Carry Learning Center

Independent contractors face a unique money challenge. They need to handle their own taxes and save for retirement without the help of an employer plan. Every payment they receive must cover both current needs and future goals.  Many freelancers and gig workers stay focused on finding clients or earning more income. But managing taxes wisely can [...]

Do you ever get caught off guard by a year-end tax bill?  Many freelancers, investors, and small-business owners face that same frustration. The good news is there’s a simple, proactive way to avoid it: making estimated tax payments throughout the year. Paying in smaller portions can help steady your cash flow and prevent big surprises at [...]

A sudden boost in freelance income, a profitable stock sale, or even a large bonus might feel rewarding until the IRS expects its share. The U.S. tax system runs on a pay-as-you-go schedule, which means taxes must be paid throughout the year, not just at filing time. Anyone who expects to owe at least $1,000 in [...]

Driving, delivering, or freelancing can give you flexibility and control over how you earn. But when income changes from week to week, keeping up with tax payments can feel confusing or unpredictable. Many independent workers are surprised to learn that taxes aren’t automatically withheld and that the IRS still expects payments throughout the year. Understanding how [...]

Every year, many taxpayers send thousands of dollars in estimated payments yet still face surprise balances at filing time. The problem often isn’t the math. It’s where those payments appear on Form 1040. A misplaced entry or missing record can make it seem like you never paid at all. If you make quarterly payments for self-employment, [...]

Freelancers, gig workers, and small-business owners often face uneven cash flow — and with it, the risk of IRS underpayment penalties. When income fluctuates throughout the year, dividing estimated taxes evenly across quarters can feel unfair. The Annualized Income Installment Method (AIIM) helps address that by aligning each payment with what you actually earned during [...]

The Department of Labor, Internal Revenue Service, and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation have jointly released informational copies of the 2025 Form 5500 series, marking annual updates to the mandatory filing requirements for employee benefit plans. These forms serve as the federal government’s primary tool for monitoring the financial health and operations of retirement and welfare [...]

The IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) division released its fiscal year 2025 annual report showing record-breaking results in uncovering financial crimes. The agency identified $10.59 billion in financial crimes from October 2024 through September 2025, representing a 15.7% increase from the previous year. Tax fraud alone accounted for $4.5 billion of these findings, marking a 111.8% [...]

The Treasury Department and IRS have issued new guidance allowing states to prepare for a federal tax credit program that could save taxpayers up to $1,700 annually on their federal taxes. Revenue Procedure 2026-6, released December 12, 2025, establishes the framework for states to participate in a new federal tax credit for contributions to Scholarship [...]