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How come my return is much this time around but last year I made more money and they took more out of my paycheck

 
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2 Replies

How come my return is much this time around but last year I made more money and they took more out of my paycheck

We cannot see your screen, your return or your account.  Have you entered ALL of your 2019 information?  All your income, etc.?  Many tax documents that you need do not arrive until late January or even February, so maybe you do not have it all there yet.

 

 

No one in this user forum can see your tax return or your screen.  There were major tax law changes that began with the 2018 tax year that seem to continue to surprise some people.  Personal exemptions of over $4000 per person were removed beginning with 2018 returns.

One thing that may be affecting your refund is that employers began withholding less tax when the new tax law passed.  Your paychecks were more, but that means a smaller refund now. 

There are a lot of variables that affect your refund or tax due including how much you earned, how much tax you had withheld, your filing status, the number of dependents you claim, your deductions and credits, etc.  You may have lost Earned Income Credit or the Child Tax Credit— did a child turn 17?  If you received the EIC last year, remember that changes in the amount you earn have a big effect on the amount of EIC you can get. (Sometimes earning more money means less EIC)  Are you 65 or older ?  If so, your standard deduction is higher. Everyone has a higher standard deduction now so it is harder to use itemized deductions.

 

 

And of course, always check your own data entries, looking for errors such as misplaced decimals or extra zeros.

 

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901008-why-did-my-refund-go-down-compared-to-last-year-s

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**
HelenC12
Expert Alumni

How come my return is much this time around but last year I made more money and they took more out of my paycheck

Even though you had more taxes taken out of your pay, it still may not have been enough. The more you make, the more taxes you pay.

 

Please see the information below to find out what the difference is between 2018 versus 2019Why did my refund go down compared to last year's?

 

If you added a second W-2, see Why did my refund drop when I entered a second W-2?

 

 

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