Money update

Newsweek  - Home foreclosures climbed significantly in Texas in 2023, with the north of the state reportedly recording a 19 percent increase from 2022, according to local outlet Dallas News.  There were a total of 28,533 properties posted for forced sale last year in Texas, according to the news outlet... Only California counted more homes facing foreclosure, for a total of 29,180 such filings.

Newsweek - According to a new UChicago Harris/AP-NORC poll, around two thirds of Americans surveyed believe their property tax rate is too high. The poll was conducted in 2023, between December 14 to 18, with 1,024 participants across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The survey found 69 percent of adults in the U.S. believe their property tax rates were "unfair", with 27 percent saying they were "about right", and 3 percent claiming they are taxed too little.

CNN - The IRS will begin accepting and processing 2023 federal income tax returns today. But if you're not an early bird, the filing deadline for most people is April 15. If you are owed a refund — like the majority of tax filers — the IRS typically issues them within 21 days of accepting your return. Financial experts say the best way to ensure you get your refund as quickly as possible is to fill out your return accurately and completely, electronically file it and select "direct deposit" when asked how you want to receive payment. You might also want to review some of the most common and costly tax return mistakes the IRS sees to help ensure you receive a speedy payment.

CNN - The average price for a gallon of gas in the US is $3.10 — a significant decrease from the all-time peak of $4.67 in fall 2022. Still, drivers in many states consistently pay much more for gas than the rest of the country. California's current average price is $4.49, largely due to environmental restrictions, higher taxes and a shrinking number of regional refineries. Hawaii is the only state currently with higher gas prices than California, but the state's geographical isolation plays a large role in prices. As for the rest of the nation, analysts say gas prices will hold steady for now, even amid escalating violence in the Middle East. That's because some economic factors — such as weaker demand in countries like China and Germany and an ample oil and gas supply — are superseding concerns about the violence in the region.