How to stay honest when filing your tax returns

How to stay honest this tax season [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 29 March 2018 [[The Conversation]Academic rigor, journalistic flair]( Editor's note Tax season is here. For many Americans, this could bring about a moral struggle, as they decide whether they should, for instance, report some side income. Tax evasion costs the IRS $450 billion each year. Christian Miller, whose research focuses on character and ethics, [offers tips for staying honest]( not because, as he says, people care about the IRS, but because they do care about their honesty and integrity. Experts are worried that a new question about citizenship on the 2020 census may lead to an undercount. Science and technology historian Emily Merchant at the University of California, Riverside explains why this matters to our democracy as well as the challenges other countries have faced in [counting vulnerable populations](. How can you tell real news from fake news? If you live in Europe, there’s help for you. The European Union began in 2015 an effort to identify Russian disinformation campaigns targeting Europeans and expose them to the public. Michigan State scholar Thomas Holt [says the United States should try the same thing](. It’s not propaganda or censorship, he writes, but instead the “government fighting false information by providing context, analysis and facts.” Kalpana Jain Senior Religion + Ethics Editor Top Stories Each year many people cheat on their taxes. Pictures of Money [How to stay honest this tax season]( Christian B. Miller, Wake Forest University While people often want to cheat in certain cases if it would benefit them, they also want to think of themselves as honest. Here are three steps to stay honest while filing taxes. US census advocates held a rally in Charlotte, NC, in 2010. AP Photo/Jason E. Miczek [Democracy is in danger when the census undercounts vulnerable populations]( Emily Klancher Merchant, University of California, Davis Recent changes to the 2020 census are worrying experts who say they may lead to an undercount. It's an issue other democracies have also grappled with throughout history. Trolls spread Russian disinformation campaigns across Europe and the U.S. Shutterstock [Busting Russia's fake news the European Union way]( Thomas Holt, Michigan State University The Europeans have something to teach the US about protecting citizens subject to Russian internet propaganda. Their effort isn't just a different form of propaganda. It's more like fact-checking. Education - [Federal spending bill deals blow to school safety research]( F. Chris Curran, University of Maryland, Baltimore County A recent cut to federal funding for school safety research could hurt efforts to make schools more secure, a scholar warns. 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Today’s chart - [Enable images to see the chart]( From the article: [4 charts show why Trump's tariffs will hurt everyone – not just China]( [Greg Wright] Greg Wright University of California, Merced [Follow us on Twitter.]( [Join us on Facebook.]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe instantly](. We’ll miss you. 89 South Street - Suite 202 Boston, MA 02111