It's Tax Day in America. Do you...

[jeffandnicole]

As today as tax day, how do you file and pay?

As you may owe one entity and receive a refund from others, feel free to select more than one option.

It's a survey, not a secret government operation. No one will check up on your answers.

[seicer]

My tax situation is quite complicated, but I don't mind handling it. I work in New York but currently live in Indiana. This year, I had to file taxes in three states due to my relocations. Additionally, I own a small business, which allows me to write off many of my purchases and mileage. I received a $3,000 federal refund, owed $2,000 in New York state taxes because my employer does not withhold taxes for remote workers, and received a $1,000 refund from Kentucky.

I was keeping track of all my taxes in Intuit Self-Business, but that app is no longer supported (and has been garbage for about two years now), and its price has increased constantly. I've moved everything over to Hurdlr, which has mileage tracking built in.

[SEWIGuy]

Already filed. And already received a larger refund than expected due to filling out the "new" W4 wrong when I started this new gig last year. Doing a couple things around the house with it. So it's mostly already spent.

[ZLoth]

Because of some medical claims that I made when my HSA was maxed out, I ended up getting a refund. I would rather owe a little bit of money rather get a refund because it's essentially a interest-free loan to the government.

[JayhawkCO]

I owe every year, but thankfully, this year I owed $7k+ less than last year.

[NWI_Irish96]

Our taxes are pretty easy, 2 salaried incomes, no other income, standard deductions. It's pretty easy to estimate how much I will owe for the year and adjust my withholding accordingly. I almost always end up owing or getting a refund < $100.

[JayhawkCO]

Our taxes are pretty easy, 2 salaried incomes, no other income, standard deductions. It's pretty easy to estimate how much I will owe for the year and adjust my withholding accordingly. I almost always end up owing or getting a refund < $100.

Despite both my wife and I claiming 0 and having an extra $50 pulled per pay check, I still couldn't whittle it down to $0.

[Max Rockatansky]

I always owe because I don't take taxes out of my stock investments during the year.  It is just easier to take it out at the end of the year and only have to deal with it once.

[ClassicHasClass]

Filed in early March. Surprised to get a larger refund than usual, but our living situation is a bit odd these days, so it's welcome.

[Takumi]

I owed federal and got a refund from state. Guess which one gets processed faster.

[mgk920]

Choice XX - push for repeal of 16A.

 

Mike

[1995hoo]

Both the feds and the state owed us, so I filed in early February and we had our refunds within ten days. Probably about the fastest refund processing I can ever recall.

[jeffandnicole]

I owed Fed and got a refund from the state. Had taxes prepared and forms sent a month ago. Got my state refund Friday. Feds are getting their money today via auto deduction from my bank account.

[vdeane]

I file early every year, normally get a small refund every year.  This year, I ended up owning in the amount I normally get for a refund on federal despite no changes to my tax situation and still getting my normal refund on state.  Very annoying.  I suspect payroll is reducing the amount they withhold on federal taxes, but when I tried to complain, they wanted me to contact a tax professional even though my situation is as simple as can be (one salary for income/standard deduction) and I can't see any way the problem could be on my end.  Am I missing something?

[hotdogPi]

Am I the only one with a refund for federal but had to pay for state? (The amount I owed to Massachusetts was $24, while my federal refund was three digits.)

As for which one gets accepted first: Massachusetts accepted exactly two hours after federal. Does two hours really make a difference?

[gonealookin]

My return looks pretty similar from year to year.  I do a pro-forma federal return early each year based on anticipated income (so I already know what my 2025 return is going to look like).  Then I keep an income spreadsheet continually updated during the year, a few minutes worth of work each month.  When there's a discrepancy toward the end of the year I increase or decrease the planned Roth IRA conversion to make the final total income more or less equal to the plan.

So, filing is a matter of making sure the final numbers reported to me match what I have on the spreadsheet, and transferring those numbers to the 1040 and related forms.  This takes under an hour.  For 2024, the bottom line was that I owed $10.  For that minimal amount, I paid at the time I e-filed in early February and the books were closed on 2024. 

I paid state income tax in California for many years.  As a Nevada resident now, filing a state return isn't something I particularly miss.

[ZLoth]

Am I the only one with a refund for federal but had to pay for state? (The amount I owed to Massachusetts was $24, while my federal refund was three digits.)

I would say, "What is this state income tax you speak of? ", but having lived in California for 41 years, I know better. The lack of state income tax in Texas is made up by the higher than average property taxes which, along with mortgage interest, is at least deductible on Federal taxes.

At least it's not as bad as New Jersey...

[Takumi]

Am I the only one with a refund for federal but had to pay for state? (The amount I owed to Massachusetts was $24, while my federal refund was three digits.)

As for which one gets accepted first: Massachusetts accepted exactly two hours after federal. Does two hours really make a difference?

Last year I got a federal refund but was at $0 for state.

[kphoger]

Am I the only one with a refund for federal but had to pay for state?

Nope, that's normal for us the last couple of years.

[SEWIGuy]

I file early every year, normally get a small refund every year.  This year, I ended up owning in the amount I normally get for a refund on federal despite no changes to my tax situation and still getting my normal refund on state.  Very annoying.  I suspect payroll is reducing the amount they withhold on federal taxes, but when I tried to complain, they wanted me to contact a tax professional even though my situation is as simple as can be (one salary for income/standard deduction) and I can't see any way the problem could be on my end.  Am I missing something?

Tax rates and withholding are altered annually based on inflation. It's not your employer's responsibility to make sure you are withholding enough - they just do what the tables say they should do. If your tax situation is that easy to figure out, it wouldn't take long for you to figure out what your tax liability is going to be and prepare accordingly.

[kernals12]

I filed in February. Being unemployed for 5 months and then taking a new job with lower pay means a big refund. I also needed to file 2 state returns because I moved.

A big refund is not desirable. It's an interest free loan to the government

[kernals12]

Additionally, I own a small business, which allows me to write off many of my purchases and mileage.

I certainly hope those purchases and miles were for legitimate business purposes.

[kphoger]

I certainly hope those purchases and miles were for legitimate business purposes.

yes, mother

[SEWIGuy]

A big refund is not desirable. It's an interest free loan to the government

Yes. I don't mind a small refund though. Better than paying.

[seicer]

Additionally, I own a small business, which allows me to write off many of my purchases and mileage.

I certainly hope those purchases and miles were for legitimate business purposes.

Sure.