numi Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Well, the amount of refund I’m getting is pretty > nominal (low hundreds). Besides, I’d rather have > it that way than to have to cut a check to the > government owing taxes – just one less thing for > me to worry about. ditchdigger2CFA Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I have mixed feelings about this. But here is why > I think refunds are nice. > > 1. The taxes taken out of your check forces you > to live more conservatively. > 2. The refund will hopefully arrive before 4/15 > and can be deposited into an IRA. > 3. Tax season comes right after the Christmas > holiday where everyone spends more than they > intend to, the refund will help out in the event > of a credit card balance. So basically both of you are implicitly paying the IRS for the ability to “not worry about writing a check” and “force yourself to live more conservatively.” Call me crazy but I’d rather have the money and waste some ink writing that check or creating a budget so that I don’t accidentally buy that Ferrari.
What if your wife accidentally buys you a Ferrari?
Most Americans don’t have the discipline to keep to a budget when the new iPod/xBox/cell phone/etc is released. I see your point JTLD.
Thanks, ditchdigger – the site tells me I should expect my refund by April 21, then. I’d rather get a tax refund of a few hundred dollars than have to owe the government taxes. I don’t like writing checks, and my free time is worth more to me than $10-15 of forgone interest payments that I would have otherwise received had I elected more allowances.
Yeah that check took me all of 30 seconds to write. Man that was a lot of free time I wasted, I probably could’ve watched the ending to 2 girls 1 cup twice with all that free time.
I can’t blame anyone for not wanting to owe a whole bunch, but it shouldn’t take you too much time to manage your taxes such that your total owed/refunded is under $1000.
i owe and it sucks. i curse IRS since doing taxes in Jan and not filing till now… people around me are sick of the profanity. But would rather owe then be owed.
Happy ending… …five days until Kauai and bam I finally got my muni. The Fed had to work the presses overtime for my chunky refund. Time to par tay!