This is insane given that the executive branch has been jiggering around with the withholding amounts for the entire year. Yes, you probably paid slightly less in tax during the year, but unless you were paying attention to your federal withholding, you're probably in for a shock with your federal return.
> The solution to people’s inability to save is not for the government to hold their money hostage.
Meanwhile, in the real world where the left-hand side of the Bell curve exists, and where many people have poor impulse control, that actually is the solution to some people's inability to save.
Heck, as a student I worked in a union shop where this was actually baked into the collective agreement because of past experience of people not being able to save.
It shouldn't necessarily be mandatory, and there are ways to adjust one's withholding taxes, but it isn't all-bad.
But wouldn't we all be more free, really, if we just gave everyone enough rope to hang themselves & then locked up the left-hand side of the bell curve in debtor's prison?
Clearly that's not enough. Asserting that it should be and doing what amounts to punishing people because you don't like the way they are isn't going to help.
Not a big fan of those either, but at least give access to invest the funds in a savings account or the market. I’d rather we teach some basic finance and civic responsibility in school.
When you take the standard deduction on your return you are engaging in tax avoidance. When you invent a 3rd child that never existed you are engaging in tax evasion.
Definitely agree. Like others have commented here, you should be trying to minimize your return as much as possible.
The point of the article was that people are waiting for their large refunds and are deferring health care until they get those refunds. My point is that many of those people won't actually be getting a return and won't be able to afford the health care that they need.
