Greetings, my fellow port swillers!
Got our tax docs back from the accountant wallahs this evening. For the past umpteen years, we’ve always expected a modest refund. This year, it would seem we actually owe a not-inconsiderable wodge of dosh. Grrrrrrr…….
This is the thing. It’s not so much the amount of the check itself, it’s the perception of value for money. I could write a whole damn book on this subject, but in short, I don’t think we’re getting all that much. Double grrrrrr……
Speaking of owing reminds me of an episode back in the early days of married life, 20-odd years ago. What with one thing and another, I had been slow about putting together our returns, and the upshot was that Mrs. R and I had to make a run for the closest open Postal Service facility on the evening of April 15th in order to get our return properly post-marked.
There was a blazing thunderstorm and torrential rain that evening. Nonetheless, the anti-tax protesters were out in force at the mail center and I tooted my horn in solidarity with them most enthusiastically. (I love the idea, by the way, of scheduling elections round about the same time as taxes are due. Goes right to the whole value-for-money thing.)
Anyhoo, we got the forms into the mail well before midnight, with much grumbling, and started on our way back to our apartment. Coming up on an important intersection, we found that there had been an accident and that the cops were on the scene to direct traffic around the mess.
I will never forget this. Having just had Uncle take a big bite out of my not-very-considerable income, I was sitting in a downpour, lightning all over the place, when I suddenly became aware of a County policeman knocking on my windshield with his flashlight and pointing at my inspection sticker. It had expired the month before.
Ol’ Robbo is not and has never been an Ayn Rand libertarian type. But at that moment, I wanted to cold-cock the cop, strip him of his weapons and equipment, and light out for the hills.
The Port Stands At Your Elbow 
7 comments
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April 14, 2015 at 9:03 am
The Maximum Leader
Funny that after years of modest refunds, Mrs Villain and I also owe this year. I was trying to figure out exactly what in the tax code changed that would cause this; but to no avail. I’ve just paid up and called it a day. Mrs. Villain was quite put out by this. She now wants me to go changing our withholdings and such. No fun indeed.
To make the matter more fun, I now need to take that tax information and submit all of it over to Financial Aid office of the school that Villainette #1 will be attending in the fall. I’m expecting to be told how little we will qualify for and to pony-up again.
April 14, 2015 at 10:38 am
captainned
Has the Eldest Gel reached age 17, and if so, did it happen on or before 12/31/14? Once they turn 17, you lose the child tax deduction.
April 14, 2015 at 10:47 am
rbj1
I also owed money this year. Just cut the check and took it to the post office today. But it’s because I sold stock last year to pay for a new furnace last January. Which wasn’t done because I wanted to.
April 14, 2015 at 1:08 pm
NOVA Curmudgeon
I posted my check this AM. We’ve owed for as long as I can remember and especially now what with the young ones having fled the coop over the past few years. I much prefer to hold on to my $$ as long as possible and earn whatever I can from them rather than let my uncle do the same.
April 14, 2015 at 3:42 pm
The Maximum Leader
NOVA – I tell Mrs Villain the same thing! I’d rather owe a modest amount than get a big (or modest) refund. She doesn’t agree. Sadly, I’m not sure that any amount of rationalization is going to advance that particular cause at all.
April 14, 2015 at 10:33 pm
Robbo
Heh. I should note that I’ve heard similar complaints from other family members. However, I advise you all to remember what Dear Leader said: At some point, everybody’s made enough money. So pony up the excess, succahs…..
April 15, 2015 at 3:08 pm
nightfly
I’ve always felt that if a true small-gov type wanted to drive home the pain of such a bloated, leviathan fed’rul budget, it would be simple: END WITHHOLDING.
Seriously, make it illegal. Every month or quarter (taxpayer’s choice) Uncle Sam sends you an invoice and you cut him a check. You see that large a stack of dollars sprout wings every 15th of the month, you see the giant red minus sign in your checking ledger – you notcie.
Government doesn’t want that because it wants to guarantee its revenue stream. Can’t have the cows kicking over the milk pails, ya know?
Like our host, I’m no Randian Kook who wants to, in James Lileks’ wonderful turn of phrase, “devolve the Navy to the municipal level,” but from time to time we ought to remind them who the adults are in this relationship.