I am excellent at mini-golf, but not so terrific at golf-golf. To be fair, despite the fact that I grew up not so far from a number of golf courses, I didn’t really know much about the game until I met my father-in-law. He loved golf—playing and watching—and that happened to coincide with Tiger Woods in top form, which made it immediately appealing.

So, when tour buses rolled into town this week for the PGA Championship, I knew that I’d want to write about it (and taxes, of course). I was fortunate enough to connect with Wealthspire’s Frank Marzano (a CPA and a golfer), who walked me through some of the basics.

And while I expected some of our conversation—players earn income from tournament winnings and endorsements, and manage deductible business expenses such as travel and professional advisors—I still learned a lot. My entire family now knows that caddies are typically issued a Form 1099.

I’ll admit, though, that I was especially interested in the cross-state and cross-border tax consequences. Winnings from this year’s PGA Championship are generally Pennsylvania-source income, meaning even golfers who live in no-income-tax states like Florida or Texas (looking at you, Scottie Scheffler) may owe Pennsylvania tax, while residents of high-tax states like California could owe much more after credits. Non-U.S. golfers like Rory McIlroy may also face U.S. withholding and filing obligations.

Something to keep in mind as you cheer (or quietly golf clap) this weekend.

Travel is also on the minds of parents and others looking at potential summer vacations. With gas prices still soaring, President Trump and lawmakers in both parties are considering suspending the federal gas tax. The 18.4-cent-per-gallon gas tax has not been raised since 1993 and is already insufficient to support the Highway Trust Fund, which is projected to become insolvent in 2028. Suspending the tax would create an estimated $23 billion annual shortfall, and once the levy is paused, lawmakers may find it politically impossible to reinstate it.

The risk is that suspending the gas tax would reinforce a familiar pattern: Congress creates dedicated trust funds for specific programs, then underfunds them, cuts their revenue sources, and relies on borrowing to keep benefits or projects going.

(Of course, federal gas taxes are in addition to state gas taxes, which means that several states are enacting or considering temporary gas holidays as fuel prices rise.)

It’s not just gas prices that can be stressful. Gas pump card skimmers can turn a summer road trip into a fraud headache by stealing payment card data when drivers swipe, insert, or tap at the pump. These devices may be attached externally, hidden inside the pump, or paired with cameras or keypad overlays to capture PINs. The FBI estimates that card skimming costs consumers and financial institutions more than $1 billion each year.

Drivers can reduce their risk by comparing pumps for mismatched parts, using pumps near the store, and choosing tap-to-pay, mobile wallets, or credit cards instead of debit cards when possible. Anyone who suspects their card was skimmed should contact their bank immediately, freeze or replace the card, monitor transactions, and report the suspicious pump to the station, police, and the FBI’s IC3.

Also causing anxiety this year? Social Security. Americans remain strongly attached to the program, which faces real uncertainty: The Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund is projected to run short around 2033, potentially triggering a 23% across-the-board benefit cut if Congress does not act. Likely fixes could include some mix of higher taxes, a gradually increased full retirement age, and benefit reductions for higher-income retirees, though experts expect lawmakers to try to shield current and near-term beneficiaries from the harshest changes. None of it is particularly politically appealing.

But........

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