Bankrate.com

taxes

About Kay Bell

Kay Bell has been a journalist her entire professional life, beginning as a reporter on a West Texas daily newspaper, detouring into constituent communications for a U.S. representative and subsequently as a Ways and Means Committee staff member, before segueing into corporate communications for a couple of Fortune 500 companies in Washington, D.C., and then coming full circle back to her consumer writing roots as Bankrate's tax specialist.

A native Texan, Kay returned to her home state in 2005 and started her Austin-based editorial services company, Write Here! In addition to that enterprise and her Bankrate duties, Kay writes about financial matters in a monthly column for austinwoman magazine. Her other clients include a major mutual fund company, as well as national and local business associations. She also keeps a separate eye on the IRS at her other tax blog, Don't Mess With Taxes.

In November, Kay was appointed to a three-year term on the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel, a federal advisory committee established under the authority of the Department of the Treasury to work with the IRS in finding ways to improve the tax agency's customer service.

Kay earned her B.A. in journalism, with a history minor, from Texas Tech University. When she's not writing, she and her husband enjoy bird-watching in the Texas Hill Country and beyond.

advertisement

Compare Rates
advertisement
Overnight Averages
Product Rate +/- Last week
30 yr fixed
3.89%
3.85%
15 yr fixed
3.21%
3.18%
5/1 ARM
2.88%
2.85%
View rates in your area:
Product Rate +/- Last week
30K HELOC
4.77%
4.80%
30K Home Equity Loan
5.94%
5.99%
50K HELOC
4.32%
4.35%
View rates in your area:
Product Rate +/- Last week
48 Mo Used Car
4.80%
4.24%
48 Mo New Car
3.62%
3.63%
36 Mo Used Car
4.88%
4.87%
View rates in your area:
Product Yield +/- Last week
6 Mo CD
0.47%
0.47%
1 Yr CD
0.75%
0.75%
5 Yr CD
1.54%
1.56%
Compare rates:
Product Rate
Low Interest Cards 10.78%
Balance Transfer Cards 16.14%
All Variable 14.49%
Compare rates:  
Looking for FREE tax advice?
From Federal and State tax law changes, to rates and tools, our expert advice will help you stay informed.
advertisement
More than 112 million taxpayers filed their returns electronically last year. If the 2012 filing season follows the trend of recen
Partner Center
advertisement
Bankrate on Facebook