Editorial policy

Editorial policy & disclaimer

Not tax advice

Everything on TaxFathom is general information about U.S. federal tax rules. It is not tax, legal, accounting or financial advice, and it is not a substitute for advice from a licensed professional who knows your facts. Reading this site, subscribing to the newsletter or contacting us does not create a client relationship of any kind.

The author is not a Certified Public Accountant, an enrolled agent or a tax attorney, is not licensed to practice before the IRS, and does not prepare or review returns. Before acting on anything you read here, check the cited sources and consider consulting a licensed tax professional.

Federal rules only

Unless a column says otherwise, it describes federal rules. State and local tax law differs, sometimes sharply, and a federal answer can be the wrong answer in your state.

Accuracy and dates

Tax rules change every year, and mid-year changes happen. Year-specific columns carry the tax year they describe and the date the rules were last checked. If a cited source has changed since that date, the source governs, not this site. Report an error and it will be corrected on the page with an updated review date.

Sources

Columns cite primary sources — IRS publications and form instructions, the Internal Revenue Code, and Treasury regulations. Secondary commentary is used only where it is labeled as such. Links to sources open externally and are not paid placements.

Advertising and affiliate disclosure

This site is funded by display advertising and affiliate links. When you buy through an affiliate link, TaxFathom may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Affiliate relationships never determine what a column says, which rule is described, or which product is recommended. Columns that contain affiliate links say so on the page.

No warranty

The content is provided "as is," without warranty of any kind. To the fullest extent permitted by law, TaxFathom and its author are not liable for any loss arising from reliance on this site, including penalties, interest or additional tax.

IRS Circular 230 notice

Nothing on this site is a covered opinion or written tax advice within the meaning of Treasury Department Circular 230, and nothing here may be used to avoid tax penalties.