Tax Tax Tax

It's the thing people are talking about these days.  The Statue of Liberty and Uncle Same are both walking the sidewalks, waving in innocents on their daily commute, promising larger-than-life tax returns.

I very nearly broke even this year on mine, owing just $32.  I shoot to break even, because the idea of the government having an interest-free loan from me makes me twinge.  If I was a little braver, in fact, I would pay no taxes, let it all earn interest for me, and then pay only what I owed the last day possible.  I am not quite sure enough in my savings fortitude to do that, though.

I always cringe when I hear people bragging about how much they'll get back.  When the commercials lure people in with promises of thousands of dollars MORE back, if you use their service and not someone elses.

It makes me cringe for a few reasons.  On the one hand, I sort of think SOMEONE has to pay SOME tax if the American government will EVER have a balanced budget.   Sure,  it's broke right now and needs to cut back on it's spending, but, as we all know, you need some income to get yourself unbroke.   Also, I just can't believe people are HAPPY that the government has been holding their money needlessly for a year, while they run up credit card bills and go into debt at 5, 10 or 30% interest rates.

It also always amazes me when I say something along the lines of "I hate getting a big return back" and have people star at me as though I've grown a second head.

Being the nerdy Google-girl that I am, I've collected a few facts I like to toss at people.  Like that withholding didn't even occur until the 1940s.  Prior to that, people paid their tax bill, in full, on Tax Day.  No such thing as refund checks.  Withholding started during World War II, to generate fast income for the nation, but it stayed because if sure made it easier on citizens....no need to save or plan or be aware that they owed tax.

It's funny though, what's happened now.  People getting their own money back, money they overpaid, and bragging about it like they have pulled one over on the government. People willingly overpaying and treating withholding like a savings plan.

I'm happy with my $32 owed.  I'm jealous of people getting $5,000 back, since I didn't even pay that much in.  I wouldn't mind the government sending me a big old check.  Overall, though, I am just considering it the closing out of 2010 and a reminder that 2011 is well underway.

Time to get saving.