Tax Time
I just finished filing my taxes for 2008. I had worries about just how much of a pain it would be given that I live in one state (Georgia), but my job is based out of another (North Carolina). Last year ended up being so much of a pain that I went to someone to have my taxes prepared (H&R Block last year).
Thankfully, this year went much quicker and easier using TurboTax. Given that I prefer to save money when I can when purchasing things, the $90 it ended up costing me with TurboTax was much better than the $450 last year with H&R Block.
I could go into a rant here about our tax system, how punitive it is to those who actually succeed in this country and the like, but I’ll save that for one of the regular update schedules (likely it’ll hit on a Monday or Friday update). Unlike many people, I actually know how much I paid in taxes at the end of the day rather than just knowing how much I was getting in a refund.
Unlike a number of people, I actually like getting a refund. I’m horrible about saving money, and I’m far more likely to put the money to productive use if I get it all in one lump sum at tax time than if I figured out my deductions and the like to make sure I came out owing nothing extra and getting nothing back at tax time. I’m one of those people who even with having dependents I put zero dependents on my W-4 for my employer.
Right now, I’m honestly just feeling relief that it didn’t turn into a debacle like last year and me sweating to figure out how I’m going to pay what I owed (my initial attempt last year at doing my taxes had me owing several thousand dollars to the state of Georgia). Yes, there is a time to rant about our tax system, but today isn’t that day for me. Well, at least it’s not the moment today to do it. I have a feeling that rage will start bubbling up again when I skim through the news later.