"I would not be in this store if I had not gotten such a large tax refund."

[CTyankee]

That is what I told a salesman at our local Porch and Patio store today. I was considering several different styles of furniture to replace the crappy porch stuff we bought YEARS ago and never replaced. I am not buying really expensive stuff but still, WE ARE BUYING. I made that abundantly clear and I said "Thank you President Obama!"

The salesman said that he had SEVERAL customers come in saying the same thing: they had a windfall of tax refunds they had not expected and came to their store to buy their stuff. I said "It shows you how the stimulus works, doesn't it?"

I am going back to their store and probably buying some of their products and happy that I can "educate" someone on what Democrats are REALLY all about!!

[liberal N proud]

1. All those tax cuts to the rich from the bu$h regime did not have that effect

[havocmom]

2. Brilliant! If we do some shopping right now, we need to make sure we mention why we can

Stimulate the economy? Yep, put money into the hands of the NOT REAL RICH and it will circulate PDQ!

Repeal those tax cuts for the top tier. They are the hoarders. Trickle down? Only crap and piss does that.

[CTyankee]

13. if you got a refund, TELL STORE OWNERS WHERE YOU SHOP!!!

It can be done very nicely, like in conversation...like I did...DO IT...tell the story about how great it has been for you and get the word out.

I can't believe this will not have a great effect on this country once they realize what can happen under a Dem president!

[havocmom]

26. "Thank you for your help making sure I get the washer that will work best for my family!

This new energy star model will pay for its self in lower water and electricity bills in 15 months? Fantastic! Good for my budget, good for the planet! Thank you so much for selling this to us. I would like to tell your boss what a good asset you are to this appliance store; great service here. Glad I could come by and buy. And to think, that Obama tax cut to OUR income bracket made this possible! Hope you enjoy your commission as much as my wife will enjoy this efficient new washer!"

....something like that? Cuz that is pretty much what Havocdad did today. :thumbsup:

[druidity33]

64. not only that...

but chances are that new Energy Star appliance will net you a Tax credit on next years return too, so it's a DOUBLE bonus!

:)

[Sherman A1]

3. Glad you got a refund.....some of us had to pay more than last year.

[boppers]

4. Where was your increase? Loss of a deduction?

Just curious, if it's not too much of an imposition to ask.

[CTyankee]

7. I need to find out. It seems like the same old, same old, every year.

Something NEW happened this year and I need to find out. We have NEVER had such a tax refund, EVER and I doubt if the guy who does our accounting stuff would have allowed it if he had known (I think he is a Repub). It was a BIG SURPRISE.

I am hearing this story from more and more people.

And yes, of course, I am going to take fewer deductions to make up for this...I really don't WANT this big a refund...I would prefer having the money to spend or invest or save while it is being made...

[Sherman A1]

42. Neither .... everything was about the same as last year

[havocmom]

46. Did you check your actual withholdings against what they SHOULD have been?

Bad payroll clerical work sometimes knifes one in the back come April. I have had THAT happen a couple of times in my life, and seen it happen to others MANY times.

Wrong chart, wrong place in the chart, just plain screwed up on the withholdings for a year. Have seen that happen.

Cuz we aren't buying that everything was the same and taxes went up. Not at income under $100K at the bear minimum.

[sandnsea]

5. Do tell

I don't know anybody who is paying more.

[havocmom]

27. Don't know anybody making less than a hundred grand at least paying more

[Sherman A1]

41. Making far less than 100k and now paying as opposed to a small refund

pay did not increase over previous year.

[CTyankee]

45. My husband was laid off and forced to take a much reduced retirement benefit

and also unemployment as he knew we would have to have more income from him, even if only part time. He was employed for only two months in 2009 before the lay offs. We found we could manage on less, so it was not as painful as we anticipated...

[GreenPartyVoter]

63. We have kids so we usually get $$ back, but the state closed out hubby's old teacher's pension. That

was enough to kick us up over the line. We are getting a wee bit back from the feds, but not enough to cover state taxes.

[golfguru]

37. You paid more tax this year if you were on social security

because every single person receiving social security over age 18 received
a $250 check last year (2009) and that was considered additional income and
therefore more tax to be paid on same income as previous tax year.

[boppers]

44. At the highest tax bracket, that's what, 37% of $250?

$92.50?

Is this the case?

[golfguru]

52. Actually double that if both spouses are on social security

but we are not talking "how much more", just "more".

[CTyankee]

57. My spouse went ON Social Security in 2009. I was already on it.

And yet we still expect this huge refund...go figure...

[golfguru]

70. The 2009 rebates

were paid in March 2009. If your spouse signed up after that my guess is no check for her.

Be sure to include that $250 amount when filing your 2009 tax. IRS has your record and they will
send you a bill for additional tax owed along with interest.

[havocmom]

49. Curious, which form did you file?

Noticed the E-Z form misses a lot of deduction/credit potential, even for those of us without enough deductions to go beyond standard as opposed to itemized.

[busymom]

56. We did too....

We were hit with a bigger bill than ever which was a little unexpected. Thank you, alternative minimum tax and not being able to deduct a penny for our son's special school, or any of our children, etc... Sure, we earn a little more, but our student loan payments pretty much gobble it up...that and our kids. Funny, but we always celebrate tax refunds for people but don't want them for everyone. Those of us saddled with student loan debt and working 60+ hours/week to pay them back and save for our retirement and kid's college just get hit over and over again.

It doesn't pay to try to work hard sometimes. We won't be out buying anything. We won't be buying another vehicle (even though my van is 10 years old and is slowly falling apart). We won't be doing our part to stimulate the economy at all for the next couple of years because we had to take out a loan to pay our taxes.

Now we have to pay that back too.

I'll be honest. It's times like this that I question my party allegiance.

[boppers]

62. I hope you keep making the amount you do. Sure beats the alternative (so to speak).

Student loan debt can be a heck of burden, I think I read somewhere once that it wasn't until Obama was a senator that his was paid off...

[earth mom]

66. Yeah, some of us are padding other peoples pockets. Not very fair is it? nt

[rosesaylavee]

6. We have the biggest refund we have ever had in 30 years...

And we haven't had one in over a decade... usually we just break even or owe a few hundred. We are putting toward replacing one of our ancient vehicles.

[CTyankee]

9. Isn't this great? I feel like I can spend a little and get a little better stuff.

I've had this crap for 6 years and it is time to get something just a little better. I feel good supporting my local community store. People to run that store are being employed. They are trying hard. They have families. I see the connection really strongly...but I know that some of them were McCain voters and I just hoped that my remarks were taken to heart...maybe not right away but later, upon reflection. People have to wake up! They have to figure out WHO is for them and who against....

[Omaha Steve]

8. We had a couple extra deductions

One time long term stock market loss.

We got to deduct TWICE 2 new cars fees and taxes. Special deduction thanks to Dem's.

Charitable was up.

Marta and I combined had our best year of income together ever. On the other hand we are lucky. I had only my last step raise last August while the position had no raise. No raise this year. And I'm union. Marta got no xmas bonus or raise this year. But we are working without cuts. Again we are lucky.

Two of our 3 kids aren't doing so well. One getting divorced has a dead beat soon to be x-hubby. One has a husband with a business going under as I write this.

OS

[LiberalFighter]

10. If you are involved in your county Democratic Party...

let them know about it and maybe they can get contributions from the store for local party fundraisers.

[CTyankee]

11. hubby is a big local ward person...no problem there.

He also got a job after being laid off by the city in early 2009...in his new job he'll be part time but still gets pension and SS so he will be OK. The new part time work is from stimulus funds...all of this is a big PLUS for us...we're psyched, never got this big a refund from the you know who's...

[Cha]

12. Thank you for actually letting the business

know how this economy stimulting thing is working..slowy but surely.

[ohheckyeah]

14. I haven't done my taxes yet.

What new things are contributing to the larger tax refunds?

[CTyankee]

15. good question. I think it is middle class tax breaks but my accountant is a republican and didn't

"say." It is really the only thing that changed this year (except that my husband got LAID OFF in the begininng of March of 2009) so it has to be something that the Obama administration did...

[doc03]

17. Well myself I prepared my form and sent it in

thinking I would get a $614 refund. A few days ago I get a check in the mail for $1014 and a letter from the IRS that said they determined I was eligible for the "Making Work Pay Tax Credit". Here there was a new box on the 1040A Form line 40 and a Schedule M to fill out that gives you $400 single or $800 for a couple if you work for wages. This came as a total surprise to me I am glad the IRS discovered it.

Last year I missed the tax credit for real estate taxes then after hearing about it latter I had to file an amended return to recieve that refund. This year I missed this tax credit, I have always done my own taxes, from now on I will take it to profesional.

[Recovered Repug]

39. Thanks for mentioning that.

I was just doing my taxes and wondering where all of these "big refunds" everyone was talking about came from. I never would have noticed that line on my own.

[doc03]

19. Making Work Pay Tax Credit read my post #17

[sandnsea]

21. So did you miss that line

or think you already got it in your paycheck.

[doc03]

25. Both n/t

[sandnsea]

28. I ask because it's a little confusing

I thought everyone got that credit in their paycheck, but when I did my daughter's taxes, she gets it. Trying to make sure I didn't misunderstand. And the line is kind of stuck down in a place where you wouldn't normally look at, iirc. I specifically went looking to find it.

[doc03]

30. Like I said if the IRS didn't correct my return I wouldn't have

known about it. I thought they reduced our withholding last year to put more cash in circulation, I had no idea there was this Making Work Pay Tax Credit. From now on I quit doing my taxes myself I will either use a program or have a pro fill it out.

[ohheckyeah]

22. thanks to everyone for the info. n/t

[bbinacan]

16. Just stupid.

I want to break even or owe. I'd rather have the use of MY money. Why let government keep it for a year, and then let you have it back?. It boggles the mind. Fucking Stupid is all I can say. Fucking Stupid!:grr: :banghead: :banghead:

[ProSense]

18. "I want to break even or owe."

Wow, what a complaint. "Just stupid."

[Name removed]

31. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[golfguru]

36. Actually he/she sounds smarter than others.....n/t

[bbinacan]

81. It's clear you didn't

read my entire comment.

[sandnsea]

20. Some you can't claim during the year

Child tax credit, energy credits, education credits, and the new making work pay credit. You buy a new house and get an $8,000 credit. You have to file to get them.

[ProSense]

23. Btw, you should know

that you have always had some control over this.

[quakerboy]

24. Because papa didn't raise no fool.

I will never come out owing money. I will never hit the end of a year and be short of what I need to pay my share of the cost of running our country. I will never spend the first few months of the year dreading doing my taxes. I will never have underpayment penalties, interest due, or any of these other problems. And I do not have the personal animosity toward the government that I see in many, bred by owing them extra money each year. Instead I get to have the enjoyment of a "bonus". Its a lot like finding an unexpected 20 that was used as a bookmark in a book you haven't read lately. It was yours, but its still a pleasant surprise.

Its how I want to live my life. If you prefer to play games with it, if the potential few bucks in interest makes your day, or if you need that cash each month just to make it almost to payday, more power to you. But that's how I roll.

[havocmom]

29. um, didn't taxes change during the year?

We usually get a little back, or break even. This year, BIG difference (well, big for us)

We don't generally give the government an interest free loan for 12 months, but the tax changes brought in larger refund. Perhaps the withholding charts are off with the new rates? Or perhaps a lot of bozos doing payroll?

[FrenchieCat]

32. There was the "Make Work Pay" tax credit,

which worked as an after tax credit (like Earned Income Credit), which could be as high as $800 for a married couple making under $190,000 per year, and $400 for a single individual making $95,000 per year.

I believe that is what Pres. Obama has been touting as the biggest tax cut to the middle Class in American history.

It wasn't just the reduced tax table that was the tax cut,
in addition, the credit above are available to those with earned income.


for details on this credits as well as others that are new or were increased in 2009,
please refer to this book...page 2: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040gi.pdf

To find how the credit works and who qualifies, see page 47 of same publication.

[sandnsea]

33. So what was the change in the withholding tables

Because I remember people saying they were going to have to pay it all back at the end of the year, which I knew wasn't true. But I thought the change in withholding tables WAS the making work pay credit. But it looks like everybody gets that outright, so now I don't know what that tax cut was last year.

[CTyankee]

47. Look, buddy, don't come in here making assumptions about my post.

OF COURSE I'd rather have the money during the year and not get a refund...we were withholding what our tax preparer told us to do last year at tax time. Things changed obviously.

I am sorry you used my post to insult me. That is unfortunate. But take your flaming anger and your head banging elsewhere...all you are going to get from that is high blood pressure and sore head...

[DevonRex]

55. It was bizarre, that anger, wasn't it?

And some folks just like to get the refund and/or may not have the time or inclination to figure out exactly how much to have withheld so that they break even.

[CTyankee]

59. And actually, even if I had known to adjust my withholding, the interest I would

get on it would be pretty abysmal. Having it come this way, this time is not such a disaster...if I could make gobs of money off of interest, then great, but this is just the way it turned out...

Actually, this gives me a chance to really think about my next maintenance project in my house...we always put any refund we get in a separate household checking account. That way, we feel there is always a little "cushion" there in case yet another appliance breaks down and must be replaced...and it's always something. My husband worries about the roof...

[DevonRex]

54. That's insulting to everyone here who did get a refund.

You could have said what you wanted to say without calling people stupid. Some folks LIKE getting a refund every year.

[jeanpalmer]

71. Have to agree with that

The Government overtaxes, and then gives some of it back. While running up a $1.6 trillion deficit. The correct response is, "What are these idiots doing?" It's not a reason to celebrate.

[high density]

34. I went out shopping today and it was mobbed

There were people everywhere. It looked like Christmas time.

[CTyankee]

58. It took me a long time to get back from the porch store because of a huge line of traffic

on the Post Road, where numerous furniture stores, Best Buy, Home Depot, lots of big chain clothing stores and even a new Whole Foods are. Everybody out buying spring clothes, buying new plantings and furniture (like me). I haven't seen traffic like that on the Post Road since 1998...

[golfguru]

35. If your tax refund is larger, you are overpaying into payroll withholding

Tax rates this year are the same as last year. So, you need to cut down
your payroll withholding amount. And then you can put the extra money
into a money market fund and earn interest on it. By next tax year you
will have even more money to spend.

Actually my taxes were higher this year because of the $250 rebate checks
the US Treasury sent us folks on Social Security, and those counted as
extra income. So yes, it was a net gain to my bank account, but taxes were
larger compared to last year on the same income.

[CTyankee]

50. What you recommend is EXACTLY what I have traditionally done, pure and simple.

I have done this for YEARS, so please don't preach to me. This was a BIG surprise. We are taking steps to nothave it happen again but I can't predict the future any more than you can. And YOUR experience is not the same as mine. So thanks for your advice...I appreciate your concern...

[jeanpalmer]

72. Either you paid too much in taxes

and they're giving some of it back, or the government really needed those taxes and instead is giving them back and running up the debt on future generations. I think it's the latter.

[CTyankee]

75. I think it is pretty well established economic practice to deficit spend in times of

of a Depression or a deep recession in order to stimulate spending in the economy. Otherwise, people just hoard every cent and stores and businesses suffer in an ever worsening spiral.

You need to go back and study how we got to this situation in the first place: tax cuts for the rich, starting a hugely expensive war while still fighting another one, and starting a brand new massive entitlement program and NOT PAYING FOR THEM!

But oh, no, can't help the little guy who is hurt by all this because it will run up the debt on future generations! Please, spare me the outrage...it should be laid squarely at the feet of the last Republican president's two terms. I hope you were outraged and expressed yourself loudly about "future generations" at the time of THAT episode of "running up the debt."

[jeanpalmer]

79. Actually we got here through a huge debt bubble

sold to the people by the government (both parties) and the bankers, both of whom propagandized a culture of credit and sucked in the American people. Our government finances were/are being ruined by a corrupt Congress/Executive that have sold us out to the war makers and weapons manufacturers and it goes on to this day with a boost from the current President. Everything in your 2nd paragraph is true.

Helping the little guy is the right thing to do; helping the bankers -- forget it, but almost all the help is going to the bankers, the little guy is getting the leftover crumbs. How thankful should we be for those crumbs?

The tax cut you got is like going to the mall and having a merchant overcharge you $10 for an item. And when you return to straighten it out, he gives you back the $10 while unknown to you he adds another $20 to your credit card. Should you be thankful to the merchant and say "gee what a wonderful guy he is"? If the politicians were for real, they wouldn't brag about giving your money back to you. They would acknowledge they overcharged you and beg for your forgiveness, and apologize for all the debt they're running up while pissing away your money. And that includes Obama, Pelosi and Reid. And that's how I view them.

[CTyankee]

80. Well, that was a thinly disguised regurgitation from the Wall Street Journal.

Jean, what are you doing here? This is a Democratic website. We have all heard this propaganda from the RNC and from the editorial page of the WSJ since the minute they created this revisionist, Republican theory to take the heat off of themselves. It's all Barney Frank's fault because he wanted to give mortgages to people (black people, brown people and poor people) who wanted to get "something for nothing." Hordes of poor people out there bringing down the financial system of America!

Don't you think folks on this website are savvy to this distortion of who actually screwed us? It is laughable (and a little pathetic) that you are so naive that you think you can put this over on us...

Peddle it somewhere else. Not here.

[jeanpalmer]

82. Don't know what you're talking about

Don't read the Wall St. Journal. The economic collapse had almost nothing to do with W and his wars. The collapse was caused by the excessive buildup of credit in the private sector in housing, credit cards, commercial real estate, and then by the collapse of fraudulent credit instruments, many of which had been bought with excessive leverage. These are the things that brought about the collapse. It's not a Democratic narrative or Republican, it's simply the truth. And the numbers back it up, for example the ratio of household debt to household income; the fact that wages were declining in real terms and people substituted debt for lost wages from mid-90's onward. All of these things built up excesses that came to a climax when the collapse occurred.

[CTyankee]

83. You have not even gotten into deregulation, manipulation of the market, lack

of enforcement of existing regulation...all of which, indisputably, occurred on W's watch.

While you list the ills that flowed as a consequence, you conveniently don't mention in what context they took place. The collapse didn't "occur" out of nowhere, markets were manipulated beyond recognition and this was allowed to happen, ignored.

You know exactly what I am talking about. The fact that you don't address these glaring facts just tells me you are continuing the right wing spin that ultimately does not blame the unrestrained greed in the markets and the Bush administration's ignoring it, but blames the poor, the middle class, the powerless in our society.

[silver10]

38. I agree

The conservatives are screaming about high taxes under the "commie liberals" but after 8 years of shrub, this is the first year in a very long time we are getting a sizeable refund. Glad to hear that others are too.

[8 track mind]

40. We paid off all of our credit cards and an auto loan with ours.

President Obama, I thank you!

:yourock:

[freedommachine]

43. We got less back

than we did last year. About the same amount of money made, a new baby born this summer, and a house bought in May.

[havocmom]

48. I know a winger who is mad as hell that they aren't getting a big refund!

When asked about some pertinent facts, found out: No withholdings taken out of tiny part time job paychecks. No taxes paid at all. But the winger will not be calmed. "Didn't get thousands of dollars back from Obama and his tax cut" like everyone else she knows, so Obama is a liar, a cheat, and is persecuting her. It's all a lie! Taxes went way up, or else she would have got a huge refund too!

Sadly, this is a true story. And there seems to be no way anybody can explain it so the woman will grasp the reality of: no taxes withheld/paid, no monster refund to buy toys with. Her friends are going shopping, and she ain't. Shopper envy is NOT pretty and evidently clouds any possibility of critical thinking.

:banghead:

[tandot]

51. We got a big refund and finally are able to hire someone to replace our fence

we are also using part of the refund to replace our 20 year old A/C.

[DevonRex]

53. We didn't get a refund but we had to pay MUCH less than usual.

We did the Cash for Clunkers deal and bought a hybrid, so we got a really big tax credit, both Federal and State.

[tammywammy]

60. I got a much larger refund this year

I think it had to do with my education credits. I don't want to adjust my withholding on the chance they'll change the credit amounts and I'll end up owing.

I'm using part of my money to remodel my front hall. I also paid off the laptop I bought last fall when my old one died.

[patrice]

61. I'm replacing the windows in my home FOR CASH. nt

[earth mom]

65. Meanwhile some of us got LESS money than last year while making the same money and

everything else being the same.

Sounds like part of my tax return is in someone else's pocket this year. :grr:

[CTyankee]

76. I have often felt that way in years past. In fact, tax cuts were given under the Republicans

to the rich, not to me or you. Some years I got something and a few times we had to pay. That's why this was such a surprise to me! Maybe you could take another look at the tax forms and see if there is something in there that you could benefit from...worth a shot...

Good luck. I hope you find something and you can file an amended form...(there might be some help in your community from some tax professionals...perhaps some nonprofit organization...it would be worth your while to look around!)

[earth mom]

77. We had our taxes done for us and so I'm pretty sure nothing was missed.

We are not rich and do not make over a 100K or anywhere close to it but make an ok living compared to what we used to make about 6 or 7 years ago.

However we are being taxed to the max by federal and state and yet our return was less this year than last.

I've seen a few threads here on DU that other middle income people had windfalls of 6 to 8K, while our return was but a small fraction of that.

It's hard not to feel like we've been screwed over somehow and that the tax burden for the entire country has been placed on us and people in our income bracket.

Anyway, thanks for your reply and for trying to help.

[CTyankee]

78. If it's any consolation for you, some of our tax refund was because of losses

I experienced during the Bush years, but there again, I can only take so much of the loss each year and this year's refund was quite a bit better than in the past 3 years that I've been taking it.

[CakeGrrl]

67. I was laid off last year but got the highest tax refund I've EVER received.

I picked up a contract job late in the year and refi'd my mortgage to a lower interest rate, so I had less income than the previous year and paid out less in mortgage interest than I have since I've had a mortgage.

I credit the Obama administration for making changes that are paying off, AS HE SAID, for the longer term.

[CTyankee]

68. Same here. Hubby got laid off in March 09. No job since then.

I am retired. His income was from SS, retirement pension (greatly reduced because he didn't want to retire so early), and unemployment. He has just snagged a part time job due to stimulus money so he'll be carried after his unemployment runs out.

Something HAD to have happened with the Obama Administration to make this change happen...

[KoKo]

69. Yeah...it's really good out there for those of us who have "Cash!"

We've gotten great deals on Landscaping our new terrace, Roofing Replacement (we've been in our house a long while) and from Decorators and Bath and Kitchen Renovators giving us "Low Ball" Prices.

We are glad Obama is President...because we are getting really great deals. We had some Tree Limbs removed from our yard by a family here in NC that had the Kids across to the Grandma (My God...the 80 something year lady was directing them from the Pick Up Truck as to how to "rope the tree" for her kids!)

The whole family had to come in for over a 100 miles...but it was great because we only paid them, $2.00 an hour because their family had fallen on hard times...and we had the CASH and they would work for CHEAP.

They did a great JOB...it was about 5 Tall Pines and One Huge Oak tree they took down for only $200.00! There were five of them working (including Grandma overseeing from the truck).

Life is GRAND...We have CASH...and we MAKE THEM WORK FOR US.

:sarcasm: (But, this is a TRUE STORY...and makes me weep) :cry:

[Name removed]

73. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[old mark]

74. If enough people put this all together, the GOP is fucking DOOMED!

:cry:

:nopity:

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

mark