taxes Guides

Rebates: What you need to know

Lawmakers have given their final seal of approval to a $170 billion plan intended to spark the slowing economy. The plan's centerpiece: tax rebates. But questions remain about how the program will work, and officials at the Treasury Department and IRS are scurrying to work out the details. In the meantime, here are some answers based on currently available government information and experts' analysis. ?

Ten Tax Laws You Gotta Know

Here's a look at 2007's new tax laws, combined with some provisions carried over from 2006, that could affect your current tax bill. For your 2008 tax planning purposes, we also take a peak at a couple of laws that took effect Jan. 1. New tax laws Several tax code changes will affect 2007 returns, but in many cases they are designed for very specific taxpayer circumstances. A few carryover provisions will offer some tax savings, especially for energy-conscious taxpayers. And a couple of law changes passed last year took effect Jan. 1 and could affect your 2008 tax planning. 1. Mortgage d...