Tax return is nearly $3000 LESS because I worked part-time last year!

[MomRN]

I don't know why you're jumping to that conclusion. Yes, it's possible they just received a tax refund. But why assume they were receiving EIC? Maybe they got a refund without it. Maybe they just wanted a big TV for the Super Bowl. TVs often go on sale at this time of year. I don't see any reason to presume you know what's going on in those shoppers' wallets.

Because you weren't there to see what I saw through my eyes. I admitted my opinion may be judgemental in that particular circumstance, but I know of several people that use their tax checks to buy purchases such as those. I also know people that work 2-3 weeks out of the year to have just enough income to be able file tax returns and claim EIC.

It is what it is. As I also stated, I don't have a solution... just a general observation. Actually, what I was really thinking at the time is that we should just send our tax money straight to China and cut out the middle man, but that's a whole other thread.

 

[SaraJayne]

I don't know why you're jumping to that conclusion. Yes, it's possible they just received a tax refund. But why assume they were receiving EIC? Maybe they got a refund without it. Maybe they just wanted a big TV for the Super Bowl. TVs often go on sale at this time of year. I don't see any reason to presume you know what's going on in those shoppers' wallets.

Or maybe they make enough money they could afford the TV without EIC.

But we all know that doesn't happen...only poor people buy 50 inch TV's.

 

[sam_gordon]

Because you weren't there to see what I saw through my eyes. I admitted my opinion may be judgemental in that particular circumstance, but I know of several people that use their tax checks to buy purchases such as those. I also know people that work 2-3 weeks out of the year to have just enough income to be able file tax returns and claim EIC.

It is what it is. As I also stated, I don't have a solution... just a general observation. Actually, what I was really thinking at the time is that we should just send our tax money straight to China and cut out the middle man, but that's a whole other thread.

And there are several people on DIS that use their tax checks to go to Disney. My question... did you KNOW the people buying the TVs? Even if you KNOW them, you may not know them well enough to know their tax situation.

Maybe you have more information than what you put in your post, but I'm telling you, being an outsider reading your post, it really came off as elitist. I'm sure you didn't mean it that way, but it sure read that way.

 

[tlbwriter]

Because you weren't there to see what I saw through my eyes.

Then tell us what you saw so we can understand, because right now, I can't figure out how you made that determination by watching them buy a TV.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

I got EIC for years! The first year I didn't qualify for it I was tickled. You know why? Because I was bettering myself and didn't need that 'handout' any more. I was better off in the the long run NOT qualifying for EIC. Who cares that my REFUND went down. I worked hard to get where I am and don't ever want to go back to qualifying for EIC. That's taking too many steps backwards to get an extra few bucks in April.

I agree with you ~ I'm not there yet *I still qualified for EIC this year, but someday I won't and I'll be happy then, it'll mean I'm making more $$$

 

[ohlas]

No, it's not welfare, it's a tax credit. In theory they are refunding on additional taxes that the taxpayer has paid beyond income taxes (i.e. sales tax, S.S. tax, excise tax and so on) The only reason why it's larger than what a taxpayer has paid in on the forms, is those additional taxes aren't listed on your W-2.
To call it welfare you'd have to call other tax credits welfare as well i.e. child care tax credits, first homeowner tax credits, solar energy tax credits and so on.

Personally, I think it's unfair that homeowners get to write off all that interest paid to the bank from their income, where as renters don't get that write off. so, you've got 2 people who make the exact same income, same amount of kids, but the homeowner pays much less in taxes than the renter - even if they pay the same amount in housing expenses; but we don't call that "welfare". Why is that?

bs to all the above i know what the tables are and if you take their income and do the math for fica, state, local taxes it wouldnt even reach 3k maybe if we are including state sales tax or federal and state gas tax then yes 3k eic is simple forced wellfair and not fair to the rest of the people paying their fair share of taxes....

 

[gibsontrio]

I find it really insulting that some of you assume those who are taking the EIC are "poor people who suck off the Gov't" . The majority of the Armed forces are E-5 and below. Half their income is non taxable ( Combat pay, Housing allowance) which brings their income down enough to take advantage of the EIC. They've earn EVERY CENT of that money defending our Country. Everyone has to start somewhere in life. At least they are working We used to receive the EIC when my husband first started his military career. Those days are long gone, but I dont think any less of those who do

PS... Half my refund this year is going to disney

 

[HHSTigerFan]

She didn't say they got a $6,000 refund. Stop twisting the numbers to try and prove your agenda.

She didn't say she didn't get a $6K refund either, person originally twisting the numbers to prove their agenda was the one that claimed they payed a net amount of income taxes.. Based on the numbers, chances are a person taking the EIC is NOT paying taxes.

 

[HHSTigerFan]

And yet again with the "productive members of society" BS.

If her DH works, he's a productive member of society.

If she stays home and cares for their children and home, she's a productive member of society.

Productive members of society don't suck up tax dollars from the rest of us.

 

[Free4Life11]

bs to all the above i know what the tables are and if you take their income and do the math for fica, state, local taxes it wouldnt even reach 3k maybe if we are including state sales tax or federal and state gas tax then yes 3k eic is simple forced wellfair and not fair to the rest of the people paying their fair share of taxes....

Not fair? Why don't you quit your job and start working at McDonalds full time. Then you can take full advantage of the EIC and enjoy the amazing lifestyle of the working poor!

 

[SaraJayne]

Productive members of society don't suck up tax dollars from the rest of us.

Yeah, you're right. Members of our Armed Forces are slackers.

I dare you to tell a member of the Armed Forces (or a family member) your above idea.

 

[traviesojmt]

Yeah, you're right. Members of our Armed Forces are slackers.

I dare you to tell a member of the Armed Forces (or a family member) your above idea.

Well, this Armed Forces family tends to agree with her. Due to my DH's deployment this year, we came within a few dollars of being eligible for the EIC. The idea of us receiving the credit is laughable. We made over 6 figures last year. We do not need a handout payment from the government, but due to most of the income being non-taxable we were almost eligible.

I don't understand the need to find the exceptions to the rule rather than focusing on those who ARE milking the system. Members of the Armed Forces are not slackers, but denying that there are many who milk the system is disingenuous. The federal tax system should not be used as a method to give more money back than was paid into the system.

One more thing. I do not understand why you keep focusing on the EIC as if people are bashing SAHMs. I am a SAHM. My workload has no bearing on the fact that I do not have an income. It is a choice that I made. No one, including the federal government, needs to supplement my lack of income. It is MY choice to be a SAHM. You are the only one who keeps bringing it up and I cannot see the association.

 

[SaraJayne]

Well, this Armed Forces family tends to agree with her. Due to my DH's deployment this year, we came within a few dollars of being eligible for the EIC. The idea of us receiving the credit is laughable. We made over 6 figures last year. We do not need a handout payment from the government, but due to most of the income being non-taxable we were almost eligible.

I don't understand the need to find the exceptions to the rule rather than focusing on those who ARE milking the system. Members of the Armed Forces are not slackers, but denying that there are many who milk the system is disingenuous. The federal tax system should not be used as a method to give more money back than was paid into the system.

One more thing. I do not understand why you keep focusing on the EIC as if people are bashing SAHMs. I am a SAHM. My workload has no bearing on the fact that I do not have an income. It is a choice that I made. No one, including the federal government, needs to supplement my lack of income. It is MY choice to be a SAHM. You are the only one who keeps bringing it up and I cannot see the association.

The OP was a SAHM until she went back to work part time (hence the OP).

It has been said numerous times throughout this thread she was not a "productive member of society" until she started a paid job. I disagree.

Just because you are eligible for the EIC does not mean you are "milking the system".

If you are a six figure military family, you are the exception, not the norm.

 

[gibsontrio]

If you are a six figure military family, you are the exception, not the norm.

 

[sam_gordon]

I don't understand the need to find the exceptions to the rule rather than focusing on those who ARE milking the system.

I'm curious. Between people "milking the system" and "people trying to better themselves", how do you know which is the exception and which is the rule?

 

[traviesojmt]

The OP was a SAHM until she went back to work part time (hence the OP).

It has been said numerous times throughout this thread she was not a "productive member of society" until she started a paid job. I disagree.

Just because you are eligible for the EIC does not mean you are "milking the system".

If you are a six figure military family, you are the exception, not the norm.

Being that we are not a high ranking military family, I can guarantee that we are not an exception. Money made during deployment is not taxable. It skews the income numbers. It makes us and many others appear to need EIC when reality is different.

I have no problem agreeing that just because you are eligible for EIC does not mean that you are "milking the system". Just as I firmly believe that many who do receive EIC are "milking the system". It is not a one size fits all, but those who play the game do give others a bad representation. I still firmly believe that the IRS should only handle taxes and programs, such as EIC, should be handled separately. When a family such as ours can be eligible for EIC, it is definitely broken.

 

[traviesojmt]

I'm curious. Between people "milking the system" and "people trying to better themselves", how do you know which is the exception and which is the rule?

I spent 3 years in a job where people would openly tell me that they didn't want to work, but they just wanted the "free" stuff, so I know my experience has tainted my view of the world. I do believe that geniune honest people often need help. I am all for helping people better themselves. That cannot be a lifetime of help. I said that that the system is broken. I definitely don't have all the answers, but we need to admit that the way we have been doing it doesn't work.

 

[HHSTigerFan]

Not fair? Why don't you quit your job and start working at McDonalds full time. Then you can take full advantage of the EIC and enjoy the amazing lifestyle of the working poor!

I put myself thru school, my wife did the same.. we wanted to be able to provide for our families, not to work our tails off so the govt can be $14 trillion in debt because so many people in todays society have become unproductive and just leaches on the rest of us..

 

[gibsontrio]

There are SO many ways people cheat the Gov't out of money (eg. unemployment when they could very well get a job at Mcdonalds until something better comes around) At least these people are WORKING!
@traviesojmt-Not trying to debate with a fellow military wife,but just out of curiousity how are you pulling off 6 figures?! My hubby is a prior enlisted Officer and I'm also a SAHM and we make nowhere near that, even with deployment?!? Are we doing something wrong or what..lol

 

[Jaklackus]

We were in the same situation. My DH and I both have well-paid careers. I left mine before we had kids, simply because we were being eaten alive in taxes. We actually ended up with MORE money the year after I left my job, and I made a pretty darned good professional salary. It's so depressing, it really is. We would have been much better off living together and just having kids than actually getting married.

As soon as we got married, we started owing these huge tax bills. The one with the big penalty for "not paying enough in" even though we were withholding EXTRA was just the icing on the cake. We had to figure something out. After federal taxes, state taxes, wear and tear on my car, gas, work clothes, etc., I was taking home very little of my very good salary If I'd had to add childcare in there, I'd probably have been paying to work. Ridiculous. The tax laws are set up so there is no incentive to have 2 salaries in some situations.

OMG this was us! After being floored that we paid in 23k in federal taxes between us and stupidly expecting a huge refund based on what we received back while single....we factored in a stock option that I cashed out mid year that bumped us into 6 figures...there were hysterical tears when we realized we had to pay in another 5k....so after $2400 in taxes taken out at the time of the transaction and the increase in tax owed at tax time...that 5k bonus cost us $7400.

There was zero childcare available in our area when we had our son(a year after 9/11)..unless I wanted to travel 45 minutes beyond my 30 minute commute to work and having to cut my hours to part time to accommodate extremely limited daycare hours at 12k per year..so I stayed home..we were better off giving up my 40k+ per year salary. DH was making more and I worked from home a little bit making 15k...so making 105k we paid in 28k..netting 77k...making 85k with a child we paid 4k..netting 81k...add in savings on gas, on wear and tear, office attire, $5 every other day for cakes, cards and gifts, take out, gifts for bad days at work ...

..the only draw back is that after 8.5 years as a SAHM my social security credits have gone down and I am having a heck of time finding a job now that the kids are in school.