argh! taxes

I know I'm not alone in this. Tax season. Getting them figured out and paid for. Dreading it. Refund? Owe? How much? How much?!?

I appreciate the benefits that paying taxes provides, on local, state and federal levels. Oh sure, I'm not blind or ignorant. I know a lot of it gets wasted. A lot. Still, good things are supported. My job is supported. Sort of. I get that. I still have to complain.

The lower tax withdrawal rate did something for Ron and I this year. Yeah. It meant we owed money to the IRS. Do we have it in our bank account to whip up a check with? Of course not. We'll pay it, even though we will probably have to make payments. I'll also go in and get my withholding rate adjusted so that we are closer to the mark for next April 15th. But here's how it translates for me right now.

For the third year in a row, now, I have not gotten a raise. (Have you noticed anything about the cost of living? Yeah, its gone up.) This year, my contribution to the retirement fund is increasing. Now, I'm in favor of having a retirement fund. I'm even hoping to retire some day, and use it. On an immediate level, though, I notice it reduces my income. The amount I bring home gets smaller. So, here is the tax debt. Not only will paying it off reduce my discretionary income, but withholding more for next year will reduce it by a similar amount. Effectively, my paycheck is shrinking. My workload hasn't shrunk. My hours have not decreased. My pay - however - has. I'm sure there are those who will say it is my own fault. I won't say they are wrong - at least to some degree, I agree. Still, I don't think it is all of my own creation or fabrication.

Just thought it needed ranting about.