tele-file annoyance

[simbrooks]

Get someone real sharp to do your taxes and sit back and wait for your check .You never know, you might be missng a few deductions you are not aware of?

I dont do anything but work, i dont do charity, dont have any work related expenses, no IRA's mortgages, children, spouse, no further training costs. I feel i would blunt someone who was sharp

Penny, direct deposit, i should hope quicker than 10 days, they were quick last year too. Maybe i'll buy you a drink from my tax refund if you ever get down to FL

 

[munkispank]

I still don't understand the delight my American chums take in getting a tax 'refund' check. Surely all that means is that for the last year you have given the govt a tax-free loan? Can't you adjust W2 so there is a very small refund?

Maybe I just don't understand.

 

[pennypue]

I dont do anything but work, i dont do charity, dont have any work related expenses, no IRA's mortgages, children, spouse, no further training costs. I feel i would blunt someone who was sharp

Penny, direct deposit, i should hope quicker than 10 days, they were quick last year too. Maybe i'll buy you a drink from my tax refund if you ever get down to FL

WoooooHOOOOOOO

I'll be down for sure!!!!
Pue's a gin drinker. :11ztongue

Although I will drink whatever is available. :lilbunny:
(in moderation people, moderation)

 

[simbrooks]

I still don't understand the delight my American chums take in getting a tax 'refund' check. Surely all that means is that for the last year you have given the govt a tax-free loan? Can't you adjust W2 so there is a very small refund?

Maybe I just don't understand.

Its weird, i can change my W-4 to take out a fraction less tax, but of course i might take too much out. For a little a month i can be assured i dont owe, when i take my refund and put it back into paycheck by paycheck terms its not very much, in fact i only go over my expected amount of tax for the year in december and get it back pretty smartish in february. Yes it is a loan to the government, but we cant all be privaledged enough to have tax tables and PAYE like the UK, its a completely random thing here with a variety of clauses that adjust your tax - it is simpler for the tax payer in the UK, but i guess the Americans feel they are more in control here by playing the numbers game.

 

[pennypue]

Its weird, i can change my W-4 to take out a fraction less tax, but of course i might take too much out. For a little a month i can be assured i dont owe, when i take my refund and put it back into paycheck by paycheck terms its not very much, in fact i only go over my expected amount of tax for the year in december and get it back pretty smartish in february. Yes it is a loan to the government, but we cant all be privaledged enough to have tax tables and PAYE like the UK, its a completely random thing here with a variety of clauses that adjust your tax - it is simpler for the tax payer in the UK, but i guess the Americans feel they are more in control here by playing the numbers game.

Simon, it's not so much the American citizen, but the American POLITICIAN that gets to feel in control. They need to feel like they're doing something. So they continually fiddle with the tax code so they can point out 'who they helped' and what 'they did'. (Republicans AND Democrats alike) Plus it keeps a whole lot of accountants employed.

 

[munkispank]

Simon, it's not so much the American citizen, but the American POLITICIAN that gets to feel in control. Plus it keeps a whole lot of accountants employed.

That is so true.
It is strange doing taxes here because every year it means you are reminded how much you pay in tax and social security (and also how much or little you earn) so it actually can be a good thing. Maybe it means people are more aware of the fiscal responsibility of their government? In the UK, although it is easier paying taxes through you wages, it does mean you are less aware of the overall sum you pay. It's interesting, the differences between countries.

 

[WJL]

I had to file a tax return in Australia for my daughter who was a student there last year, and the whole process was easily done on the web. All I had to do was go to a free government-owned site, fill out some fairly straight-forward forms, and it was done. The refund check arrived within a week.

I don't understand why the IRS makes it so difficult here in the US. Instead of charging a fee to users to file electronically, they should be paying users to file electronically. At least for simple returns the whole thing should be available for free on the web.

 

[simbrooks]

Simon, it's not so much the American citizen, but the American POLITICIAN that gets to feel in control. They need to feel like they're doing something. So they continually fiddle with the tax code so they can point out 'who they helped' and what 'they did'. (Republicans AND Democrats alike) Plus it keeps a whole lot of accountants employed.

I guess my take on it is that some tax payers feel they are doing one over on the system but fiddling out the little loopholes every year - of course they are kept on their toes/challenged to find them by the IRS!

I had to file a tax return in Australia for my daughter who was a student there last year, and the whole process was easily done on the web. All I had to do was go to a free government-owned site, fill out some fairly straight-forward forms, and it was done. The refund check arrived within a week.

I don't understand why the IRS makes it so difficult here in the US. Instead of charging a fee to users to file electronically, they should be paying users to file electronically. At least for simple returns the whole thing should be available for free on the web.

That is pretty near the UK, in fact you Pay As You Earn throughout the year, the factors are applied as you go through the year by an accountant and its all set up, you just get a receipt of what you paid, no real filing unless you have multiple jobs or other issues - but for simple working folk like me who dont have any fancy dealings its about as simple as you can get.

With efile you can free file if you are only putting through a simple return, i think you have to pay if you require more "paperwork" for efile and this year instead of doing it on the IRS website they have farmed it out to various tax prep companies who keep trying to sell you a "better service" than the free one - which again i didnt need as i knew what catagories i was in and filed an EZ for exactly the return that i had already calculated - just without buying a stamp or hitting the PO.

 

[simbrooks]

Got the deposit today, dead on 10 days after i filed it, not bad, that money is going towards dive gear already bought (AKA the other c/card - creditcard) and my skiing next week

 

[pennypue]

LOL, and I'm still thinking about STARTING on my taxes!!!! I am lazy and use turbotax, but then my taxes are fairly simple, but I do itemize. I tend to proscrastinate because I might owe!!! I like to keep my withholding as low as possible. No free loans to the government.