Welp another year of a low low tax return..how should I file for next year? CT guy

[redgeeteeeye]

I got a job recently making more money and took out a little bit extra money every week to play it safe. Man I guess im glad I did, with my whooping 200 bucks back id be screwed and owe money. Im wondering if you file as single or married on your w-2s will they take out more or less?

[joness0154]

I got a job recently making more money and took out a little bit extra money every week to play it safe. Man I guess im glad I did, with my whooping 200 bucks back id be screwed and owe money. Im wondering if you file as single or married on your w-2s will they take out more or less?

What's the problem? Sounds like you've got your exemptions set properly.

[Seppdelaney]

The goal is to be as close to owing nothing and getting nothing back as possible. I mean, why would you want to get a giant return? A large return means you gave the government a loan for a whole year and never charged them interest. Would they do that for you? No. So don't do it for them!

[SpiffyGTI]

Most people think a big return is great because it's "free money" they didn't have before. Some of the excuses I hear are "well if I had it, I would just spend it so I'd rather them hold it than me and let it burn a hole in my pocket." They just don't get it.

Echoing what these two said, your withholding is set right where you want it.

[AZGolf]

Im wondering if you file as single or married on your w-2s will they take out more or less?

Don't ever put false information on your W-4. You're begging to get audited or worse. If you want to change how much is withheld you can do so by adjusting your exemptions. PaycheckCity.com has a paycheck calculator that lets you see the impact of changing your exemptions/allowances. They also specifically have a W-4 planning tool on their website.

[redgeeteeeye]

Don't ever put false information on your W-4. You're begging to get audited or worse. If you want to change how much is withheld you can do so by adjusting your exemptions. PaycheckCity.com has a paycheck calculator that lets you see the impact of changing your exemptions/allowances. They also specifically have a W-4 planning tool on their website.

thanks i was looking for a site like that

[redgeeteeeye]

The goal is to be as close to owing nothing and getting nothing back as possible. I mean, why would you want to get a giant return? A large return means you gave the government a loan for a whole year and never charged them interest. Would they do that for you? No. So don't do it for them!

Very good point..i guess these posts about what im gonna with my big tax return bums me out every year lol.

[dunhamjr]

Very good point..i guess these posts about what im gonna with my big tax return bums me out every year lol.

well get over that.
being happy about big tax returns are for people who don't know any better.

you know better.

you know you are in a better financial position now compared to if you had instead lent money from your paychecks to the govt every month for the past year.

[AutobahnTDI]

I'm still amazed at the amount of people that think they are bucking the system by adjusting their withholding. Pay now or later (preferred). It will be the same amount either way.

[dunhamjr]

I'm still amazed at the amount of people that think they are bucking the system by adjusting their withholding. Pay now or later (preferred). It will be the same amount either way.

Same amount yes. But if you can use your money sooner, especially if you pay down debt or invest, you will be better off.

[Seppdelaney]

I'm still amazed at the amount of people that think they are bucking the system by adjusting their withholding. Pay now or later (preferred). It will be the same amount either way.

Pretty gracious of you to believe the government wouldn't short you a bit if given the chance.

[AutobahnTDI]

Pretty gracious of you to believe the government wouldn't short you a bit if given the chance.

Where did I say that?

Maybe you are confused about payroll withholdings? If one files their taxes correctly, they are going to pay the same amount no matter what their employer withholds throughout the year. The only way it might be different is if you have to pay an underpayment penalty.

It is 100% the responsibility of the person filing their taxes to ensure it is done correctly. The only error that the gov't will find is one that is in their favor.

[GeoffD]

The only error that the gov't will find is one that is in their favor.

That's not true. I got a correction in the mail from the IRS where I'd neglected to take my Obama-credit a few years ago. The money, along with the small refund I thought I was getting, was direct-deposited into my checking account a few weeks after I filed the return.

I'd realized my error about 5 minutes after I'd electronically filed. My expectation was that I'd have to file an amended return to get the money. It was kind of nice that they just corrected my error and sent me the money as a matter of course.

[redgeeteeeye]

well get over that.
being happy about big tax returns are for people who don't know any better.

you know better.

you know you are in a better financial position now compared to if you had instead lent money from your paychecks to the govt every month for the past year.

Your absolutely right....welp time to start saving my can/pennies for a wrx fund

[AutobahnTDI]

That's not true. I got a correction in the mail from the IRS where I'd neglected to take my Obama-credit a few years ago.

OK, but I certainly wouldn't count on that.

[AZGolf]

If one files their taxes correctly, they are going to pay the same amount no matter what their employer withholds throughout the year.

That would only be true if $1 = $1. In reality, $1 in January 2011 =/= $1 March 2012. It is better to get your witholding calculated so the refund is as little as possible. By doing this, you get to keep as much money as possible, as soon as possible while the money is worth the most. Since dollars decrease in value over time it is to your benefit to either use or invest them as soon as possible, not later when they have lost some of their value to inflation.

[dunhamjr]

That would only be true if $1 = $1. In reality, $1 in January 2011 =/= $1 March 2012. It is better to get your witholding calculated so the refund is as little as possible. By doing this, you get to keep as much money as possible, as soon as possible while the money is worth the most. Since dollars decrease in value over time it is to your benefit to either use or invest them as soon as possible, not later when they have lost some of their value to inflation.

great point.

[Mike!]

Not just inflation, opportunity cost. If you could have that $1 earning you money at a rate beyond the rate of inflation, or use it to pay down a higher-interest debt, that money's better in your hands than the government's.

The ideal, really, is to have nothing withheld and simply pay your total tax every April. Not everyone has the fiscal discipline for that though. I don't think I could pull it off myself.

[AutobahnTDI]

That would only be true if $1 = $1. In reality, $1 in January 2011 =/= $1 March 2012. It is better to get your witholding calculated so the refund is as little as possible. By doing this, you get to keep as much money as possible, as soon as possible while the money is worth the most. Since dollars decrease in value over time it is to your benefit to either use or invest them as soon as possible, not later when they have lost some of their value to inflation.

I know that. I talking about nominal dollars.