tax time

Last week, I'm sure that I brightened your day considerably by pointing out that Illinois residents are lucky enough to be paying the 2nd highest property taxes in the entire country (right behind New Jersey).

I think it's probably safe to point out that no one likes tax season (unless they're in the tax preparation business) because it can be complicated, stressful, and it shows up every year.

Of course it is. Because simply organizing, filling out, and filing your taxes isn't a big enough pain in the butt, we have tax scammers who are looking to tap into your funds and personal information.

The month of February signifies the unofficial start of Tax Season, but it's also the biggest time of the year for criminals like tax-identity thieves and IRS imposters.

It's tax season once again, so keep in mind that you've got about a month to change over from the "wearing of the green" to the "sending of your green" to the government. Woo-hoo.

As recent reports have shown, Illinois is leading the Midwest in outbound migration, or, in other words, people leaving the state. If you've lived here in Illinois for a while, you know there are lots of reasons given for people bolting the state. One of those reasons is high property taxes.

As a kid, I always knew when it was tax time. Not by looking at the calendar, but by watching my dad's mood go sour for the week or so he spent spreading all his tax info on our dining room table.

Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois is operating its GoodTAXES volunteer income tax assistance sites for the sixth year in a row with great success in local communities in its first six weeks. Since opening the sites on Friday, January 30, 2015, Goodwill’s 64 certified volunteers have completed over 1,215 returns and returned over $1...