# Have we done this yet? Taxes are the spawn of Satan
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-we-done-this-yet-taxes-are-the-spawn-of-satan/299183
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [April 13, 2005, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-we-done-this-yet-taxes-are-the-spawn-of-satan/299183 "2005-04-13T20:40:36Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@BottledBlondJeanie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BottledBlondJeanie)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2005, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-we-done-this-yet-taxes-are-the-spawn-of-satan/299183/1 "2005-04-13T20:40:36Z")
Nothing in life is certain but death and taxes. As of yesterday I thought I was certain the friggin government owed me taxes. Now, after a recheck before submitting, I owe them money.
However, thank goodness for Turbotax, but I can’t find my receipt for my moving and can’t remember who did it to get a receipt. So I am not declaring that deduction and it’s going to kill me. Bah!
Unless you’re doing the 1040EZ or taking a standard deduction, isn’t this shit hard and aren’t you terrified if you take a legit deduction you’re going to get nailed by the IRS? Fuck Schedule K’s and 1099’s Fuck all of it!
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### Author:  [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2005, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-we-done-this-yet-taxes-are-the-spawn-of-satan/299183/2 "2005-04-13T20:46:00Z")
I had to do my taxes 4 times this year. Used turbotax online. First did married filing jointly, got about $200 back between Fed and State. Before submitting, decided to check and see if separately would be better, and managed to completely fuck up the original return. So, I created two new IDs and did us separately, it was worse. Created a 4th ID, and redid the original return and got my $200 back.
Yay.
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### Author:  [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2005, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-we-done-this-yet-taxes-are-the-spawn-of-satan/299183/3 "2005-04-13T20:48:48Z")
This is the first year that I can deduct property taxes. My property taxes are fairly high and I still owe the government an assload of money.
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### Author:  [@jk1245](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jk1245)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2005, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-we-done-this-yet-taxes-are-the-spawn-of-satan/299183/4 "2005-04-13T20:55:25Z")
For teh past few years, I have used the deduction calculator at the IRS website to figure deductions so I come near to breaking even as I can (I hate loaning the gov money interest free). Seems to work good (for 2003, I owed $32 Fed and got back $27 state. Bout as near to even as you can get).
This year, somehow or another I owe **$1500** Federal and get back a little over a $1000 state. A net payin of $500. I know it’s not costing me more and it just a matter of when you pay (all year vs lump at the end of the year) but it still enough to piss a guy off. Now my wife wants to jack our withholding up to make sure we get something back next year. She’s jealous of the refunds some of our friends are getting (over $4000 in one case).
Friggin IRS. Did tax laws change that much? How the hell was the withholding calculator off by that much?
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### Author:  [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2005, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-we-done-this-yet-taxes-are-the-spawn-of-satan/299183/5 "2005-04-13T20:55:39Z")
I went from thinking I was getting $1400 back from Uncle Sam to only getting $250. That ruined my whole fucking week.
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### Author:  [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2005, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-we-done-this-yet-taxes-are-the-spawn-of-satan/299183/6 "2005-04-13T21:07:40Z")
I file for extensions all the way to October 15th (September 15th for the business), but still pay what I owe as I go…I wish I had taxes that easy to file with Turbo Tax.
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### Author:  [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2005, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-we-done-this-yet-taxes-are-the-spawn-of-satan/299183/7 "2005-04-13T21:22:24Z")
I spent about an hour last night trying to convince Turbo Tax that I was a California resident. For some reason, it would only let me fill out the Part-time/non-resident state tax form. Finally had to start the whole thing over to get the right form.
On the bright side, I’m getting a $700 refund. Woo!
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### Author:  [@Orbifold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orbifold)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2005, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-we-done-this-yet-taxes-are-the-spawn-of-satan/299183/8 "2005-04-13T21:24:24Z")
I say you haven’t really lived until you’ve filed California state taxes as a part-year resident. Any tax forms whose instructions don’t include lines like “carry out the division to four decimal places” really aren’t trying hard enough to raise your blood pressure. And Schedule CA…is there a more insane form anywhere in the tax-paying world?
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### Author:  [@Strainger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strainger)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2005, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-we-done-this-yet-taxes-are-the-spawn-of-satan/299183/9 "2005-04-13T21:35:07Z")
I checked TurboTax earlier this year, and it didn’t tell me anything I don’t already know. Mortgage interest? Check. Property taxes? Check. License tag? Check. Medical expenses including insurance payments? Check (for state, not federal).
I also constantly refer to the previous year’s return.
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### Author:  [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2005, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-we-done-this-yet-taxes-are-the-spawn-of-satan/299183/10 "2005-04-13T21:39:44Z")
> [@Orbifold](#):
>
> I say you haven’t really lived until you’ve filed California state taxes as a part-year resident. Any tax forms whose instructions don’t include lines like “carry out the division to four decimal places” really aren’t trying hard enough to raise your blood pressure. And Schedule CA…is there a more insane form anywhere in the tax-paying world?
Word! Being an accounting major, I volunteered one year to do my boyfriend’s taxes for him. Federal return, CA part-year and IL part-year.
I still don’t think I have regained my insanity.
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### Author:  [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2005, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-we-done-this-yet-taxes-are-the-spawn-of-satan/299183/11 "2005-04-13T21:57:50Z")
We owe nearly $7k to the feds and $1.4k to the state thanks to the stupid capital gains tax.
It took me about 2 hours to do my taxes.
I’m not worried about the deductions since I have receipts for all my deductions, but it’s still a major pain in the butt.
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### Author:  [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2005, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-we-done-this-yet-taxes-are-the-spawn-of-satan/299183/12 "2005-04-13T22:07:08Z")
I can beat that Lisa…By about $7k.
My favorite tax thing - people recommending that everyone across the board minimize their withholding so they don’t give the gubberment free money. Now, some of us fill out our w-4s married, withhold at higher single rate, don’t claim our kids on our w-4s, have extra money taken out, and STILL owe taxes.
(But I’m not complaining too loud…it means we did well on stocks.)
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### Author:  [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2005, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-we-done-this-yet-taxes-are-the-spawn-of-satan/299183/13 "2005-04-13T22:16:34Z")
I’m with you folks. I bought my home last year, an experience which was turned into a nightmare by the realtor from hell. This year, for the first time, I had to fill out a full 1040, rather than a simple 1040EZ which I’d been filing over the phone. Last night, I plunged into the nightmare. After finding forms, immersing myself in instruction booklets, and generally swearing a lot, it turns out I’m better off taking the standard deduction and I still owe the government double what I did last year. I’d been told buying my home meant I’d get a refund! After this ordeal, I fired up a video game and turned on the CD in the computer’s drive only to hear Meatloaf’s version of “Read 'Em and Weep”! As I’ve said elsewhere, the universe is playing jokes on me again! :rolleyes:
Tonight I’m going to get together with that gentleman I’ve been seeing to prove to him the numbers are what they are. Hopefully, we’ll be able to take each others’ minds off our troubles. I do like the tactic that buddy of mine who writes military and science fiction used to get his taxes done this year – he hired a former Marine gunny sergeant!
Somewhere, the demon who inspired this is laughing, I swear!!! 😉
CJ
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### Author:  [@mischievous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mischievous)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2005, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-we-done-this-yet-taxes-are-the-spawn-of-satan/299183/14 "2005-04-13T23:16:49Z")
> [@BottledBlondJeanie](#):
>
> Unless you’re doing the 1040EZ or taking a standard deduction, isn’t this shit hard and aren’t you terrified if you take a legit deduction you’re going to get nailed by the IRS?
As a member of a jury which just convicted a man on four counts of tax fraud, let me say this: You have to try really, really hard and be really, really stupid to get the IRS genuinely angry at you. Mistakes just don’t upset them at all.
mischievous
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### Author:  [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2005, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-we-done-this-yet-taxes-are-the-spawn-of-satan/299183/15 "2005-04-13T23:41:53Z")
I haven’t done mine yet, since I know I’m going to owe, I am going to wait until about 6 friday night, then file an extension.
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### Author:  [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2005, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-we-done-this-yet-taxes-are-the-spawn-of-satan/299183/16 "2005-04-13T23:48:05Z")
Stuffy, you do realize that you still have to send in your money on time, right? You can extend the filing; you cannot extend the payment without incurring penalties.
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### Author:  [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2005, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-we-done-this-yet-taxes-are-the-spawn-of-satan/299183/17 "2005-04-14T00:56:23Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#):
>
> Stuffy, you do realize that you still have to send in your money on time, right? You can extend the filing; you cannot extend the payment without incurring penalties.
Nope I didn’t, I still need an extension though.
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### Author:  [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2005, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-we-done-this-yet-taxes-are-the-spawn-of-satan/299183/18 "2005-04-14T02:09:49Z")
> [@scout1222](#):
>
> Word! Being an accounting major, I volunteered one year to do my boyfriend’s taxes for him. Federal return, CA part-year and IL part-year.
>
> I still don’t think I have regained my insanity.
The year I moved to Illinois, I had to file state tax forms for Illinois, Minnesota, **and** Wisconsin. Yeah, I opted to have a professional deal with that headache.
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### Author:  [@MaddyStrut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaddyStrut)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2005, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-we-done-this-yet-taxes-are-the-spawn-of-satan/299183/19 "2005-04-14T02:26:36Z")
**Stuffy** , get yourself onto [Turbotax.com](http://Turbotax.com) and go through it. You don’t have to pay their fee until you file. You do need to pay what you think you owe even if you file for an extension. You can file for an extension over turbo tax if you still want to (but you have to pay their fee). I did the normal 1040 and state return a few days ago. It took about two hoursf (it would have taken less time if I’d had all my 2003 paperwork ready). It’s a pain in the ass, but it’s much better than getting into trouble with the IRS. Really.
My tax tale of woe…
A few years ago some Maryland department of revenue snafu led them to believe I hadn’t paid anything, withheld anything, or even filed a return for the year 2000. I had, and I have no idea how things got messed up on their end. All I know is one day I got a nasty letter in the mail saying I owed them thousands of dollars. It was not a happy day for me! That letter could send a healthy person into instant cardiac arrest.
Luckily, I still had copies of my tax returns and could get a copy of the check I used to pay them (which they had cashed) from my bank. However, the entire ordeal was a nightmare. I had to talk to department after department. After several hours on the phone, someone stated that they put a flag on my case saying that I was sending in proof of filing and payment. I sent the information right away. I thought all was well until I got a notice from a collection company in my mailbox. That was another cardiac arrest moment. Boy are those letters _mean_! It said things like “this will not go away–you cannot ignore us.”
I made more calls to the department of revenue only to find out it can take some time to update my case file. Great. In the meantime I’m getting nasty collection notices.
It got straightened out with no fees, penalties, or additional payments on my part. From checking my credit reports, all is well. However, the amount of agony and work I went through _correcting their error_ is a sore spot with me to this day. Dammit! I sent the return in along with a stinking check that they cashed! I did everything right. Stupid Maryland stupid department of stupid revenue! Burns me up even writing about it!
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### Author:  [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2005, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-we-done-this-yet-taxes-are-the-spawn-of-satan/299183/20 "2005-04-14T02:49:45Z")
> [@BottledBlondJeanie](#):
>
> Nothing in life is certain but death and taxes. As of yesterday I thought I was certain the friggin government owed me taxes. Now, after a recheck before submitting, I owe them money.
>
> However, thank goodness for Turbotax, but I can’t find my receipt for my moving and can’t remember who did it to get a receipt. So I am not declaring that deduction and it’s going to kill me. Bah!
>
> Unless you’re doing the 1040EZ or taking a standard deduction, isn’t this shit hard and aren’t you terrified if you take a legit deduction you’re going to get nailed by the IRS? Fuck Schedule K’s and 1099’s Fuck all of it!
I’ll bet I can top any tax horror story this year due to multi-country taxes fighting each other. For a brief time, until I got some serious hard-core help, due to a combination of unusual factors I was certain that I owed about $122,000 in unexpected additional taxes this year. One of the forms I had to fill out said the Paperwork Reduction Act estimated a 7-hour time for just that one, single form. Never mind the scary TD anti-terrorism/drug money form I had to fill out or risk going to prison…thankfully, I received back a small amount instead. :eek:
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