Maura Chwastyk

The holidays are a stressful time. Whether it's worrying about crazy travel plans, wondering how you're going to manage your drunk Aunt Carol at the family get-together, or not sleeping because the million-watt glow from your neighbors' Christmas decorations keeps you up all night, everyone's nerves are a bit more frayed this time of year.

As much as your non-smoking mom claims to love the handmade ashtrays and hand-picked bouquet (from her garden, no less) that you’ve given her every Mother’s Day for the last two decades, this is the year to shake things up.

“Nothing can said to be certain, except death and taxes.” As April 15 approaches, those famous words from Benjamin Franklin resonate stronger and stronger. Yet Franklin spoke them 100 years before the most difficult and vexing tax to most Americans — the income tax — even existed. So how exactly did the income tax as we know it come to be?

Tax season isn’t fun for anyone. While filing your taxes means digging through shoeboxes of receipts, guessing at what number goes on which line and and pounding your head against real or imaginary walls, it can be even worse. Luckily there are a few great apps that can help ease the frustration of tax time. This year, let your phone save you some irritation — and maybe even some money.

Being able to have instant professional quality photos used to mean lugging around a truckload of filters and lenses, not to mention a portable darkroom. Not anymore.