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\r\n\r\n\r\nThe post Perplexity Launches AI Agent That Drafts Tax Returns appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Every spring, millions of Americans sit down to do their taxes with a pile of forms, a browser full of tabs and a sense that they are probably doing something wrong. Tax software helps. So does a CPA. But both cost money, take time and still leave most people uncertain whether they got it right.\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\nPerplexity is trying to change that with Computer for Taxes, extending its artificial intelligence (AI) agent platform into U.S. federal tax preparation for the 2026 filing season. Computer does not answer tax questions in a chat window. Instead, it reviews uploaded financial documents, asks follow-up questions about a filer\u2019s situation and maps inputs to official IRS forms and drafts a federal return, according to the company\u2019s\u00a0 Thursday (April 2) announcement.\nUsers can access it by selecting \u201cNavigate my taxes\u201d inside Perplexity Computer, which requires a Pro subscription at $17 per month.\nFrom Chat to Execution\nThe distinction between Computer and general-purpose AI chatbots is structural. Tools like ChatGPT or Gemini respond to tax questions based on training data that has a fixed cutoff date and no direct connection to current IRS materials.\nA test of four major AI chatbots conducted by TaxSlayer and reported by The New York Times found the tools miscalculated the refund or amount owed by an average of more than $2,000 across eight fictional tax scenarios, even when provided with all necessary forms.\nPerplexity addresses this by packaging tax knowledge as loadable modules built on its Agent Skills protocol, according to the company. These modules are continuously updated and grounded in IRS materials and regulations, allowing the system to retrieve and apply current rules rather than rely on static model training. When tax laws change, the modules are updated independently, without retraining the underlying model.\nPerplexity also said Computer for Taxes can also review a professionally prepared return for accuracy and compliance, helping filers identify questions for their tax provider and confirm no money is left on the table. The company added that many tax professionals are still adjusting to recent changes in tax laws, and that Computer is designed to surface those gaps.\nHow It Works\nThe workflow begins with uploading documents. Computer then reviews the files, asks questions about the filer\u2019s financial situation and drafts a return on official IRS forms. The system can also build dashboards and tools for more complex parts of the tax code and support other filing workflows users want to design, Neowin reported.\nPerplexity positioned Computer for Taxes as a way to reduce the burden of self-filing. People pay for software, spend hours doing the work and often still need professional help when a return grows more complicated, the company said. Computer is designed to reduce that friction across the full workflow.\nConsumers Are Already at the Door\nThe product arrives as consumer behavior around AI and taxes is shifting. As the April 15 tax deadline approaches, consumers who once turned to TurboTax or a CPA as their first resource are now opening ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude to ask whether they qualify for a deduction or what their refund might look like, PYMNTS reported.\nAbout a quarter of U.S. workers say they plan to use AI to help file their taxes this year, per the report, more than double the 11% who said the same last year.\nAccording to PYMNTS Intelligence, 62% of Generation Z consumers are open to using AI for financial planning guidance, a sign that generational appetite for on-demand financial tools now extends to filing season.\nWhat Perplexity is building is the next step in that progression. Computer for Taxes is built for the filers already asking AI for guidance and are ready to hand it the forms.\nFor all PYMNTS AI and digital transformation coverage, subscribe to the daily\u00a0AI and Digital Transformation Newsletters.\n\r\n\r\nThe post Perplexity Launches AI Agent That Drafts Tax Returns appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2026-04-06T18:20:40-04:00", "date_modified": "2026-04-06T18:20:40-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Perplexity-AI-taxes.jpeg", "tags": [ "AI", "digital transformation", "News", "Perplexity", "PYMNTS News", "Taxes" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=3593213", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/taxes/2026/as-tax-deadline-approaches-consumers-are-going-to-ai-before-filing/", "title": "As Tax Deadline Approaches, Consumers Are Going to AI Before Filing", "content_html": "\n\r\n\t
\r\n\nAs the April 15 tax filing deadline draws near, a notable behavioral shift is underway. Consumers who once turned to TurboTax or a CPA as their first resource are now opening ChatGPT, Google Gemini or Claude to ask whether they qualify for the home office deduction, how to report freelance income or what their refund might look like this year. Artificial intelligence has not replaced tax software. But it has become, for millions of filers, the first stop in a process that carries legal and financial consequences.
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\nThe trend reflects a broader reorientation in how consumers approach money decisions. According to PYMNTS Intelligence, 62% of Gen Z consumers are open to using AI for financial planning guidance, a signal that generative AI is reshaping their expectations for real-time advice. That appetite for on-demand financial intelligence has migrated into tax season with little friction and considerable risk. As reported by Bloomberg, about a quarter of U.S. workers say they plan to use AI to help file their taxes this year, more than double the 11% who said the same last year, according to a survey by Adobe Inc.
\n\n
\nAI as the First Touchpoint
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\nThe appeal is intuitive. Conversational AI tools offer something traditional tax software does not: the ability to ask open-ended questions in plain language and receive answers that do not require navigating a decision tree. As covered by Kiplinger, viral posts on social media have amplified the trend, with users sharing examples of asking AI chatbots to review their tax filings for deductions or credits that may have been overlooked.
\n\n
\nKiplinger reported that early IRS data indicate higher refunds than last year, with more than 36.5 million refunds totaling about $136.6 billion issued as of early March, and the average refund running roughly 10.6% higher than at the same point in 2025. That context makes the promise of AI unlocking additional refund money feel credible to ordinary filers.
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\nAs reported by Bloomberg, one user in the Bay Area used Claude Code to organize his tax documents into a structured spreadsheet for his accountant, describing the output as substantially better than what he had produced manually in prior years.
\n\n
\nAccording to CBS, tax professionals say artificial intelligence can help consumers organize receipts, obtain plain-English explanations of tax concepts and identify deductions worth raising with a professional. The problem is where consumers stop. For a growing number, the chatbot conversation substitutes for the professional consultation rather than preceding it.
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\nWhere the Risks Accumulate
\n\n
\nThe limitations of AI as a tax tool are structural. As reported by The New York Times, a test of four AI chatbots, Google\u2019s Gemini, OpenAI\u2019s ChatGPT, Anthropic\u2019s Claude and xAI\u2019s Grok, using eight fictional tax situations developed by tax-filing service TaxSlayer found that the tools miscalculated the refund or amount owed by an average of more than $2,000, even when provided with all necessary forms.
\n\n
\nThe New York Times attributed the failures to a fundamental design issue: AI chatbots do not understand the complex relationships among the pieces of information they process, and errors accumulate as tasks become more interconnected.
\n\n
\nAs reported by Bloomberg, tax professionals warn that chatbots can give bad planning advice based on outdated rules and frequently make mistakes reading figures from less standard documents such as K-1 and 1099 forms. Bloomberg also reported on one case in which a client faced IRS trouble after an AI tool incorrectly advised that cryptocurrency income below $3,000 did not need to be reported.
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\n\r\n\r\nThe consequences extend to privacy. McAfee warns that entering sensitive tax information into an AI chatbot is similar to submitting it to an online form, and that once data leaves a device, users lose control over how it may be stored or transmitted. Tax documents contain Social Security numbers, employer and income data, banking details and dependent information, making them among the highest-value targets for identity theft. And the filer bears all liability when AI-guided errors appear on a return.
\n\n
\nFor all PYMNTS AI coverage, subscribe to the daily\u00a0AI\u00a0Newsletter.
\nThe post As Tax Deadline Approaches, Consumers Are Going to AI Before Filing appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "As the April 15 tax filing deadline draws near, a notable behavioral shift is underway. Consumers who once turned to TurboTax or a CPA as their first resource are now opening ChatGPT, Google Gemini or Claude to ask whether they qualify for the home office deduction, how to report freelance income or what their refund might look like this year. Artificial intelligence has not replaced tax software. But it has become, for millions of filers, the first stop in a process that carries legal and financial consequences.\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\n\n\nThe trend reflects a broader reorientation in how consumers approach money decisions. According to PYMNTS Intelligence, 62% of Gen Z consumers are open to using AI for financial planning guidance, a signal that generative AI is reshaping their expectations for real-time advice. That appetite for on-demand financial intelligence has migrated into tax season with little friction and considerable risk. As reported by Bloomberg, about a quarter of U.S. workers say they plan to use AI to help file their taxes this year, more than double the 11% who said the same last year, according to a survey by Adobe Inc.\n\n\nAI as the First Touchpoint\n\n\nThe appeal is intuitive. Conversational AI tools offer something traditional tax software does not: the ability to ask open-ended questions in plain language and receive answers that do not require navigating a decision tree. As covered by Kiplinger, viral posts on social media have amplified the trend, with users sharing examples of asking AI chatbots to review their tax filings for deductions or credits that may have been overlooked.\n\n\nKiplinger reported that early IRS data indicate higher refunds than last year, with more than 36.5 million refunds totaling about $136.6 billion issued as of early March, and the average refund running roughly 10.6% higher than at the same point in 2025. That context makes the promise of AI unlocking additional refund money feel credible to ordinary filers.\n\n\nAs reported by Bloomberg, one user in the Bay Area used Claude Code to organize his tax documents into a structured spreadsheet for his accountant, describing the output as substantially better than what he had produced manually in prior years.\n\n\nAccording to CBS, tax professionals say artificial intelligence can help consumers organize receipts, obtain plain-English explanations of tax concepts and identify deductions worth raising with a professional. The problem is where consumers stop. For a growing number, the chatbot conversation substitutes for the professional consultation rather than preceding it.\n\n\nWhere the Risks Accumulate\n\n\nThe limitations of AI as a tax tool are structural. As reported by The New York Times, a test of four AI chatbots, Google\u2019s Gemini, OpenAI\u2019s ChatGPT, Anthropic\u2019s Claude and xAI\u2019s Grok, using eight fictional tax situations developed by tax-filing service TaxSlayer found that the tools miscalculated the refund or amount owed by an average of more than $2,000, even when provided with all necessary forms.\n\n\nThe New York Times attributed the failures to a fundamental design issue: AI chatbots do not understand the complex relationships among the pieces of information they process, and errors accumulate as tasks become more interconnected.\n\n\nAs reported by Bloomberg, tax professionals warn that chatbots can give bad planning advice based on outdated rules and frequently make mistakes reading figures from less standard documents such as K-1 and 1099 forms. Bloomberg also reported on one case in which a client faced IRS trouble after an AI tool incorrectly advised that cryptocurrency income below $3,000 did not need to be reported.\n\n\nThe consequences extend to privacy. McAfee warns that entering sensitive tax information into an AI chatbot is similar to submitting it to an online form, and that once data leaves a device, users lose control over how it may be stored or transmitted. Tax documents contain Social Security numbers, employer and income data, banking details and dependent information, making them among the highest-value targets for identity theft. And the filer bears all liability when AI-guided errors appear on a return.\n\nFor all PYMNTS AI coverage, subscribe to the daily\u00a0AI\u00a0Newsletter.\n\n\n\r\n\r\nThe post As Tax Deadline Approaches, Consumers Are Going to AI Before Filing appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2026-03-25T14:38:33-04:00", "date_modified": "2026-03-25T14:38:33-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/taxes.jpg", "tags": [ "AI", "artificial intelligence", "IRS", "News", "PYMNTS News", "Taxes" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=3583187", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/taxes/2026/gig-work-is-making-tax-refunds-harder-to-get/", "title": "Gig Work Is Making Tax Refunds Harder to Get", "content_html": "As the 2026 tax season unfolds, a sobering reality has emerged for the nearly 70% of Americans living paycheck to paycheck. While many U.S. consumers view a tax refund as a significant financial windfall or an opportunity to bolster savings, those facing the greatest financial strain are statistically the least likely to receive one. This \u201crefund gap\u201d is not merely a coincidence; it is the result of shifting economic policies, changes in the nature of work and systemic barriers that disproportionately impact those living paycheck to paycheck.
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The post Gig Work Is Making Tax Refunds Harder to Get appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "As the 2026 tax season unfolds, a sobering reality has emerged for the nearly 70% of Americans living paycheck to paycheck. While many U.S. consumers view a tax refund as a significant financial windfall or an opportunity to bolster savings, those facing the greatest financial strain are statistically the least likely to receive one. This \u201crefund gap\u201d is not merely a coincidence; it is the result of shifting economic policies, changes in the nature of work and systemic barriers that disproportionately impact those living paycheck to paycheck.\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\nThe Statistical Divide: Who Gets a Refund?\nAccording to \u201cTax Refund Season Reveals the Reality of Paycheck-to-Paycheck America,\u201d the newest installment of the PYMNTS Intelligence exclusive series New Reality Check: The Paycheck-to-Paycheck Report, approximately 55.8% of all U.S. consumers received a refund for the 2024 tax year. However, this figure masks a significant disparity based on financial lifestyle. Consumers living paycheck to paycheck, particularly those doing so out of necessity, are notably less likely to see money back from the IRS. Specifically, only 48.9% of those living paycheck to paycheck by necessity received a refund, compared to 62.1% of those who live paycheck to paycheck by choice.\n\nPYMNTS data shows that income level is the most consistent predictor of this outcome. Only 41.3% of consumers earning less than $50,000 received a refund last year, whereas more than 60% of those in every income bracket above $50,000 received one.\nStructural Hurdles: Policy Shifts and the Gig Economy\nThe declining likelihood of receiving a refund appears to be driven by several structural factors. The elimination of COVID-related tax credits, such as the expanded Child Tax Credit and the recovery rebate credit, has had a profound impact on low-income filers. As these relief efforts phased out, TurboTax noted that the rate of refunds for the lowest income bracket plummeted from 74.8% in 2021 to 57% in 2024.\nAnother significant factor in the declining refund rate is the growing prevalence of gig jobs. Many paycheck-to-paycheck consumers now earn income through platforms like Uber, DoorDash, or other platforms where workers are categorized as independent contractors rather than full employees. In this case, taxes are not automatically withheld from paychecks. Instead, workers are required to make quarterly estimated tax payments; when they fail to do so, the difference comes out of their annual refund, which often results in the filer owing the IRS instead.\nLastly, there have been structural changes in the withholding system itself. The first Trump administration revamped the system in 2017 with the reported goal of reducing refunds. This shift intended to get withholding closer to actual liability, which is often contrary to the preferences of taxpayers who prefer the windfall of a large tax return.\nSurvival vs Growth: The Impact on Livelihood\nFor paycheck-to-paycheck consumers who do receive a refund, the money serves a vastly different purpose than it does for the financially stable. For the average consumer, a refund is a tool for wealth building: PYMNTS Intelligence found that 58.5% of those not living paycheck to paycheck use their refund for savings or investments.\nIn contrast, paycheck-to-paycheck consumers use their refunds as a temporary lifeline for survival. Among those struggling to pay bills, 43.2% spent their last refund on everyday expenses or bills, and 21.7% used it for debt repayment. For these households, the refund functions as a short-term income boost rather than an opportunity to improve long-term financial health. When these consumers are deprived of a refund, they lose their primary mechanism for catching up on past-due obligations, further entrenching them in a cycle of financial necessity.\nAt PYMNTS Intelligence, we work with businesses to uncover insights that fuel intelligent, data-driven discussions on changing customer expectations, a more connected economy and the strategic shifts necessary to achieve outcomes. With rigorous research methodologies and unwavering commitment to objective quality, we offer trusted data to grow your business. As our partner, you\u2019ll have access to our diverse team of PhDs, researchers, data analysts, number crunchers, subject matter veterans and editorial experts.\n\r\n\r\nThe post Gig Work Is Making Tax Refunds Harder to Get appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2026-03-25T04:00:42-04:00", "date_modified": "2026-03-24T21:30:33-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/tax-refund-gap.png", "tags": [ "consumer finance", "Featured News", "IRS", "News", "PYMNTS Intelligence", "PYMNTS News", "Taxes" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=3489931", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/taxes/2026/as-tax-refunds-tackle-debt-installment-payments-become-a-budget-tool/", "title": "As Tax Refunds Tackle Debt, Installment Payments Become a Budget Tool", "content_html": "This time each year, millions of consumers in the United States tell themselves comforting but misleading stories about their tax refunds.
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The post As Tax Refunds Tackle Debt, Installment Payments Become a Budget Tool appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "This time each year, millions of consumers in the United States tell themselves comforting but misleading stories about their tax refunds.\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\nOne story is that the check from the U.S. Treasury is \u201cfound money\u201d or a \u201cwindfall.\u201d\nWhat it actually signals is that you withheld too much from your paycheck. That means you effectively gave the U.S. government an interest-free loan of your hard-earned dollars when instead you could have boosted your cash flow throughout the year.\nAnother story is that a refund is the fruit of \u201cforced savings.\u201d\nIt sort of is, but only because you\u2019re not building up cash each month for emergencies, consumer debt and long-term savings.\nTogether, the mental shortcuts belie the fact that it\u2019s better to reduce the number of withholding allowances on your W-4 so that your employer takes less out for federal and state taxes throughout the year, leaving more after-tax cash in each paycheck.\nAs the annual tax filing season shifts into high gear, there\u2019s a new story about the value of tax refunds. Unlike the heuristics consumers use to frame their financial decision-making, it\u2019s rooted in data. And it doesn\u2019t paint a pretty picture for the nearly 7 in 10 consumers living paycheck to paycheck, including 42% of all Americans (about 111 million people) who exist that way not because they choose to but because they don\u2019t have any other option.\nMore and Less\nTariffs on imported goods, from clothing and furniture to toys and coffee, are wiping out much of the value of refunds this year. That\u2019s despite congressional lawmakers passing sweeping legislation in July that increased the size of the federal refunds now being sent out.\nThe One Big Beautiful Bill Act made permanent the individual tax cuts in the 2017 tax code overhaul, which lowered all but the lowest individual tax bracket. It also effectively quadrupled the deduction for state and local taxes until 2030, including those all-important property taxes; introduced a new deduction for auto loan interest; made permanent a higher standard deduction; boosted the Child Tax Credit and the seniors tax deduction; and removed taxes on tips and overtime.\nFull-time employees who aren\u2019t self-employed contractors likely saw larger paychecks last year, but they used them to pay for more expensive goods and services.\nTariffs erase between 70% and 95% of their value for consumers in the middle three income quintiles, which includes most consumers, according to the Tax Foundation, a non-partisan think tank.\nOverall, average tax cuts from the July tax bill range from $245 to $1,981 for all consumers, save the lowest-income ones, who have little or no income tax liability and thus tiny or no refunds.\nBut that money goes to purchases that are now more expensive. The average household now pays $1,751 more for the same, pre-tariff items, according to the Yale Budget Lab.\n\u201cThe tax man giveth, but the tariff man taketh away,\u201d Erica York, the Tax Foundation\u2019s vice president of federal tax policy, wrote in a Feb. 8 post on social platform X.\n\nThe tax man giveth but the Tariff Man taketh away. https://t.co/uUB6atKY92 pic.twitter.com/38DzPyZhUj\n\u2014 Erica York (@ericadyork) February 8, 2026\n\n\nRefund Redux\nTariffs are often called a tax.\nU.S. households and businesses paid for nearly 90% of the tariffs in 2025, including 94% of the levies from January to August, 92% from September to October, and 86% in November, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported Thursday (Feb. 12).\nBye-bye, helpful refunds.\nThe average tax refund in the first week of February was $2,290, according to the IRS, up 10.9% compared to a year ago. By the end of 2025, the average tariff rate was 13%, per the New York Fed.\nToday\u2019s economy can be described as K-shaped, where two broad groups of consumers are experiencing different financial pressures. Consumers with high incomes are thriving and spending at the top arm of the K, while the majority (the bottom arm) are struggling. Just look at the new \u201cLove in This Economy\u201d message on those candy conversation hearts for Valentine\u2019s Day this year.\nMoody\u2019s economist Mark Zandi found that the top 10% wealthiest Americans drive nearly half of all consumer spending. That still leaves millions of consumers at the bottom arm of the K struggling and in need of flexible payment plans.\nOn Black Friday, 58% of paycheck-to-paycheck consumers who struggle to pay their monthly bills used credit card installment plans, up from 49% the year before, PYMNTS Intelligence data revealed.\nThe February PYMNTS Intelligence report \u201cTax Refund Season Reveals the Reality of Paycheck-to-Paycheck America\u201d found that low-income consumers face a double whammy. They\u2019re less likely to receive money back from the government. Just over 4 in 10 consumers earning less than $50,000 a year get a federal or state refund, compared to more than 6 in 10 of those earning more.\nPossible reasons include not earning enough money to be required to file a return (the thresholds are $15,750 for individuals and $31,500 for married couples under age 65) and performing gig economy work, which doesn\u2019t involve an employer withholding taxes and requires the filer to prepay their own taxes quarterly.\nOverall, roughly 56% of all consumers got a refund last year, indicating they have their withholdings set Goldilocks-just-right, according to the PYMNTS Intelligence report, which surveyed 2,486 consumers in the second half of January. Some 11.4% were unsure, so the total share receiving refunds is likely higher.\n\n \nHow people spend their refunds depends on their financial lifestyle. There is a gap between consumers who treat the money as a lifeline versus those who use it as a wealth-building tool. Paying down debt figures heavily. The report found that 20.3% of consumers plan to do that this year, up from 18.2% last year. So does reining in large necessary expenses, perhaps for healthcare or car repairs. Among people living paycheck to paycheck, 6.5% plan to spend a refund that way, down from 10.2% last year.\n\n \nThe Federal Reserve\u2019s most recent Beige Book showed that high-income consumers are driving discretionary spending, particularly for travel, tourism and experiences. In contrast, low- and moderate-income households are increasingly price sensitive and hesitant to spend on nonessential goods and services.\nMaybe some of next year\u2019s candy conversation hearts should read \u201cLove in this K-shaped economy.\u201d\nRead more:\nRunning on Empty: How Paycheck-to-Paycheck Living Turns Small Shocks Into Big Crises\nHow Financial Support Beyond Family Is Breaking Household Budgets\nIncome Instability Is Redefining the Paycheck-to-Paycheck Economy\n\r\n\r\nThe post As Tax Refunds Tackle Debt, Installment Payments Become a Budget Tool appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2026-02-18T04:01:06-05:00", "date_modified": "2026-02-17T21:54:39-05:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/tax-refunds-tariffs-economy.jpeg", "tags": [ "Consumer Spending", "economy", "Featured News", "News", "PYMNTS News", "refunds", "Taxes" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=3434952", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/taxes/2026/walmarts-onepay-teams-with-april-on-free-tax-filing/", "title": "Walmart\u2019s OnePay Teams With april on Free Tax Filing", "content_html": "Walmart-backed FinTech\u00a0OnePay\u00a0has debuted a feature letting customers file their taxes through its app.
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\r\n\r\n\r\nThe post Walmart\u2019s OnePay Teams With april on Free Tax Filing appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Walmart-backed FinTech\u00a0OnePay\u00a0has debuted a feature letting customers file their taxes through its app.\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\nThe new service,\u00a0announced Wednesday (Jan. 28), is being offered in partnership with embedded tax technology platform april, and allows customers of the One Pay Cash financial services platform to file federal and state taxes at no cost.\n\u201cTax season is one of the biggest financial moments of the year and for too many people, it\u2019s complicated and expensive,\u201d said\u00a0Harsh Gupta, general manager of banking and core app at OnePay. \u201cPeople shouldn\u2019t have to pay just to do their taxes, or bounce between apps to manage their money. By offering free, in-app tax filing, we\u2019re making it easier to file with confidence, get refunds quickly, and keep taxes simple and in one place.\u201d\nIn addition to the free filing, OnePay says the service lets users get a guaranteed maximum tax refund. Users who direct deposit into OnePay can get their refunds up to five days early, and will be entered for a chance to have their refund doubled, up to $5,000.\nThe partnership follows a similar one\u00a0announced last week, with PayPal tapping april to let users of its Debit Mastercard file their 2025 state and federal tax returns for free.\nAlso last week, OnePay and\u00a0Klarna\u00a0launched a\u00a0partnership\u00a0designed to let the users of OnePay Cash convert recent purchases into fixed-term payment plans. This ability to choose to pay over time after checking out will be available for eligible debit purchases, the companies said in a press release.\nKnown as \u201cSwipe to Finance,\u201d the feature will be driven by OnePay\u2019s background as a consumer FinTech and Klarna\u2019s capabilities as a global digital bank and flexible payments provider, the release said. The company says Swipe to Finance will be launched within months.\n\u201cCustomers want and deserve financial flexibility when they need it most, which is why we\u2019re excited to offer new ways for them to pay over time and do it simply, transparently and all in the OnePay app,\u201d\u00a0Thomas Hoare, chief commercial officer at OnePay, said in the release.\nOnePay was formed from the combination of two smaller FinTechs, with the aim of establishing an all-in-one financial app, and has grown to upwards of 3 million monthly active users with the help of its distribution partnership with Walmart.\nKlarna agreed last year to become Walmart\u2019s\u00a0exclusive provider of installment loans, and that collaboration allowed OnePay to add installment loans to its product lineup.\n\r\n\r\nThe post Walmart\u2019s OnePay Teams With april on Free Tax Filing appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2026-01-29T13:45:04-05:00", "date_modified": "2026-01-29T15:55:44-05:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/OnePay-april-tax-filing.png-.png", "tags": [ "april", "FinTech", "News", "OnePay", "PYMNTS News", "Taxes", "walmart", "What's Hot" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=3421523", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/taxes/2026/equifax-offers-verified-employment-and-income-data-alongside-credit-reports/", "title": "Equifax Launches Employment and Income Data Alongside Credit Reports", "content_html": "Equifax\u00a0now offers lenders verified employment and income data along with credit reports.
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\r\n\r\n\r\nThe post Equifax Launches Employment and Income Data Alongside Credit Reports appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Equifax\u00a0now offers lenders verified employment and income data along with credit reports.\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\nThis new offering,\u00a0Income Confirm, integrates data from the company\u2019s\u00a0The Work Number\u00a0database with an Equifax Consumer Credit Report, according to a Monday (Jan. 26)\u00a0press release.\nIncome Confirm is designed to strengthen lenders\u2019 decisioning confidence during the credit card origination process and help them better customize credit card offerings for applicants, according to the release.\nThe product provides, where available, employee name and Social Security Number, current or most recent employer, current employment status and calculated annual income, per the release.\n\u201cIncome Confirm equips lenders to make decisions based on facts, not estimates, and to optimize initial credit lines based on the consumer\u2019s true ability to pay,\u201d\u00a0Scott Collins, general manager and senior vice president of financial institutions at Equifax, said in the release. \u201cThis supports a smoother, faster experience for applicants, and can also help drive early new cardholder engagement and spend.\u201d\nEquifax said in November that it gained additional information for The Work Number database by acquiring Vault Verify, a company that offers services that include\u00a0employment and income verification. Equifax said the acquisition enhanced the data that it already provided to verifiers and offered another mechanism for employers to provide data to a\u00a0verifications\u00a0provider.\nThe company launched a generative artificial intelligence solution called Equifax Ignite AI Advisor in October, saying it helps lenders analyze portfolio performance, identify growth\u00a0opportunities\u00a0and improve decision-making through conversational data insights. This tool merges lenders\u2019 internal data with Equifax\u2019s proprietary credit and risk\u00a0analytics, and\u00a0allows financial institutions to interact with data through natural language queries and visual dashboards.\nEquifax CEO\u00a0Mark Begor said in July that the company had seen momentum in demand for\u00a0verification\u00a0for\u00a0consumer lending and the government sector. Begor said the government business had been positive as \u201cstates implement stronger verification requirements aligned with these new government requirements. This includes our new workforce solutions integrated complete income solution that will support states\u2019 ability to validate income through The Work Number and validate other sources of income such as gig work [and] self-employed wages.\u201d\n\r\n\r\nThe post Equifax Launches Employment and Income Data Alongside Credit Reports appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2026-01-26T15:30:53-05:00", "date_modified": "2026-01-26T22:16:45-05:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/equifax.jpg", "tags": [ "B2B", "B2B Payments", "credit report", "Equifax", "Income", "News", "PYMNTS News", "What's Hot", "What's Hot In B2B", "Taxes" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=3397423", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/taxes/2026/paypal-and-april-team-on-faster-tax-filing/", "title": "PayPal and april Team on Faster Tax Filing", "content_html": "PayPal\u00a0has launched a partnership with embedded tax technology platform\u00a0april.
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\r\n\r\n\r\nThe post PayPal and april Team on Faster Tax Filing appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "PayPal\u00a0has launched a partnership with embedded tax technology platform\u00a0april.\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\nThe collaboration, announced Tuesday (Jan. 20), lets PayPal Debit Mastercard customers in the U.S. file their 2025 state and federal tax returns for free using april\u2019s tax filing service.\n\u201cBy connecting tax filing to where customers already manage payments, we can deliver better outcomes for both PayPal and its customers,\u201d\u00a0Ben Borodach, april\u2019s co-founder and CEO, said in a news release provided to PYMNTS.\n\u201cTogether with PayPal, we\u2019re helping millions of customers simplify an essential and often complicated part of managing their finances.\u201d\nAccording to the release, the april platform prefills information based on the data available in documents uploaded by the customer, while also offering live support or an AI chatbot to answer tax filing questions.\nThe companies say this experience allows customers to file their taxes in \u2014 on average \u2014 under 20 minutes, receive their federal tax refund up to five days early, and save approximately $160 in typical costs.\nMeanwhile, PayPal says it offers customers flexible options for paying their taxes, such as PayPal Credit, which offers special financing on transactions of more than $149 for six months, along with the PayPal Cashback Mastercard and PayPal Debit Card.\n\u201cAt PayPal, we\u2019re committed to giving our customers smarter, more rewarding ways to manage their money all in one centralized place, whether they are earning, spending, sending or saving,\u201d said Shanthi Sarkar, PayPal’s vice president of debit and money management.\n\u201cOur partnership with april empowers customers to manage even more of their finances in one trusted place, helping them streamline tax preparation and take meaningful steps toward setting up their finances for the year ahead.\u201d\nThe partnership comes as American consumers are finding it harder to save, as PYMNTS Intelligence research has found.\nWhile\u00a052% of consumers\u00a0surveyed in August said they believed they would increase their savings throughout the following year, just 24% actually did so in the prior six months. More than half of those surveyed said steeper living expenses had hindered their ability to save during that six-month timeframe.\n\u201cUnexpected expenses\u00a0and debt payments compounded the problem, particularly for households with little margin for error,\u201d PYMNTS wrote last week.\n\u201cThe data also showed that\u00a0saving behavior\u00a0was becoming self-reinforcing. Consumers who already saved large portions of their income were increasingly able to accelerate those efforts, while those saving little were more likely to cut back further.\u201d\n\r\n\r\nThe post PayPal and april Team on Faster Tax Filing appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2026-01-20T07:00:05-05:00", "date_modified": "2026-01-20T15:41:57-05:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/PayPal.jpg", "tags": [ "B2B", "B2B Payments", "News", "partnerships", "PayPal", "PYMNTS News", "Taxes", "What's Hot", "What's Hot In B2B" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=3253412", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/taxes/2025/irs-clarifies-how-to-claim-no-tax-on-tips-deductions/", "title": "IRS Clarifies How to Claim \u2018No Tax on Tips\u2019 Deductions", "content_html": "The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued guidance that it said clarifies how to claim deductions associated with the \u201cNo Tax on Tips\u201d law.
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\r\n\r\n\r\nThe post IRS Clarifies How to Claim \u2018No Tax on Tips\u2019 Deductions appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued guidance that it said clarifies how to claim deductions associated with the \u201cNo Tax on Tips\u201d law.\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\nThe guidance also provides \u201ctransition relief\u201d for workers who receive tips in specified service trades or businesses, the IRS said in a Friday (Nov. 21) press release.\nThe Wall Street Journal reported Friday that the guidance could allow more workers to take advantage of the law\u2019s tax breaks by delaying a provision that prevents workers in a specific service trade or business to claim the deduction. These workers include those in health, law, performing arts and athletics, according to the report.\nFriday\u2019s guidance said that restriction won\u2019t be enforced until a year after the final regulations are released, which means it probably won\u2019t be in effect for tax year 2026 either, the report said.\nMany workers were uncertain how to report tips for tax year 2025 because they may not have all the records or information they need from their employers, per the report.\n\u201cNo Tax on Tips\u201d became law as part of The One Big Beautiful Bill signed into law by President Donald Trump.\nIn a page devoted to the law, the White House said that there are about 6 million workers who report tipped wages and that, on average, Americans will receive about $1,300 more per year when they don’t have to pay tax on tips.\nIt was reported in May that while eliminating federal income taxes on tips would provide relief to workers, it could also create some issues. For example, the policy could lead to new occupations introducing tips and existing tipped occupations relying on tips more heavily; income being misclassified as tips; and workers earning similar incomes in different occupations being taxed differently.\nPYMNTS reported in May that this no-tax status could provide further tailwind for tips to be paid out digitally rather than in cash. Because better record keeping and tracking of income will be critical as businesses and workers move to embrace the tax reporting changes, there could be a rise of digital platforms and instant disbursements that will help hasten the shift away from cash.\n\r\n\r\nThe post IRS Clarifies How to Claim \u2018No Tax on Tips\u2019 Deductions appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-11-21T19:41:03-05:00", "date_modified": "2025-11-21T19:41:03-05:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/taxes-tipping-irs-deductions-income-wages.jpeg", "tags": [ "Deductions", "Income", "IRS", "News", "PYMNTS News", "Taxes", "taxes on tips", "tipping", "tips", "wages", "What's Hot" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2731292", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/taxes/2025/shopify-sovos-team-automated-tax-filing-tool/", "title": "Shopify and Sovos Team on Automated Tax Filing Tool", "content_html": "Tax compliance company Sovos launched a partnership with eCommerce platform Shopify.
\r\n\t\t\r\n\t
\r\n\r\n\r\nThe post Shopify and Sovos Team on Automated Tax Filing Tool appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Tax compliance company Sovos launched a partnership with eCommerce platform Shopify.\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\nThe companies launched Shopify Tax automated filing, a feature that automates the preparation, filing and remittance of sales tax returns for Shopify merchants, according to a Tuesday (June 10) press release. It\u2019s available now for merchants in the United States using Shopify Tax.\n\u201cSales tax rules and laws are constantly evolving and, left unchecked, can create serious and expensive problems for businesses down the road,\u201d Sovos CEO Kevin Akeroyd said in the release. \u201cShopify, through its partnership with Sovos, will greatly reduce the burden on sellers and allow them to focus on delivering for their customers.\u201d\nThe partnership integrates Sovos\u2019 Sales and Use Tax (SUT) filing solution with Shopify Tax, offering merchants a more streamlined experience when managing their sales tax compliance, per the release.\n\u201cWith automated filing, merchants can greatly reduce the hours spent preparing and filing returns each month, while helping minimize audit risk,\u201d the release said.\nIn March, startup Town announced the launch of its platform and an $18 million fundraise to provide small businesses with the same tax advantages as big companies.\n\u201cBig corporations deploy entire tax departments to minimize what they owe, exploiting every loophole in the book,\u201d the company said at the time. \u201cMeanwhile, small businesses either go at it alone or rely on an overwhelmed accountant, paying 30% more per employee in compliance costs while missing out on billions in tax advantages,\u201d per data from the House Committee on Small Business.\nMeanwhile, small business owners grew more optimistic in May, according to the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index rose to 98.8 in May, three points higher than it was in April. At the same time, the Uncertainty Index rose to 94, two points higher than April.\n\u201cAlthough optimism recovered slightly in May, uncertainty is still high among small business owners,\u201d NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg said Tuesday. \u201cWhile the economy will continue to stumble along until the major sources of uncertainty are resolved, owners reported more positive expectations on business conditions and sales growth.\u201d\nFor all PYMNTS B2B coverage, subscribe to the daily B2B Newsletter.\n\r\n\r\nThe post Shopify and Sovos Team on Automated Tax Filing Tool appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-06-10T16:03:54-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-06-10T16:06:29-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/shopify-6.jpg", "tags": [ "automation", "B2B", "B2B Payments", "commercial payments", "compliance", "ecommerce", "News", "partnerships", "PYMNTS News", "shopify", "SMBs", "Sovos", "Taxes", "Technology", "What's Hot", "What's Hot In B2B" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2705485", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/taxes/2025/no-tax-status-may-spur-shift-from-cash-to-instant-digital-tipping/", "title": "No-Tax Status May Spur Shift From Cash to Instant Digital Tipping", "content_html": "New legislation recently passed in Congress eliminates federal taxes on tips \u2014 and one ripple effect is that there should be further tailwind for those tips to be paid out digitally rather than in cash.
\r\n\t\t\r\n\t
\r\n\r\n\r\nThe post No-Tax Status May Spur Shift From Cash to Instant Digital Tipping appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "New legislation recently passed in Congress eliminates federal taxes on tips \u2014 and one ripple effect is that there should be further tailwind for those tips to be paid out digitally rather than in cash.\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\nFor restaurants, hotels and a host of other businesses, the daily divvying up of cash tips, parceled out to shift (and other) workers has become a mainstay of take-home pay. The onus has been on workers and employers to report those cash tips on tax filings, since tip-related income is treated as, well, income.\nAs seen on the IRS website, as current policy stands, employees must keep a daily tip record; report tips to the employer, unless the total is less than $20 per month per employer; and report all tips on an individual income tax return.\nIn at least some cases, underreporting happens as a result of the cash payouts and the desire to keep at least some money for oneself and away from Uncle Sam. Exact figures are hard to come by. But in one (admittedly old, from 2018) report from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the tally came in at about $23 billion for a single tax reporting year.\nWhat\u2019s Changing \nAs for the new tax landscape, the Senate passed the No Tax on Tips Act this week, and the tax policy is on the table in the House bill passed by a single vote on Thursday (May 22).\nStarting next year, income derived from tips paid out in cash (as in tangible bills and coins) or via credit and debit cards would be exempt from federal income taxes. The income would be deducted from \u201cabove the line\u201d gross income, which in turn lowers taxable income.\nIt\u2019s important to note that the tips themselves still must be tracked, and they still must be reported (again, as they must be included \u201cbelow the line\u201d). The employers, as has been standard, get a tax credit, commensurate to the Medicare and Social Security taxes paid on tips (which count as wages).\nThe impact would be significant for the tipped workers, as the legislation lets them deduct up to $25,000 in tips, assuming their incomes fall below a $160,000 threshold.\nCritics charge that the policy is flawed: In this analysis from the Tax Foundation, there\u2019s the scenario put forth where an increasing number of workers and employers may shift to business models that are tipped based due to the tax implications; meanwhile, the government would take in less in terms of taxes.\nPYMNTS detailed earlier this month that two in five American consumers are actively earning money outside their primary job, which includes occupations such as ride-share driving and project work that could include tipping as a key income component.\nA higher proportion of workers and businesses moving to tips may see some pushback. PYMNTS Intelligence found last year that 29% of consumers said tipping had gotten \u201cout of hand\u201d and that 17% of consumers had cut spending due to tips.\nThe Instant Advantage \nBetter record keeping and tracking of income \u2014 done automatically in terms of back-end reconciliation \u2014 will be critical as businesses and workers move to embrace the tax reporting changes.\nThe rise of digital platforms and instant disbursements will help hasten the shift away from cash.\nPYMNTS Intelligence and Ingo Payments found that, as has traditionally been done, card payments have been added to checks, and then turned into cash at the shift\u2019s end. In the case of restaurants, the establishments have been including tips in weekly payroll, which we wrote is \u201ca concession that means payments are far from instant and only received days later.\u201d\nEighty-five percent of workers who have received digital, instant payouts have expressed satisfaction with that choice.\nThe data shows that 81% of hospitality workers choose instant payments for their convenience, while 74% choose instant because they want to secure their funds \u2014 and quickly.\n\r\n\r\nThe post No-Tax Status May Spur Shift From Cash to Instant Digital Tipping appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-05-22T19:57:07-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-05-22T22:24:20-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/cash-tips-taxes-legislation.jpg", "tags": [ "Cash", "Congress", "Digital Payments", "disbursements", "Featured News", "income tax", "income taxes", "instant disbursements", "Legislation", "News", "no tax on tips act", "Payment Methods", "PYMNTS News", "regulations", "Taxes", "tipping", "tips" ] } ] }