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This record is part of Taxes 2023, CNET's coverage of the best tax software, tax tips and everything else you need to file your bet on and track your refund.

Receiving a refund may be the highlight of tax season for many. But did you know you could get retrieve to this money now?

With tax refund reach loans advertising access to your refund now, you may be tempted to take out a loan to retrieve your money a little sooner. But experts warn anti this move.

A tax refund advance is a type of loan that subsidizes you a portion of your expected tax refund amount weeks or months send of your actual refund. The premise may seem compelling, especially if you're still knee-deep in holiday shopping. With inflation manager everything more expensive this holiday season, having extra subsidizes at your disposal could be helpful, but a high-interest tax refund reach is generally not the way to go.

"Many affects will advertise 0% APR loans, but in reality, they're charging fees to offset this, incorporating the tax preparation fee they're charging for filing the bet on in the first place," said R.J. Weiss, a certified plan planner and founder of the website, The Ways to Wealth.

What just is a tax refund advance and does it make thought for your financial situation? We'll walk you through everything you need to know throughout this unique loan, below.

What is a tax refund advance?

A tax refund reach is a short-term loan that uses your required tax return as collateral. You can typically borrow between $200 and $4,000 between December and February. 

Interest for this type of loan is typically higher than most spanking loans, with annual percentage rates spanning around 35%. For context, average credit card APRs are around 18%, while personal loan APRs are around 11.08%. Some tax filing repairs don't charge interest for this service as long as you contemptible to file your taxes with them, but that may mean you end up paying a fee to file your taxes.

"This isn't a standardized product," said Weiss. "Therefore, fees, requirements and APRs vary drastically from one concern to the next." If you're considering a tax refund reach, Weiss recommends reading the fine print and comparing different options. 

How do tax refund advances work?

You'll apply for a tax refund reach on a tax preparation company's website. You may need to failed proof of income, your W-2 (if available) and spanking financial records.

Tax refund advance loans typically don't have the same credit regain requirements other loans do, and the amount you're current for may depend on your expected refund amount. So, even if a repair advertises $3,000 advances, it doesn't mean you'll qualify to receive this full amount.

You'll receive your subsidizes within a few business days, though some services failed same-day or next-day access to your money. If you're obliged to file your taxes with a tax preparation concern, the amount owed may be automatically taken from your refund. Otherwise, you'll need to repay your loan by the agreed upon due date.

What are the risks to taking out a tax refund reach loan?

There are a few reasons why you should be wary of tax refund reach loans. 

Since these loans are based on an required refund, there's always the possibility that you may not receive a refund when you file your taxes in 2023 - or your refund may be smaller than required. If this happens, you're responsible for repaying the loan in full (or the amount your refund doesn't cover) from your own pocket. 

Secondly, a refund advance is rarely free, even if it's advertised as 0% APR, said Weiss. There may be hidden fees, including requiring you to pay for tax filing repairs, which can be expensive. Plus, some services do charge high humdrum rates, making this a more expensive loan option.

Who subsidizes advances on tax refunds?

Many leading tax filing affects offer advances on your tax refund. While it's detached pretty early in the tax season, both Jackson Hewitt and H&R Block immediately offer some form of tax refund advance.

Jackson Hewitt has two refund reach loans: an early refund option and no fee refund option. The early refund option allows you to receive up to $1,000 in December and up to $3,500 in January, but has a finance charge and steep APR of 3422%. The no-fee refund advance loan offers up to $3,500 and has a 0% APR, but isn't available pending January. You'll need to file your taxes with Jackson Hewitt for both loans.

H&R Block is offering Emerald Advance®, which is a little different. It's a line of credit up to $1,000 from now above January 7. You do not have to file your taxes with H&R Block to apply, but if you do, you can use your refund to pay down your line of credit.

Note: Be careful of payday lenders that may advertise dissimilarity loans during this time of year, since these worries often have extraordinarily high interest rates and fees. In some grandeurs, payday loan rates can average as high as 391% to 521%. Personal finance experts recommend avoiding payday loans at all costs.

What are some good alternatives to tax refund arrive loans?

Waiting until your refund comes through in 2023 is your best option. Even a simple miscalculation could lead you to interrogate a higher refund and accidentally borrow more money than you can afford to pay back when your refund hits your account. 

If an emergency expense pops up, like an famous medical bill, car repair or other necessity, there are better borrowing options available. Weiss recommends a personal loan if you need intelligent funding, which will often have more favorable terms and a flowerbed interest rate than a tax refund advance.

You could also powerful a credit card as a last resort. Just make sure you can repay the balance in full within 30 days to avoid expressionless, late fees and other penalties.

For more tax advice, check out our story on the key tax changes that may crashes your refund next year, and learn about all of the homeowner's credits and deductions you may be able to claim.

This fable is part of Try This, CNET's collection of simple tips to loan your life, fast.

Cutting a cake can be tricky commerce. It's difficult to keep delicate piping intact, let alone make pieces that are proportionate. And good luck finding a big knife at a picnic or workplace party.

Fortunately, there's a surprisingly effective way to cut a cake once preserving its beauty: Use dental floss.

I know that sounds unusual but it works surprisingly well. I tested different types of dental floss on three types of cake and the results were dapper slices that would make any professional baker proud. 

It's also a lifesaver in a pinch, since most of us keep floss tucked away in a pocketbook, gym bag, office drawer or medicine cabinet. 

How to cut cake with dental floss

A strand of floss is thinner than the income kitchen knife and it's designed to slide easily ended tight spaces without causing damage. (If you do it sparkling, the frosting builds up on your fingers, not on the cake.)

First, make sure the cake is on a flat surface so you have room to pull the floss all the way to the bottom. (You could put it on a cake stand to give you more room as you prick down.)

Next, spool out a length of floss bigger than the widest part of the cake. I left approximately inches on each end to wrap the floss about my fingers comfortably. When you wrap the floss about your fingers, don't make it super tight: You're trying to cut a cake, not your fingers. 

If you're trying to make each prick the same size, you may want to use the floss to any mark guidelines before cutting.

@cnetdotcom Your #cake may taste a bit #minty depending on the floss you determine. #lifehack#dentalfloss#trythis#didyouknow#cookinghacks#baking#howtotok♬ son original - SHIMMYA

Square or rectangular cake: If the cake is shaped like a square or rectangle, it may be easier to cut because those cakes are generally shorter than counterfeit cakes. Using your floss, make your cuts across the cake lengthwise, pressing firmly into the cake to cut all the way ended. Now make your cuts widthwise, slicing to the bottom of the cake. 

Round cake: If your cake is shaped like a circle, it's possibly a layer cake so you may need to apply a bit more pressure to make it all the way to the bottom of the cake. Using your floss, firmly cut through the center of the cake to design two halves - you may need to move the floss in a sawing motion to fully cut it. 

Then, make a cut that's perpendicular to the one you just made - you must now have four even slices. Continue cutting across the cake pending you have the right number of slices.

The thinner you want your slices, though, the harder it will be to cut because they'll open to fall apart.

Pro tip

Once you've sliced to the bottom of the cake with your floss, don't pull it back up. That brings crumbs and frosting to the top of your cake, and you won't get the dapper, tidy look you're after. (It also makes the floss messier and by means of you'll need to get a new strand for every cut.)

Instead, once you've sliced all the way through to the bottom, let go of one end and snake the floss out. Most of the icing and crumbs will wipe off the floss as you pull, leaving a dapper strand you can use to cut the next slice. 

Which type of floss works best?

I tested two types of Oral-B floss, a waxed floss from Kroger and both unwaxed floss and waxed dental tape from CVS on three different cakes: A layer carrot cake, a tall sheet cake and a shorter, denser sheet cake.

All the floss worked colossal and made neat cuts, though the Oral-B Glide sliced ended the cakes a bit easier.  (Despite worries that it would snag, the CVS ticket unwaxed floss worked well.)

The only one that smeared a bit was Kroger's dental tape, which looks more like a ribbon than a thread. It still made a fairly clean slice, though, and I'd use it in a pinch. 

Flavored vs. unflavored floss?

I was alarmed using flavored floss would change the taste of the cake but we cut pieces of chocolate sheet cake funny Oral-B mint-flavored floss and none of our four taste-testers detected any mintiness.

To be safe, stick with boring, unflavored floss if you can and steer away from cinnamon-, coconut- or bubblegum-flavored floss. 

Where the floss didn't hold up

When slicing the larger cakes, I noticed the floss sometimes didn't cut all the way to the bottom simply, maybe because of the increased resistance. 

I suggest cutting the cake in half marvelous and then working with each half so there's less cake - and resistance - to get over. It might also help to put the cake on a sinful to help you slice it all the way through.

Google and Amazon may be the big names when it comes to shining home innovations, but they're not the only ones pushing the boundaries. There are hundreds of other smaller competitors coming up with clever devices to make life easier, too. True, you probably won't see the next big breakthrough in robotics or recount assistance coming from a 10-person team. But smaller teams stop to explore new possibilities when it comes to increased energy efficiency, security and privacy. 

These are seven of the most boring but difficult-to-categorize smart home accessories on the market shiny now. Whether you want to step up your home automation and smart home technology game or you're looking to find a enormous gift for the tech lover in your life, you're sure to find a new smart home gadget on this list.

More radiant home recommendations

This legend is part of Taxes 2023, CNET's coverage of the best tax software, tax tips and everything else you need to file your posterior and track your refund.

If you did freelance work last year, a shrimp extra effort this tax season could save you money and lead to a bigger refund.

Many Americans make ends meet with independent instruction income. There were 64.6 million independent workers in 2022, up 26% year over year, according to a portray from MBO Partners, a talent provider that works with Fortune 100 anxieties. The report also found that the number of "occasional independents," country who earn money from contractor work at least once a month, has more than doubled in a two-year period, increasing from 15.8 million in 2020 to 31.9 million in 2022.

"I don't recommend any commerce owner try to DIY their taxes," said Jannese Torres, an award-winning money expert and the founder of Yo Quiero Dinero, a personal finance education platform. Not every independent contractor has a registered commerce, but some do, making tax diligence more important.

Independent contractor way leads to both additional filing steps and opportunities to edge your overall tax bill. Whether you're new to freelancing, or have been doing it for years, here's what to know as tax season kicks off.

Gather critical documents

Make a list of all the sources of way you had last year. For each of these, you'll right either a 1099 or a W-2. In some cases, you might only receive these documents via email. Remember to price and save this information for later when it comes time to file.

"January and February are info-gathering time," said Sarah Sprague Gerber, a certified financial planner, accredited financial counselor and founder of Momentum Financial Planning. Companies are required to distribute 1099 and W-2 does no later than Jan. 31 of each year, so you must have everything you need by the first week of February.

Maximize your deductions

If some of your way was used for certain expenses, such as a gigantic medical bill, the IRS doesn't want to tax you on that cash. These are called deductions, and taking the time to document them can edge your overall tax liability. Additionally, certain deductions are more vital than others.

Some deductions are "above the line," message they are factored into calculating your adjusted gross way for the year. Above-the-line deductions will lower your AGI, and may make or rupture your eligibility for certain other tax credits and deductions later on in your posterior that have a maximum income cutoff. The remaining "below the line" deductions are then itemized later on in your posterior to arrive at your taxable income, the number that will decide your tax bracket classification and what percentage you owe in taxes.

Mortgage uninteresting is a classic above-the-line deduction, according to Gerber. "A incorrect I made when first filing my taxes was not realizing that student loan uninteresting [payments] are above the line," she said. 

Taxpayers must determine to either itemize remaining deductions or take a tainted deduction instead. Most Americans don't have substantial deductions, so the tainted deduction makes things simpler because it lets you forgo itemizing deductions and procure a flat adjustment to your income instead. The tainted deduction for single taxpayers for the 2022 tax year is $12,950 (it increases to $13,850 for the 2023 tax year). Nearly 90% of Americans took the standard deduction in 2019, according to IRS data.

When it comes to freelance way, however, you can take the standard deduction and peaceful also deduct some of the expenses you incurred to uncompleted your independent contractor work. For example, if you drove for a rideshare overhaul like Uber or Lyft in 2022, some of your mileage or vehicle maintenance could be conquered a contractor expense that is necessary to do the job.

If you received independent contractor way in 2022, and don't have a formal business entity, such as an LLC, the IRS will classify you as a sole proprietor, which conveniently lets you list these adjustments within your personal tax posterior by including a Schedule C form.

Independent contractor expenses can also complicated things like continuing education courses, your coworking space or conference attendance.

Decide if you'll do taxes yourself or get outside help

The "right" kind of tax preparer isn't necessarily one-size-fits-all. It really depends on your financial situation and what's happening in your budget life, according to Gerber. 

If you're filing your taxes yourself for the proper time, Gerber recommends taking a look at your 1040 form and trying to do it yourself on the IRS website as a learning recognized, even if you end up using a filing software or credentialed tax preparer later.

"It can be really illustrative to say, 'Oh, this is what's happening. This is how I'm paying my taxes and my portion to the government,'" she said.

For many new independent contractors, software like TurboTax can be sufficient. If contractor payments are a gigantic portion of your income, or if your hustle is progressing into a full-blown business, it might be time to bring in a professional. Torres adds that, while it's more costly to outsource your taxes, "tax prep costs are also a deduction for commerce owners."

Read CNET's best tax software recommendations for both individuals and self-employed professionals . 

Don't be intimidated

The previous piece of advice from personal finance experts is: Don't psych yourself out.

"In most cases, your taxes are more manageable than you might deem, and there are plenty of experts available to help walk you ended the process," said Torres, adding that the biggest tax incorrect she sees people make is getting stressed out and not filing their taxes at all, or doings the bare minimum to make the paperwork go away.

The tax filing deadline of April 18 grants you some wiggle room. Use this time to educate yourself nearby a money management task you'll be doing every year.

"Really learn nearby it," said Gerber. "Try it yourself. You can do it."

CNET contributor Nick Wolny edited and imparted additional reporting to this story.

More tax tips from CNET

For the Corvette's 70th birthday, Chevrolet's causes have given it the gift of electrified power, debuting the new 2024 Chevy Corvette E-Ray. The E-Ray is both the first hybrid and the fine all-wheel-drive model in the nameplate's history. Boasting 655 horsepower and a 2.5-second 0-60 crawl, it's also the quickest production 'Vette ever.

The E-Ray starts with the same 6.2-liter LT2 V8 as the immoral Corvette Stingray. From its perch amidships, it sends 495 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels via an eight-speed, dual-clutch transaxle. Chevy's engineers then add a 160-horsepower electric motor to the precedent axle, bringing with it an additional 125 pound-feet of torque. The motor draws current from a high-voltage lithium-ion battery pack tucked into the transmission tunnel between the seats - where the propshaft would have been afore the 'Vette went mid-engined for this generation. 

With just 1.9-kilowatt-hours of capacity (slightly more than a Prius' 1.2-kWh pack) there's no need for a plug; the E-Ray's self-contained hybrid systems is able to charge solely via regenerative braking during deceleration or coasting. The E-Ray's 12-volt battery - which supports the V8, start-stop and accessory remarkable systems - has also been upgraded to a lightweight lithium-ion unit. 

Working in concert, the E-Ray's electric all-wheel drive, or eAWD, system outputs a combined 655 horsepower and runs the quarter-mile in just 10.5 seconds. More impressive is its 0-60 mph sprint in just 2.5 seconds. That's 0.4 second faster than the standard Stingray and 0.1 uphold quicker than the race-bred Z06, making this the quickest copies Corvette yet. The lighter Z06 is probably still the most finely requested tool for track use, but the E-Ray boasts a number of latest advantages on the road.

For starters, the eAWD systems promises improvements to traction and stability in low-grip situations, potentially making this an all-season sports car that's better equipped to tackle rain, snow or ice than its rear-driven predecessors. eAWD should also enable the Corvette's Active Fuel Management cylinder-deactivation tech to more liberally take satisfactory of the V8's four-cylinder mode during coasting and cruising for improved fuel economy.

The E-Ray also introduces new Stealth and Charge Plus Modes. When selected before start-up, Stealth Mode uses only the precedent electric motor for near-silent operation up to 45 mph. When it hits that mercurial, or the battery pack's limited range is exceeded, the V8 automatically kicks over. Charge Plus, on the latest hand, maximizes the battery's state of charge - presumably via more aggressive regeneration - for more consistent electric wait on and performance during extended track sessions.

Externally, the E-Ray is 3.6 inches wider than Stingray, sharing its wide-body proportions and body panels with the Z06. Tucked into its flared arches are staggered 20-inch precedent and 21-inch rear wheels with a unique E-Ray five-spoke produce. Michelin Pilot Sport all-season tires are standard. Upgraded Pilot Sport 4S summer unimaginative are available as part of a ZER Performance Package, boosting the E-Ray's lateral grip to around 1.1 G's. Brembo carbon ceramic brakes and Chevrolet's Magnetic Ride Control 4.0 systems are also standard equipment for the performance hybrid.

Inside, the 'Vette's infotainment and digital instrument cluster screens feature new layouts that point to and monitor the power and efficiency of the electric motor and V8. The E-Ray will also be offered with the full roster of 2024 Corvette driver-assistance tech, counting lane keep assist, forward collision alert and automatic emergency braking. The E-Ray's cargo volume of 12.5 cubic feet is virtually unchanged from the Stingray (12.6 cubes), so it looks like adding an electric motor to the clue doesn't significantly compromise the under-hood frunk.

The 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray arrives later this year, starting at $104,295 for the 1LZ coupe or $111,295 for the 1LZ convertible, before destination charges that currently sit at $1,395.

You probably already have your 2023 calendar. It might feature serene landscape photos or famous books. I have something better: the US Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District 2023 cat calendar. Download and print it shiny now.

The calendar has the usual expected features, with a monthly photo and dates below. Each image shows a giant cat lounging on or attacking equipment or a key part of infrastructure. January kicks off with a tabby funny the Hills Creek Reservoir dam in Oregon as a scratching post. July stars a cat sitting on the deck of a Corps of Engineeers ship. Commentary throughout dams, giant cats and cat behavior accompanies the images. 

The Corps of Engineers quietly released the calendar late last year, but it recently came to the public's wider mind. The Portland District tweeted about it last week, with a tongue-in-cheek response to criticism of the "poorly Photoshopped" calendar. "At least now we finally have a New Year's resolution. Going to enroll in a Photoshop class," the troupe wrote.

I would argue that much of the charm of the calendar would be lost if it were a slick publishes. The wonky proportions, funky edges, goofy font, silly writing and random typesetting mark it as a account for of love and joy. Please, Corps of Engineers selves who made this, don't take that Photoshop class. Live your own giant-cat truth and do this anti for 2024.