The Narrative Hive

Hive check-in: Let’s dive into today’s narrative. The IRS officially kicks off the 2026 tax filing season on Monday, January 26, 2026, when it begins accepting and processing 2025 federal tax returns. The deadline to file and pay any taxes owed is April 15, 2026. This tax season looks very different thanks to the “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” (OBBB) passed in July 2025, which introduced several new deductions and filing changes that could put more money back in taxpayers’ pockets. What’s New for 2026 Many of the new deductions created by OBBB can be claimed using the new Schedule 1-A form. Highlights include: Tip income deduction: Eligible workers in tipped occupations can deduct up to $25,000, depending on income limits. Overtime pay deduction: A portion of qualified overtime pay is now deductible, capped at $12,500 for single filers and $25,000 for joint filers, with income phaseouts. Senior deduction: Taxpayers 65 and older may qualify for an additional deduction of up to $...

Hive check-in: Let’s dive into today’s narrative. It’s January 2, 2026, and the year has already made itself known. Not with fireworks or dramatic announcements—but with movement. Headlines still rolling in. Conversations still unfolding. Life still happening in real time. A new year doesn’t pause the world. It simply turns the page. As we step into 2026, I’m not interested in rushing to define what this year should be. Instead, I’m paying attention to what it is. The global pulse. The local shifts. The stories that don’t always make the loudest noise but still deserve space to be acknowledged. This past year reminded many of us that change can be subtle and sudden at the same time. Communities evolve. Narratives shift. Truth often sits somewhere between what’s reported and what’s experienced. Here at The Narrative Hive, this space remains rooted in observation, of people, patterns, and moments that shape how we move through the world. Some stories will be heavy. Some will ...