So much for my shopping spree...
I've been promising myself for weeks that once I got my tax return, I'd go clothes shopping. Having lost 50 lbs in the last year, my clothes all look like tents on me. I've bought a couple of pants and some shirts here and there, I had to, but I'd really like a bit of choice in what I wear that doesn't involve me looking like I'm still trying to hide the 50 lbs that's not there any more.
Since I've been unemployed since the end of September, but my taxes were taken off my pay assuming that I'd be paid the full amount for the year - and since I usually get at least a couple hundred dollars back - I assumed I'd get at least as much as usual and probably more.
Having gone to H&R Block last night, my tax return is a grand total of... $55. And it cost me $75 just to get them to do the taxes. -_- If I'd known it would be so small, I'd have just done them myself, but we had to go for Jess anyway because hers are complicated this year.
I called my boss this morning and we talked it over, and she discovered that for some reason the program she uses for accounting and doing everyone's paycheques and T4s had randomly decided to change the federal deductable amount for about half the people in the office - including me. As a result, it was taking less from each paycheque for taxes than it should have been. Not much less, just enough that it adds up over the course of the year. If I'd worked the full year, I'd have actually ended up OWING the government money.
So no shopping spree for me. Oh, well. At least it looks like Jess' taxes will be less than we'd feared, so we'll be able to pay them without any problem. That's one big worry off my chest.
ARGH, I hate money worries. And even so I know we're a lot better off than many of our internet friends. At least we don't have nearly as much debt as a lot of people our age, nor do we have children to provide for.
ETA: When I left last night, everything was supposedly finished for me and we were just waiting on some stuff for Jess, and the government owed me $55. Today when we came in to finish it, suddenly I owed THEM $300. I still haven't figured out what changed. >.< Irritating.
Since I've been unemployed since the end of September, but my taxes were taken off my pay assuming that I'd be paid the full amount for the year - and since I usually get at least a couple hundred dollars back - I assumed I'd get at least as much as usual and probably more.
Having gone to H&R Block last night, my tax return is a grand total of... $55. And it cost me $75 just to get them to do the taxes. -_- If I'd known it would be so small, I'd have just done them myself, but we had to go for Jess anyway because hers are complicated this year.
I called my boss this morning and we talked it over, and she discovered that for some reason the program she uses for accounting and doing everyone's paycheques and T4s had randomly decided to change the federal deductable amount for about half the people in the office - including me. As a result, it was taking less from each paycheque for taxes than it should have been. Not much less, just enough that it adds up over the course of the year. If I'd worked the full year, I'd have actually ended up OWING the government money.
So no shopping spree for me. Oh, well. At least it looks like Jess' taxes will be less than we'd feared, so we'll be able to pay them without any problem. That's one big worry off my chest.
ARGH, I hate money worries. And even so I know we're a lot better off than many of our internet friends. At least we don't have nearly as much debt as a lot of people our age, nor do we have children to provide for.
ETA: When I left last night, everything was supposedly finished for me and we were just waiting on some stuff for Jess, and the government owed me $55. Today when we came in to finish it, suddenly I owed THEM $300. I still haven't figured out what changed. >.< Irritating.