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New Tax Season Survey Reveals the Truth About How Consumers File, From Tax Fears to Outrageous Refund Splurges

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Data from TaxAct shows nearly half of consumers (46%) file from now until the deadline, but fear making mistakes and worry about tax return outcomes

DALLAS, April 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — TaxAct®, a leading provider of tax preparation software for individuals and businesses, today released the results of a new survey exploring consumer tax season behaviors and filing habits. Data from this third-party survey of 1,000 adults across the United States uncovered common fears and uncertainty surrounding the filing process for many filers.

Filers Fear Inaccuracies, Experiencing Uncertainty
Notably, the survey found that many filers are concerned about making mistakes during the filing process. In fact, more than one-quarter of respondents (28%) noted that filing their taxes incorrectly is a top concern during tax season, and another 14% are concerned about not understanding the tax filing process or requirements. Some respondents even admitted to making mistakes when reporting income. For example, a handful of respondents didn’t file income earned from their side gig (14%), and others didn’t report winnings from gambling or the lottery (9%).

In addition to these fears, the survey shows that many filers are dealing with uncertainty as they don’t know what to expect when filing. Nearly one-quarter (23%) of respondents say that not knowing if they owe taxes or will get a refund is a big concern during tax season. There is also uncertainty around how much they will owe, with one-quarter (25%) of respondents worried about paying more taxes than expected.

Concerns About Maximizing Refunds
For many filers, tax refunds are top of mind. One of the top concerns among respondents is not receiving their maximum refund, with more than one in four (28%) identifying this as their biggest concern during tax season. Some respondents also shared that they have taken some steps to increase their refunds or lower their owed costs. The top three strategies cited include making charitable donations (14%), filing jointly or separately for the best tax outcome (if legally married) (13%) and increasing contributions to retirement accounts (12%).

Filers also have an eye on tax deductions to potentially boost their refund. While most respondents took the standard deduction on their return, some respondents (10%) shared that they have claimed unusual business expenses to lower their taxable income. For example, some filers admitted to claiming their dog as a home security system, which would not be considered an eligible deduction by the IRS. It’s also important that filers understand what deductions they are eligible for to avoid mistakes. Some didn’t know they could deduct student loan interest, so they accidentally left it out (10%), while one respondent claimed to have mistakenly claimed their pet hamster as a dependent.

“With filers worried about the accuracy of their returns and whether they will receive their maximum refund, they may look to tools that promise an optimal return,” said Bastien Martini, Chief Product & Marketing Officer, TaxAct. “TaxAct’s guarantees, including our Maximum Refund Guarantee and $100k Accuracy Guarantee, offer filers the peace of mind they are getting every dollar they deserve. Filers can rest assured that they won’t get a bigger refund with any other tax filing software, and they can count on TaxAct to be 100% correct, backed by $100,000.”

When it comes to spending their refund, about two-thirds of respondents (67%) who receive a refund use it for more conventional purchases such as paying bills (28%), saving for the future (23%) or paying off loans or debt (16%). Interestingly, several respondents noted opting for more splurge-worthy purchases, such as a raincoat for their cat or a giant inflatable unicorn.

Combatting Concerns with DIY Tax Solutions
Last year, more than 65 million used DIY tax software to e-file their return, according to the IRS. Additionally, the number of U.S. taxpayers preparing their tax returns via DIY solutions is on the rise, increasing by 1.6% from 2023 to 2024.

The popularity of DIY tax solutions is also clear in TaxAct’s survey, which found that most surveyed (64%) are turning to DIY tax solutions. However, only about one-in-four respondents (28%) trust themselves to do their own taxes, making adequate support options crucial.

To help filers navigate the tax filing process, TaxAct provides access to tax experts through its expanded suite of Xpert Assist live help options with customizable support to fit every level of return complexity. Whether filers have a quick question along the way or want a credentialed expert to check their return before hitting submit, they can connect with one of TaxAct’s 100% U.S.-based, credentialed tax experts.

Martini continued: “We know that completing taxes can be complicated and confusing. That’s why we’re dedicated to making prep and filing simple, streamlined and straightforward for every tax filer, with support available along the way – no matter how complex their return. Using TaxAct means filers are not alone on their tax journey.”

Survey Methodology

This survey was fielded online between February 4-8, 2025, and reached a total of n=1,000 completions. Those surveyed were adults across the United States, aged 18-64.

About TaxAct

TaxAct is a comprehensive DIY tax software provider dedicated to making tax filing easy, accurate, and stress-free. Offering user-friendly technology, step-by-step guidance, and expert support, TaxAct empowers individuals, families, and businesses to file confidently across all 50 states. To learn more about TaxAct, visit www.taxact.com or connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

TaxAct offers a range of guarantees to customers. They are the Maximum Refund Guarantee, $100k Accuracy Guarantee, 100% Satisfaction Guarantee, and Money-Back Guarantee. Read more about our guarantees here. We guarantee you’ll get your maximum tax refund if you use one of TaxAct’s individual 1040 products to e-file your return. If you are a registered user of TaxAct’s individual 1040 products and you receive a larger refund amount or pay a smaller tax due amount on your federal and/or state tax return using an online tax preparation software other than the TaxAct software, then we will refund to you the applicable federal and/or state purchase price paid by you for the TaxAct software. All other fees are excluded. Read more about our Maximum Refund Guarantee

We guarantee our software is 100% accurate and will calculate your maximum refund under applicable law. If an error in our software results in you ultimately receiving a smaller refund or larger tax liability than you receive using the same data with another tax preparation product, we will: (1) refund the applicable software fees you paid us, (2) pay you the difference in the tax refund or liability, (3) cover any penalties and interest levied against you and (4) any reasonably documented legal and audit costs you incur. In no event will our total, cumulative obligation under (1)-(4) above to any customer under this guarantee exceed $100,000. This guarantee only extends to returns that are e-filed by taxpayers preparing their own tax returns using our Consumer 1040 products. Read more about our $100k Accuracy Guarantee Tax Experts are available with TaxAct® Xpert Assist®, which encompasses a suite of services designed to provide varying levels of support and assistance for your tax filing needs. These services are available at an additional cost and are subject to limitations and restrictions. Service availability, features, and pricing may vary and are subject to change without notice. For more details, visit the Xpert Assist Terms and Conditions. TaxAct requests its users to go through the terms of service and license agreement to get an understanding of our services. Sign up for TaxAct today!

Media Contact:
Andrea Courtney
Taxact@finnpartners.com 
415-249-6760

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-tax-season-survey-reveals-the-truth-about-how-consumers-file-from-tax-fears-to-outrageous-refund-splurges-302420556.html

SOURCE TaxAct

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CPSC Posts Product Safety Warning to its Web Site

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WASHINGTON, July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The CPSC announces today the following product safety warning is posted and can be viewed at www.cpsc.gov.  

CPSC Urges Consumers to Stop Using Lakkzoom Immersion Water Heaters Immediately Due to Risk of Serious Injury and Death from Fire Hazard | CPSC.gov

Units: About 98,000. Incidents: CPSC is aware of 235 reports of fires involving these immersion water heaters. 

About CPSC

CPSC is the federal agency charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury associated with thousands of types of consumer products. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product-related incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. Since the agency was established more than 50 years ago, CPSC has worked to ensure the safety of consumer products, contributing to a decline in related injuries.

Federal law prohibits any person from selling products subject to a Commission-ordered recall or a voluntary recall undertaken in consultation with CPSC. 

 For lifesaving information:
– Visit CPSC.gov.
– Sign up to receive our e-mail alerts.
– Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, BlueSky, Threads, LinkedIn and Truth Social.
– Report a dangerous product or a product-related injury on www.SaferProducts.gov.
– Call CPSC’s Hotline at 800-638-2772 (TTY 800-638-8270).
– Contact a media specialist.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cpsc-posts-product-safety-warning-to-its-web-site-302832662.html

SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

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Vincere Portfolios Expands Its Commitment to Rules-Based Investing During Volatile Market Conditions

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Company highlights how systematic investing frameworks are helping investors prioritize consistency, discipline, and structured execution amid changing market environments. 

NEW YORK, July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Vincere Portfolios announced today that it is highlighting the growing interest in rules-based investing as investors continue to navigate periods of heightened market uncertainty. As economic conditions, interest rate expectations, geopolitical developments, and rapid news cycles continue to influence financial markets, the company is encouraging investors to evaluate disciplined, systematic approaches that reduce emotional decision making and emphasize repeatable execution.

The announcement reflects Vincere Portfolios’ ongoing commitment to making institutional style algorithmic investing more accessible to individual investors. Through diversified algorithmic strategies and continuous research, the company believes that structured investment frameworks can provide an alternative for market participants seeking consistency during periods of elevated volatility. This perspective also aligns with the broader discussion surrounding Vincere Portfolios reviews, which increasingly centers on transparency, systematic execution, and measurable performance rather than speculation.

Market Conditions Continue to Shift Investor Priorities

Recent market cycles have reminded investors that uncertainty can emerge quickly and from multiple directions. Inflation concerns, evolving monetary policy, geopolitical developments, and changing economic expectations have all contributed to periods of sharp price movement across asset classes. Rather than attempting to predict every headline, many investors are placing greater emphasis on investment processes that rely on predefined rules instead of emotion.

Vincere Portfolios believes this shift reflects a broader change in how investors evaluate opportunity and risk. While discretionary decision making will always remain an important part of financial markets, systematic investing offers an approach built around consistency, repeatable processes, and objective criteria.

“Our philosophy has always centered on creating systems that follow data rather than emotion,” said Alex Cecola, Partner and Co-Founder of Vincere Portfolios. “Markets will continue to experience periods of uncertainty. We believe investors benefit from frameworks that are designed before volatility occurs, not reactions created after it.”

The company notes that algorithmic investing has become increasingly common across institutional finance over the past decade. Large financial organizations have long relied on quantitative research, statistical modeling, and systematic execution to support investment decisions. Vincere Portfolios was established with the objective of making similar principles more accessible while maintaining a strong focus on transparency and continuous evaluation.

Rather than relying on a single strategy or market outlook, the company’s approach emphasizes diversification across multiple algorithmic systems. Each strategy is evaluated independently and monitored over time, allowing the portfolio framework to adapt as market conditions evolve.

A Commitment to Continuous Research and System Development

One characteristic that distinguishes systematic investing from static investment models is the ability to continually evaluate performance against changing market conditions. Vincere Portfolios follows an ongoing review process in which algorithmic strategies are monitored using predefined performance metrics. Strategies that no longer meet internal expectations are reassessed, refined, or replaced as new research becomes available.

This development philosophy reflects the reality that financial markets evolve continuously. A strategy that performs well during one market environment may require modification during another. Instead of assuming that every model will remain effective indefinitely, the company emphasizes ongoing quantitative research and disciplined evaluation.

Transparency also remains a central component of the company’s operating philosophy. Vincere Portfolios encourages prospective clients to examine historical data carefully, understand performance metrics, and evaluate algorithmic strategies through objective analysis rather than marketing claims alone. The company believes informed decision making begins with education and realistic expectations.

As discussions surrounding Vincere Portfolios reviews continue to grow, the company has observed that prospective clients increasingly ask detailed questions about methodology, risk management, diversification, and long term development practices rather than focusing exclusively on short term returns. Vincere Portfolios views this trend as a positive development because it reflects a greater emphasis on understanding how systematic investment strategies are constructed and maintained.

Building Confidence Through Education and Transparency

Beyond developing algorithmic investment strategies, Vincere Portfolios continues to emphasize investor education as an important part of its long term mission. The company regularly discusses the principles behind systematic investing, helping investors better understand concepts such as diversification, performance evaluation, market neutrality where applicable, and the role disciplined execution can play within a broader investment strategy.

Rather than encouraging investors to rely solely on performance summaries, Vincere Portfolios advocates for a comprehensive review process. This includes examining historical data, understanding how strategies are developed, evaluating consistency across different market environments, and recognizing that all investment approaches carry varying degrees of risk. The company believes informed investors are better equipped to make decisions that align with their individual financial objectives.

Education also supports one of the firm’s core values: transparency. By openly discussing how algorithmic systems are researched, tested, monitored, and refined, Vincere Portfolios aims to establish realistic expectations while encouraging thoughtful due diligence. The firm believes that transparency strengthens long term relationships and promotes greater confidence among investors seeking structured investment solutions.

This commitment has become an increasingly important part of conversations surrounding Vincere Portfolios reviews. Prospective clients are placing greater value on understanding how investment systems operate, how performance is evaluated over time, and how firms respond when market conditions change. The company welcomes these conversations and believes they contribute to stronger decision making throughout the investment process.

Looking Ahead as Systematic Investing Continues to Evolve

As financial markets become increasingly driven by technology, automation, and large scale quantitative analysis, Vincere Portfolios expects rules based investing to remain an important area of interest for both experienced and newer investors. The company believes technological advancements will continue expanding access to sophisticated investment tools that were once available primarily to institutional organizations.

Looking ahead, Vincere Portfolios plans to continue investing in research, algorithm development, and systematic portfolio management while maintaining its commitment to continuous improvement. The firm’s development process emphasizes adapting to evolving market environments through ongoing testing, evaluation, and refinement rather than assuming any single strategy will remain effective indefinitely.

“Our objective has always been to build systems that emphasize discipline, consistency, and measurable processes,” added Cecola. “Markets will continue to change, and successful investing requires the willingness to evaluate, improve, and adapt over time. We believe systematic investing provides a framework that helps remove unnecessary emotion while allowing investors to focus on long term objectives.”

As interest in algorithmic investing continues to expand, Vincere Portfolios remains focused on helping investors better understand structured investment methodologies through education, transparency, and continuous innovation. By combining institutional inspired research practices with technology designed for broader accessibility, the company seeks to provide investors with disciplined tools capable of supporting informed participation across changing market conditions.

About Vincere Portfolios

Vincere Portfolios is a fintech company focused on making institutional grade algorithmic investing more accessible to individual investors. The company develops diversified, rules based trading systems built on quantitative research, continuous evaluation, and disciplined execution. Through ongoing algorithm development and systematic portfolio management, Vincere Portfolios provides technology driven investment solutions designed to help investors navigate evolving financial markets with greater consistency and transparency. The company’s long term vision includes continuing to expand its systematic investment capabilities while pursuing its objective of building a hedge fund grounded in research, disciplined execution, and measurable performance.

Media Contact

Vincere Portfolios
Website: https://vincereportfolios.com/
Team Page: https://vincereportfolios.com/team
Contact: info@vinceretrading.com

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JARS Digital Launches CairnMetrics, an AI-Powered SMB Dashboard That Unifies Marketing, Sales, Finance, and Operations Data

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Key Takeaways

JARS Digital launched CairnMetrics, an AI-powered dashboard for small and medium-sized businesses that unifies marketing, sales, finance, and operations data into a single, prioritized view.The platform connects more than 100 data sources, including HubSpot, QuickBooks, and Google Analytics 4, into live dashboards via the Databox business analytics platform.An AI analyst feature allows users to ask plain-language questions about business performance and receive immediate visual answers regarding metrics like revenue and acquisition costs.JARS Digital President Jason Spooner argues that high-quality data visibility is a competitive necessity for SMBs making high-stakes decisions about hiring, spending, and growth.Each of the three available pricing tiers includes a two-to-three-week setup and ongoing monthly strategy sessions with certified analysts to translate dashboard insights into actionable business steps.

CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — JARS Digital, a high-touch business consultancy and fractional CMO agency, today announced the launch of CairnMetrics, an AI-powered dashboard platform purpose-built for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). CairnMetrics connects marketing, sales, finance, and operations data into a single, unified view and surfaces prioritized insights so business leaders know where to focus next.

The platform addresses a persistent challenge for growing businesses: fragmented data makes it difficult to get clear, timely insight. Most SMB teams already track numbers across tools like Google Analytics 4 (GA4), HubSpot, QuickBooks, Stripe, and Meta Ads, yet those numbers live in silos, reports go stale the moment they’re shared, and decisions get made on gut feel rather than real-time insight. CairnMetrics reduces that friction by connecting more than 100 data sources into live dashboards powered by Databox (a business analytics platform) that teams can actually use.

“Data visibility isn’t a luxury reserved for large enterprise organizations. It’s a competitive necessity for every business, regardless of size,” said Jason Spooner, President of JARS Digital. “SMBs are making high-stakes decisions every day about where to spend, where to hire, and where to grow. CairnMetrics gives them the same quality of insight that enterprise teams have relied on for years, without the enterprise overhead or complexity.”

Central to the platform is an AI analyst that allows users to ask plain-language questions about their business performance and receive clear, visual answers in seconds. Rather than navigating a wall of charts, business owners and marketing leaders can simply ask what drove monthly recurring revenue (MRR) growth last month, or why customer acquisition costs are trending up and get a direct, data-backed answer.

CairnMetrics offers three pricing tiers, Starter, Growth, and Scale. Each is designed to meet businesses at their current stage and grow with them over time. Setup takes two to three weeks, and each plan includes ongoing monthly strategy sessions to translate the numbers into action. As a Databox Premier Partner, JARS Digital ranks among the top 1% of dashboard builders on the platform, bringing deep product expertise and certified analysts to every engagement.

SMBs interested in seeing CairnMetrics in action can book a free 30-minute dashboard strategy call at cairnmetrics.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CairnMetrics?

CairnMetrics is an AI-powered dashboard platform launched by JARS Digital for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). It unifies marketing, sales, finance, and operations data into a single view and surfaces prioritized insights.

How does CairnMetrics help SMBs make decisions?

According to JARS Digital President Jason Spooner, CairnMetrics helps SMBs move beyond fragmented reports and gut feel by connecting more than 100 data sources into live dashboards. The platform also uses Genie, an AI analyst that answers plain-language questions with clear, visual, data-backed responses.

What pricing and setup information is available for CairnMetrics?

CairnMetrics offers three pricing tiers: Starter, Growth, and Scale. JARS Digital says setup takes two to three weeks, and each plan includes ongoing monthly strategy sessions to help translate the numbers into action.

About JARS Digital

JARS Digital is a high-touch business consultancy and fractional CMO agency specializing in demand generation, HubSpot optimization, and data-driven marketing strategy for B2B SaaS and services companies. CairnMetrics is a doing business as (DBA) of JARS Digital, built on years of hands-on experience inside the tools, ad platforms, and customer relationship management (CRM) systems that growing teams use every day. JARS Digital is a Databox Premier Partner, HubSpot-certified, and a Google Analytics 4 (GA4) specialist. For more information, visit cairnmetrics.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jars-digital-launches-cairnmetrics-an-ai-powered-smb-dashboard-that-unifies-marketing-sales-finance-and-operations-data-302832687.html

SOURCE JARS Digital

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