Tax Returns

If you are getting a tax return this year, you've mess up. You've given the government an interest free loan. Then you have to do all the paperwork and hope to get it back.

In the interest of full disclosure, I don't even have to pay taxes anymore.

When I did, I tried to have it zero out or even owe the government a few dollars. They got paid at the very last minute.

Now plenty of people rely on their tax return. Businesses also have come to depend on people having a bit more disposable income that time of year. If you are one of those folks who've come to depend on having a big chunk of change once a year, start a savings plan. Of course, once you've actually done the work of saving money, you'll be less likely to blow it. You'll know it's not “free” money from the government.

Thanks to Obamacare there's another reason to not let the government have your money up front. The only way they can collect the non-insurance fine is by taking it out of your tax return. No return = no fine.

This year the IRS's budget was cut. They are operating with less people. I'm betting the average tax payer may have to wait a bit longer for his return to get processed. Heaven help you if you need to talk to them on the phone.

While I don't pay taxes I'm going to stress that it's a legal exemption. Legal according to the IRS itself, not some guy in a Youtube video on the Internet.

-Sixbears