días bajo los escombros: «No hay señales de vida»
Fabio tiene 9 años. Está desaparecido junto a su madre desde que se registró el doble terremoto en Venezuela. Es un caso similar al de Lucas Gámez, el argentino de 8 años al que buscan bajo los escombros en La Guaira. Pero en el caso de Fabio este viernes las autoridades dieron malas noticias, aunque su padre no pierde las esperanzas de encontrarlo con vida.
«No se han encontrado señales«, dijeron los rescatistas de varias nacionalidades que han usado sonar y georadar, sin obtener indicios favorables para la familia de Fabio Bastardo y de su madre, Kiriaki Navarro.
Los equipos inspeccionaron durante toda la mañana el edificio derrumbado de doce plantas buscando la oportunidad de comenzar un complejo rescate del niño que se quedó atrapado en los escombros del edificio Taihiti en la localidad de Caraballeda, en la región costera, el epicentro de la devastación del doble terremoto de la semana pasada.
Los rescatistas, que hoy utilizaron perros y drones para las inspecciones, aseguraron que el edificio se mueve y que incluso tiene nuevas grietas, por lo que la estructura está muy delicada.
Ya son varios los equipos de rescate que usan la tecnología de búsqueda y rescate sin encontrar signos de vida en el edificio, a pesar de que la familia afirma que el niño está con vida.
«No pierdo la esperanza de que mi hijo va a aparecer. Hasta que el Gobierno me lo permita seguiré buscando a mi muchacho porque no he visto un cuerpo real, pero yo lo siento acá en mi corazón, lo siento en mi cuerpo que Fabio sigue vivo porque el responde a mis llamados», dijo a EFE el padre del niño, Francisco Bastardo.
Su padre estaba en el estrecho de Ormuz y hacía videollamada cuando ocurrió el doble terremoto
El hombre es marinero. La noticia del doble terremoto lo encontró en otro rincón complicado del planeta: estaba navegando por el estrecho de Ormuz. Llegó a Venezuela el domingo y desde entonces hace guardia junto al edificio de doce pisos derrumbado en el que se encontraban Fabio, su hermano mayor y la madre de ambos.
«El menor fue el que se dio cuenta, mi niño siempre ha sido un muchacho muy inteligente, llegó corriendo a la sala y le dijo a su mamá que va a temblar, me llegó el mensaje por la aplicación. La mamá lo abraza y ahí se corta la señal«, explicó Bastardo que estaba hablando con su familia por videoconferencia en el momento del temblor.
Por ese relato es que las autoridades, en principio, buscaban a Fabio al lado de su madre, que se cree está sin vida.
El padre relató que por allí han pasado antes varios equipos de rescate y que han descartado seguir con la búsqueda a pesar de que él y la gente que lo ayuda saben que Fabio sigue con vida.
A las afueras del edificio, donde trabajaban más de medio centenar de rescatistas nacionales e internacionales custodiado por varios militares y policías, la abuela del niño exclamaba que nadie hacía nada por sacarlo.
«No han podido hacer nada en ese edificio«, gritaba la señora dolida, clamando que le dicen que no hay nadie con vida pero no les dejan entrar a buscar a sus familiares.
Rebeca, la abuela del niño, aseguró que desde el pasado jueves ella y otros familiares buscan a su nieto. El domingo, según la familia, Fabio respondió a llamados con un silbido y en la mañana de este viernes escucharon ruidos como de golpes.
En el mismo sentido, Manuel Mendes González -un venezolano que sigue de cerca las labores de rescate, incluso los de Fabio y Lucas- aseguró a última hora del jueves en un video en redes sociales que el chico venezolano sigue dando señales.
Los equipos de rescatistas internacionales siguen este viernes con las operaciones de salvamento después de que el rescate del venezolano Hernán Gil del jueves llenara de esperanza a los afectados a pesar de que las probabilidades de sacar a alguien más con vida disminuyen a medida que pasan las horas.
El vigilante, de 43 años, fue rescatado tras ocho días bajo los escombros de un edificio después de un dispositivo de más de 72 horas en el que participaron más de 100 rescatistas internacionales en la costera urbanización de Playa del Mar.
El número de fallecidos por los terremotos de magnitud 7,2 y 7,5 ocurridos en la zona norte de Venezuela el pasado 24 de junio asciende a al menos 2.645, mientras que la cantidad de heridos es de 12.666.
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One of the leading American institutes devoted to research on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program sounded an alarm this week over the regime’s uninspected underground site in the Zagros Mountains.
Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have not been allowed to visit the secret site, known as Pickaxe Mountain.
The highly fortified facility is casting serious doubt on Iran’s willingness to abide by the terms of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) reached with the Trump administration. The United States, together with Israel, launched Operation Epic Fury Feb. 28, 2026, targeting Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities.
Experts from the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) argue that halting work at Pickaxe Mountain and allowing IAEA inspectors access would be a key good-faith measure to test whether Iran is prepared to abandon its pattern of deception.
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A satellite image shows an overview of the Pickaxe Mountain tunnel complex in Natanz. (Vantor/Handout via Reuters)
Spencer Faragasso, a senior fellow with the group who covers Iran, North Korea, illicit trade, and nuclear issues, wrote on X: «Important update by us at @TheGoodISIS. The ongoing work at Pickaxe Mountain is deeply concerning. This work has continued steadily since at least 2020. In my view, this is a hedge by Iran in case negotiations fail — they will then have a nuclear facility in a late stage of construction. We assessed that Pickaxe is likely large enough to hold an enrichment plant.»
Iran has used facilities at Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan to enrich uranium, the key material for a nuclear weapons program.
Faragasso added, «If Iran is serious about negotiating, it should halt construction at Pickaxe Mountain as a token of good faith. But what can be expected from a regime as brutal and conniving as Iran’s?»
The institute posted a detailed analysis of new satellite imagery from late June 2026 showing continued activity at Pickaxe Mountain.
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Vice President JD Vance prior to a meeting between the United States, Iran, Pakistan and Qatar at the Bürgenstock luxury hotel complex overlooking Lake Lucerne, Switzerland, June 21, 2026. (Fabrice Coffrini/Keystone via AP)
The institute wrote that «at Pickaxe Mountain, vehicle activity can be seen on the roads leading to the open set of Western tunnel portals, indicating that construction inside the tunnel complex, as well as hardening of the tunnel entrance, are ongoing. The MOU signed between the United States and Iran requires that Iran maintain the status quo, which should prohibit construction at any nuclear-related facility, including Pickaxe Mountain.»
In late June, the IAEA declined to answer a detailed Fox News Digital query on whether it would seek access to the Pickaxe Mountain facility. According to the satellite imagery obtained by the institute, «at Natanz, little activity can be seen. The access points to the below-ground enrichment halls have not been repaired.
«The personnel entrances remain destroyed, and vehicle entrances remain severely damaged. A single vehicle can be seen on the road outside of the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP), which was destroyed in June 2025 but was later covered by Iran.»
As U.S.-Iran talks opened Sunday in Switzerland, and a dispute over who controls and monitors billions of dollars in potentially unfrozen Iranian assets emerged. (Fabrice Coffrini/Pool via Reuters)
The institute also reported, «As of June 29, 2026, there is no observed activity at Esfahan. The tunnel portals remain backfilled with dirt.» ISIS tracked developments at the Fordow site, buried inside a mountain north of the holy Islamic city of Qom.
«At Fordow, as earlier reported by the Institute, between May 10 and May 18, Iran added passive defensive measures in the form of earthen/rocky mounds and other objects on the roads leading to the tunnel entrances. The alternating placements of the piles/objects are very precise, which creates a series of chicanes, indicating they are not intended as obstructions but rather to prevent rapid ingress and egress by any vehicle toward the tunnels.»
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The institute added, «The June 21 Vantor image shows that the objects along the road remain there. The tunnel portals also remain backfilled with dirt» at Fordow.
Fox News Digital sent questions to the State Department and the Iranian Mission to the United Nations.
war with iran, nuclear proliferation, united nations, terrorism, national security
James Carville warns Democratic socialists: ‘This is a bridge too far’
Democratic strategist James Carville expresses strong disapproval of socialist influence within the Democratic Party. He clarifies his stance on candidates like Darializa Avila Chevalier, saying he has nothing in common with candidates who want to get rid of prisons. Carville urges the Democratic Party to stand up to radical socialist agendas, emphasizing that some positions are ‘a bridge too far’ for the party’s core values.
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James Carville, the architect of President Bill Clinton’s 1992 victory over President George H.W. Bush and industrialist H. Ross Perot, said this week that President Donald Trump has forced him to break with the catchphrase that many believe helped win that election and made him a political household name.
Carville originally coined «It’s the economy, stupid,» as an internal reminder to campaign staff at Clinton’s Little Rock headquarters to stay on-message amid Bush’s rising approval ratings connected to his handling of the Gulf War.
But this week, Carville suggested allegations of corruption involving President Donald Trump have supplanted the idea that the economy should remain top of mind during election season.
During a discussion on his «Politicon» podcast network, former Mount Holyoke Dean Joseph Ellis mentioned «It’s the economy, stupid» before the Ragin Cajun cut him off.
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«So, professor, I thought about that recently – about ‘It’s the economy, stupid’ – it’s a great catchphrase. It’s maybe one of the most oft-repeated things in politics,» Carville said.
«I now have come to detest the fact I said that.»
Without mentioning Trump by name, Carville — who has repeatedly accused the incumbent of corruption in recent months — compared him with the more genteel Bush.
«I’ll listen to people who say, ‘people don’t care about corruption, they care about the economy — As long as their incomes are up, they don’t care what he does’ – and I’m afraid that’s right.»
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«But I said it in 1992, and say what you want about George H.W. Bush, he was not… a corrupt man at all; decent man too. We have now the breathtaking, staggering — I understand if people say, ‘Yeah, you know, you’re right, that’s all people care about is the economy, and I won’t do it, I don’t say anything, I’m nice’,» he said, appearing to envision voters preferring to focus on the economy over other personality issues.
«I want to punch him in the f—ing face. OK? Yes. I’m serious… Because the phrase actually haunts me today.»
Asked about the invective, White House spokesman Davis Ingle called the Ragin’ Cajun a «stone-cold loser.»
«[Carville] suffers from a severe and incurable disease known as Trump Derangement Syndrome, and it has rotted his peanut-sized brain,» Ingle said.
During an earlier discussion with his co-host, former Wall Street Journal Washington bureau chief Al Hunt, Carville said that «we are drowning; we’re suffocating in corruption» before accusing Trump of increasing his net worth by $2 billion since becoming president.
James Carville at the Politicon Convention on October 26, 2019, right; Donald Trump looks on during a roundtable discussion on college sports in the East Room of the White House on March 06, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Politicon; Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
«I’m just really fearful for the United States,» he added.
In February, Carville directed one of his segments at Trump as though the president was watching, telling the president that his inner circle «hates» him and that he is a «fat, sorry, sack of s—.»
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Since then, he has continued criticizing the president and recently said he is proud to have the proverbial «Trump Derangement Syndrome.»
Campaign staff George Stephanopoulos, left, and James Carville, center, walk with then-Arkansas Gov. William J. Clinton. (Cynthia Johnson/Getty Images)
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Carville has been a mainstay in Democratic politics ever since helping engineer Clinton’s 1992 victory, alongside other notable campaign aides, including ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos, whom Trump also spars with on occasion.
Clinton’s 1992 campaign produced several enduring touchstones, from Carville’s «It’s the economy, stupid,» to Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 hit «Don’t Stop,» which became the de facto theme song for his successful bid.
Carville’s comments about his old slogan also come as he recently rebuked socialist nominees taking over his party.
Fox News Digital reached out to Carville via his «Politicon» podcast for further comment.
politics, donald trump, economic policy, bill clinton, presidential
El Gobierno reordena su esquema de poder, cruje la interna y se profundiza la puja de lealtades en el Congreso
Se esfuman las chances de rescatar a Fabio, un nene venezolano que lleva 9 días bajo los escombros: «No hay señales de vida»
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