2011 Tax Returns

[PDH]

The best way is to lose everything in a messy divorce, then tax filing becomes a lot simpler.

[KRonn]

I'll be getting money back, mortgage and some medical bills out of pocket this year to add to it. After a rather large Federal return last year, I decreased my withholding taxes so I'd get a little less taken out of my paycheck, since I was paying a bit too much apparently. Hey, I ain't Warren Buffet!! 

[garbon]

The best way is to lose everything in a messy divorce, then tax filing becomes a lot simpler.

Homeless people have it so easy!

[derspiess]

I ditched TaxCut last year & went with TurboTax & will do so again this year.  We gave away a buttload of clothes again last year (particularly accumulated baby/toddler clothes, given how we're at the end of a hand-me-down chain) and the TurboTax donations calculator helps immensely.

So far it's looking like we stand to get back way more than we had before, with two kids and some day-care expenses we can actually claim.  We're also just past the threshold to deduct medical expenses for 2011, so it's been a doozy just gathering all the info for that.

TaxCut was so buggy for me-- if I left an item (or just one field) to complete later and then actually went back & completed it later, it would still throw errors telling me something was missing & I'd end up having to do the whole damned thing from scratch.

[Iormlund]

I only have to minimally alter the returns pre-calculated by our IRS. Their software gets it right more often than not.

[MadImmortalMan]

I only have to minimally alter the returns pre-calculated by our IRS. Their software gets it right more often than not.

We've been outdone in efficiency by the Spaniards. We suck.

[Iormlund]

And the Greeks are even more efficient. They just don't pay taxes at all.

[Admiral Yi]

I only have to minimally alter the returns pre-calculated by our IRS. Their software gets it right more often than not.

That's cool.  How complicated is a typical Spanish return?

[Iormlund]

It is fairly easy as far as I can tell, although being a single guy with no mortgage mine are as easy as you can think of.

You get sent a pre-calculated draft with parameters set in advance (income, mortgage, pension contributions, people who depend on you etc). If you want to change something you can use an application on their web page to modify or redo the whole thing.

In addition pretty much all taxes are levied by the central government, which then distributes the money to regional administrations. I'm guessing that simplifies things quite a bit.

[KRonn]

Hmm, the Spanish system seems quite streamlined. I would wish the US would start streamling and simplifying its tax code. But hey, our legislators do talk threaten about doing that all the time. But we may want to be carful though, as we may get what we wish for, simplification, and not like it.

[Admiral Yi]

I was doing my state, so had to look at the federal pdf.  Found out that I got a $200 credit for contributing to my own retirement while poor. 

Thanks Barry, I feel stimulated.

[Ed Anger]

The thought of my 2011 taxes MAKES MY BLOOD BOIL.

[Sheilbh]

Hmm, the Spanish system seems quite streamlined. I would wish the US would start streamling and simplifying its tax code. But hey, our legislators do talk threaten about doing that all the time. But we may want to be carful though, as we may get what we wish for, simplification, and not like it.

In my last job I had to research lots of tax systems.  Without exception the US was the most difficult and unpleasant to deal with in terms of getting the information and degree of complexity.  I mean even lots of the websites looked like they'd not been updated, or used since the 90s..  I always wonder if Americans don't like government because they're really, really bad at it.

That's cool.  How complicated is a typical Spanish return?

Most Euro-countries don't need returns unless you're self-employed or have more than one source of income.

[Grey Fox]

Already? My employer hasn't even started mailing the income statements.

Hopefully, I won't have to pay up this year but I'm doubtfull, very very doubtfull.