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Level 1
February 24, 2021
Question

And why am I paying in on state and federal makes no sense to me

  • February 24, 2021
  • 2 replies
  • 6 views
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2 replies

Alumni - Champ
February 24, 2021

No one on this public forum has access to your returns.  But start by checking your data entry for any typos; especially commas, decimals and extra zeroes.  If you owe taxes this year, it may be because you had less withheld.  Or, did you receive unemployment comp?  That's taxable for Federal, as well as in some states.

Level 15
February 24, 2021

The reason you owe federal and state income tax is because you didn't pay in enough taxes from your paychecks based on the money you made. Taxes are pay-as-you-go. This means that you need to pay most of your tax during the year, as you receive income, rather than paying at the end of the year.

 

The situations below are some of the most common reasons why you might be owing income tax. For example, did you:

  • Adjust your withholding to maximize your take home pay?
  • Did you receive unemployment benefits, but didn’t have taxes withheld?
  • Did you earn little or no income, so you didn’t qualify for the Earned Income Credit (unfortunately, unemployment doesn’t count as earned income)?
  • Did you complete 2020 W-4, which more closely matches your tax liability (amount of taxes you paid)?
  • Did you sell stock?
  • Did you take an early withdrawal from your retirement account?
  • Did you pay less tuition due to school closures, so you can’t deduct as much?

To maximize your refund next year, invest, and/or pay taxes you might owe, consider some of these options:

  • Amend your W-4 to increase the amount of withholdings for a higher refund next year; or
  • Instead of withholding more, put that same amount into a savings account, an IRA, or other tax-sheltered vehicle. 
  • If you can’t pay taxes you owe for unemployment benefits in full, the IRS offers alternate payment options. If you’ve already filed, you can complete an Online Payment Agreement application or request a payment plan by phone at 800-829-1040.
  • If your refund is wildly off, double check the amounts you input (a dollar amount mistype can have a big impact on your refund).

Here are some other possible reasons for a year-over-year refund decrease or amount due:

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