Getting to be tax season, whatcha doing?

[Texsox]

April 15th is closer than you think.

[Steve9347]

We'll owe around 2k like every year. Time to s*** out a f*** trophy already.

[Soxbadger]

Not sure what Ill get back, I usually purposefully overpay so its always been over $1k.

[pettie4sox]

Anyone need their taxes done?

[StrangeSox]

I'll make my dad do my taxes (he works for the IRS), it'll be e-file and if it's like last year it'll be >$1000.

[Y2HH]

Not sure what Ill get back, I usually purposefully overpay so its always been over $1k.

 

Same. I know this is a bad practice, too...but I'd rather be over than under and owe...the goal is to not be TOO far over, though.

[Balta1701]

Same. I know this is a bad practice, too...but I'd rather be over than under and owe...the goal is to not be TOO far over, though.

When interest rates are this low, it's not really going to make a big difference.

[CrimsonWeltall]

I'm going to owe at least $2,000.

 

Thanks, North Carolina 7% state income tax.

[southsider2k5]

Overpay by $4k or so. Its our interest free savings program that will turn into our new furnace/AC.

[Y2HH]

Overpay by $4k or so. Its our interest free savings program that will turn into our new furnace/AC.

 

Hahah, I did that last time.

 

2 years ago I replaced my furnace with a 96% efficiency Rheem, yes, I also have a Nest Thermostat.

 

Last year I replaced my old A/C which was a now no longer legal 9 SEER rating to a newer/bigger model thats 14.5 SEER.

 

All done with tax return money.

 

This year...it's getting the roof re-shingled.

[Soxbadger]

Overpay by $4k or so. Its our interest free savings program that will turn into our new furnace/AC.

 

Yeah I also enjoy spending the return check.

[southsider2k5]

Hahah, I did that last time.

 

2 years ago I replaced my furnace with a 96% efficiency Rheem, yes, I also have a Nest Thermostat.

 

Last year I replaced my old A/C which was a now no longer legal 9 SEER rating to a newer/bigger model thats 14.5 SEER.

 

All done with tax return money.

 

This year...it's getting the roof re-shingled.

 

We did windows and a bit nut into the Christmas club account last year. The roof is on the list for after the furnace/AC units. We have an 80% efficiency that was in the house when we bought it, so I can't wait to see what it saves us.

[Y2HH]

We did windows and a bit nut into the Christmas club account last year. The roof is on the list for after the furnace/AC units. We have an 80% efficiency that was in the house when we bought it, so I can't wait to see what it saves us.

 

I can tell you that now...

 

I had an 80%, replaced it with a 96%...my monthly heating bill went from ~240 to ~120-140.

[southsider2k5]

I can tell you that now...

 

I had an 80%, replaced it with a 96%...my monthly heating bill went from ~240 to ~120-140.

 

We are on the budget plan for $118 a month now. I already got our bill down from 186 after we bought the place.

[DukeNukeEm]

I try and hit it right on the mark (I dont like giving the government an interest free loan), but my income has really fluctuated this year and I made like twice the amount I've ever made this tax season, so I have no idea really what I'll be looking at.

[Jenksismyhero]

Turbo Tax for me, expecting a boatload back with the new baby and the ridiculous childcare expenses we've shelled out in the last 6 months.

[Y2HH]

We are on the budget plan for $118 a month now. I already got our bill down from 186 after we bought the place.

 

Without changing anything else, ours dropped almost in half. We keep the house between 69-72 ALL day/night. I'm sure I could cut my bill down even further...but I like it warm.

 

Your bill will probably go down ~40%.

 

...and what's a budget plan?

Edited January 14, 2013 by Y2HH

[StrangeSox]

Chicago winters + R-8 insulation in the attic and no exterior wall insulation = cold house. If mine's decent, it's probably going towards some attic insulation.

[TomSeaverFan]

Does anybody have a link to form 1040 instructions and the tax table? I swear I get it online every year and can't find a link to the current 1040 instructions. If anybody gets a minute and can check the IRS site and find the link for 2012 instructions I would be very grateful.

[hogan873]

My wife's a CPA, but she uses Turbo Tax. She'll look for just about every write off she can find, plus we overpay. So we always get a nice return. And the return typically goes right towards paying bills.

 

This year, however, we might put a chunk away for vacation. One of these years, though, it's going to be time for a new air conditioner.

[southsider2k5]

Without changing anything else, ours dropped almost in half. We keep the house between 69-72 ALL day/night. I'm sure I could cut my bill down even further...but I like it warm.

 

Your bill will probably go down ~40%.

 

...and what's a budget plan?

 

They take your yearly average and divide it by 12 so you don't have huge seasonal fluctuation in what you pay.

 

We keep the heat at 71 when people are home, 70 at bed time, and 68 during the day when no one is home. We do keep it much higher in the summer, usually 78 or 79. We also unplugged a lot of things, and turned off powerstrips that don't get used very often.

[StrangeSox]

Your unoccupied setting is my occupied setting

[EvilMonkey]

Will get money back because I always over pay now. In 1987 I won $3k in the Lotto, and being a young college kid didn't realize that I needed to pay taxes on that, thought they were already taken out like the state taxes were. So several years later when the IRS came knocking, I got hosed. Then they said I didn't submit that payment in time, even though I sent it 3 or 4 days later, so I had more penalties and fines. I sent that one next day, AGAIN got a notice that I was late, so hired a tax lawyer next day and we sent certified with a letter from him, return receipt, etc all within the time frame. The next year I got audited, however it turned out that they owed ME money (about $100). Next year was sent a notice in the mail that they were going to be auditing my account, then got something a few months later saying they found no discrepancies. Now I don't screw with them.

[LittleHurt05]

Thanks to rental losses on our old condos in the city and our current mortgage interest, we always get a huge refund. Last year between the state & feds it was almost $11,000.

 

I don't care about the "interest-free" loan argument. I would have spent the money during the year, this way we can either build up our savings, do something to the house, or sponsor a vacation.

[Y2HH]

They take your yearly average and divide it by 12 so you don't have huge seasonal fluctuation in what you pay.

 

We keep the heat at 71 when people are home, 70 at bed time, and 68 during the day when no one is home. We do keep it much higher in the summer, usually 78 or 79. We also unplugged a lot of things, and turned off powerstrips that don't get used very often.

 

Ah ok...well, that is my prices WITHOUT being on a budget plan. So expect your bill to really go down quite a bit. During the spring/fall, my gas bill is usually around ~55$ a month, during the summer, it's as low as 40$. Right now, at it's peak, it hits around 140 at the most...

 

I had a lot of overhead flood lighting in my house, which were burning at 50W each, so we're talking ~400-500 watts upstairs at any given time, and another 400+ downstairs. I replaced all of those 50W floods with 11 watt CFL's...so what was taking up 400 watts will now only burn like 88.