the next stimulus package
New Congress, new stimulus
Lawmakers signal they might support President-elect Obama's stimulus package -- thanks, perhaps, to expected tax cuts.
• Obama pushes $300 billion in tax cuts
• MarketWatch First Take Commentary: Tax cuts make sense

tom herman's tax report
Good news on '09 taxes -- for some
Tax laws that went into effect on Jan. 1, including larger exemption on estate taxes, benefit taxpayers, particularly high-income people.
• TaxWatch: Inflation adjustments offer some relief on 2009 taxes

after obama takes office
Tax changes ahead -- but when?
High-income taxpayers will see their bills rising, while others will see lower tax bills -- but changes may be some time in coming.

charitable giving
Your turn to pitch in
Many of us want to know how the government's going to take care of the economy. But there are a few ways we could do our part to help others facing their own financial turmoil.

financial crisis
Perks for taxpayers
The 2008 bailout plan aimed at rescuing the U.S. financial markets also contains plenty of perks for individual taxpayers and small business.

taxwatch
Getting it wrong
A limited study of paid preparers' returns finds them rife with mistakes, including one that showed the taxpayer owing about $4,900 more than he actually owed.