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Help with your taxes

Plain-English answers to filing questions, and how Navo works.

  • November 13, 2026

    Bought health insurance on the Marketplace? What changes on your 2026 return

    If you got help paying for Marketplace health insurance in 2026, your tax return settles up that help on Form 8962. Starting this year, there's no cap on what you may have to pay back. How the reconciliation works, a worked example, and how to avoid a surprise bill.

  • November 13, 2026

    Can ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini do your taxes? What the tests show

    AI assistants have gotten much better at tax math, but in the latest public test the best one still got about one return in five wrong, and none of them can file for you. What the tests found, the mistakes AI makes most, and how to use it safely.

  • November 13, 2026

    Can you deduct your car loan interest? The new rules for 2026

    You can deduct up to $10,000 of interest on a loan for a new, U.S.-assembled vehicle bought after 2024. Which loans and vehicles qualify, how to check where a car was built, how the income limit works, and worked examples.

  • November 13, 2026

    Do you need to file a tax return for 2026?

    Whether you have to file a 2026 federal tax return depends on your income, filing status and age. The income limits for each filing status, the special cases that require a return at any income, and why filing can pay even when you don't have to.

  • November 13, 2026

    Gig and freelance income: 1099-NEC, 1099-K and Schedule C explained

    Drove for an app, delivered food, freelanced or sold online in 2026? Which forms you'll get under the new $2,000 and $20,000 thresholds, how self-employment tax works, the expenses you can deduct, quarterly payments, and a worked example.

  • November 13, 2026

    How Navo started from Direct File, and what we added

    The IRS released the code for its Direct File software to the public. Navo started from that code and extends it to cover many more tax situations. What Direct File was, why we built on it, what we added and rebuilt, and what stayed the same.

  • November 13, 2026

    How to file your taxes free with AI: a step-by-step guide

    Use an AI assistant to understand your forms and get organized, then file free with software that does the math by the IRS's rules. A step-by-step guide with prompts you can copy, what to keep out of the chat, and the free ways to file.

  • November 13, 2026

    How to get your tax refund faster in 2027

    Most e-filed refunds arrive within about three weeks. How to stay on the fast track, why paper refund checks are going away, what holds a refund up, how to track it, and what to do if it's late or smaller than expected.

  • November 13, 2026

    IRS Direct File isn't available. Here's how to file for free

    The IRS didn't offer Direct File in the 2026 filing season and hasn't set a date for it to return. Every free way to file your federal return, who each one fits, what each costs for a state return, and what to bring over if you used Direct File before.

  • November 13, 2026

    Is it safe to give an AI your tax documents?

    AI assistants can read a W-2 in seconds, but your tax forms carry your most sensitive numbers. What's on each form, what to share and what not to, the settings to check first, how to spot tax scams, and how Navo keeps the sensitive parts out of the chat.

  • November 13, 2026

    No tax on overtime: what counts and how to claim it on your 2026 return

    You can deduct up to $12,500 of overtime pay, or $25,000 if married filing jointly, but only the extra 'half' of time-and-a-half counts. How to figure your number, where it is on your W-2, how the income limit works, and worked examples.

  • November 13, 2026

    No tax on tips: who qualifies and how to claim it on your 2026 return

    If you work in a job where tipping is customary, you can deduct up to $25,000 of tips on your 2026 return. Who qualifies, what counts as a tip, how the income limit works, where to find your tips on your W-2, and worked examples.

  • November 13, 2026

    The extra $6,000 deduction for people 65 and older

    If you're 65 or older, you can deduct an extra $6,000 on your 2026 return, or $12,000 for a married couple who both qualify. Who gets it, how it stacks with the regular senior standard deduction, how the income limit works, and worked examples.

  • November 13, 2026

    What's new for your 2026 taxes, in plain English

    Everything that changed for the tax return you file in 2027: a new charitable deduction for non-itemizers, a bigger SALT cap, a $2,200 child tax credit, new W-2 codes for tips and overtime, a higher 1099-NEC threshold, no cap on paying back Marketplace credits, and the 2026 tax brackets.

  • November 13, 2026

    Why Navo never lets AI do your taxes' math

    AI models are getting better at tax math, but in the latest public benchmark the best one still got about one return in five wrong. What the tests found, why tax math is hard for AI, and how Navo splits the work between a tax engine and AI.

  • November 13, 2026

    Why Navo tells you when it can't do your return

    Every tax program has limits. Navo tells you up front when your situation is outside them, instead of guessing at numbers it can't stand behind. Why that matters, how it works, what Navo covers, and what to do if your return isn't a fit.

  • November 13, 2026

    Your tax return was rejected. Here's what it means and how to fix it

    A rejected e-filed return hasn't been filed yet, but it's usually a quick fix. The most common reasons, how to fix each one, how long you have to resend, and what to do if you can't get it accepted.