Julia Kagan is a financial/consumer journalist and former senior editor, personal finance, of Investopedia. Samantha (Sam) Silberstein, CFP®, CSLP®, EA, is an experienced financial consultant. She has ...

When long-distance telephone service does not take into account the distance of the call, should the 3% federal excise tax apply? In two recent cases, two district courts reached opposite conclusions.

Have you ever wondered why gas, cigarettes or alcohol cost so much? The answer often comes down to an excise tax — a special tax that’s built right into the price of certain goods. So, what is excise ...