# Do You Look Forward to a Big Tax Refund Check? **URL:** \ **Category:** Taxes\ **Created:** [February 7, 2022, 2:43am UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/do-you-look-forward-to-a-big-tax-refund-check/65 "2022-02-07T02:43:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TeamClarkAdmin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.clark.com/teamclarkadmin/32/17_2.png) [@TeamClarkAdmin](https://community.clark.com/u/TeamClarkAdmin)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2022, 2:43am UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/do-you-look-forward-to-a-big-tax-refund-check/65/1 "2022-02-07T02:43:50Z")
Clark doesn’t recommend big tax refunds. See his tax refund advice instead. Do you agree or disagree? Tell us why! > **[Why You Do Not Want To Get a Big Tax Refund Check](https://clark.com/personal-finance-credit/tax-refund/)** > > Rushing to file your return as soon as you can to get a big, fat refund check? Money expert Clark Howard says what you really need is a reality check. ---
**Author:** ![fuzzbutt](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.clark.com/fuzzbutt/32/94_2.png) [@fuzzbutt](https://community.clark.com/u/fuzzbutt)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2022, 12:59am UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/do-you-look-forward-to-a-big-tax-refund-check/65/2 "2022-02-10T00:59:28Z")
I not only agree but prefer to owe money. That way I’m able to hold more money in savings until it’s due and earn a bit of interest. Just be careful not to under withhold to the point of getting an under withholding penalty, ---
**Author:** ![kcflyer](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.clark.com/kcflyer/32/3346_2.png) [@kcflyer](https://community.clark.com/u/kcflyer)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2022, 10:53pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/do-you-look-forward-to-a-big-tax-refund-check/65/3 "2022-03-12T22:53:22Z")
Since I retired I pay estimates for Federal tax instead of having money withheld from my pension and social security. I use a tool I found a couple of years ago that is surprisingly accurate. Since I am on a mostly fixed income, I plug in my income numbers and it will tell me how much tax I owe. I divide that by 4 and pay the IRS online every quarter. For 2021 I had a refund of $7. > **[2021 Online 1040 Income Tax Payment Calculator: 2022 United States Federal...](https://www.mortgagecalculator.org/calcs/1040-calculator.php)** > > Use this FREE online calculator to quickly estimate your annual and quarterly federal personal income tax payments. ---
**Author:** ![Smartpolitics](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Smartpolitics](https://community.clark.com/u/Smartpolitics)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2022, 5:31am UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/do-you-look-forward-to-a-big-tax-refund-check/65/4 "2022-03-13T05:31:46Z")
Yes I prefer to owe too My wife likes the refund. Guess who wins? ---
**Author:** ![branchkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3d9bf3/32.png) [@branchkin](https://community.clark.com/u/branchkin)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2022, 2:35pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/do-you-look-forward-to-a-big-tax-refund-check/65/5 "2022-03-13T14:35:54Z")
Try to come out about even, usually pretty close. ---
**Author:** ![butler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@butler](https://community.clark.com/u/butler)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2022, 4:40pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/do-you-look-forward-to-a-big-tax-refund-check/65/6 "2022-03-13T16:40:16Z")
I always want to owe money come tax time. This is especially reinforced when I hear about all of these people waiting to get refunds back for over a year. ---
**Author:** ![H200h](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e79b87/32.png) [@H200h](https://community.clark.com/u/H200h)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2022, 9:26pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/do-you-look-forward-to-a-big-tax-refund-check/65/7 "2022-03-16T21:26:53Z")
I try to owe a little and don’t mind missing the mark too far because the late penalty isn’t too bad. This year I ended up with a $49 penalty on a $4600 under estimate. ---
**Author:** ![fuzzbutt](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.clark.com/fuzzbutt/32/94_2.png) [@fuzzbutt](https://community.clark.com/u/fuzzbutt)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2022, 7:04am UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/do-you-look-forward-to-a-big-tax-refund-check/65/8 "2022-03-19T07:04:17Z")
I owe another $4100.00 and got by without a penalty. Score one for me. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jimtoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a698b9/32.png) [@jimtoo](https://community.clark.com/u/jimtoo)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2022, 3:38pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/do-you-look-forward-to-a-big-tax-refund-check/65/9 "2022-03-19T15:38:43Z")
> [@butler](#): > > I always want to owe money come tax time. This is especially reinforced when I hear about all of these people waiting to get refunds back for over a year. I concur. We have taxes withheld from RMDs, but have a variety of other income. So, we wait until later in the year to take RMDs and get the withholding close but within the safe harbor. If I mistakenly over withhold, I just apply it to current year taxes. We owe the Feds $750 for 2021 and the state about $2,200 (but withheld more than 2020 tax, so no penalty). ---
**Author:** ![kcflyer](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.clark.com/kcflyer/32/3346_2.png) [@kcflyer](https://community.clark.com/u/kcflyer)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2022, 9:17pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/do-you-look-forward-to-a-big-tax-refund-check/65/10 "2022-03-20T21:17:12Z")
I pay estimates. My income is not subject to state income tax, since it’s from a state pension, which is not taxable income in Kansas. But if I withhold Federal from it or any other source, the the state law says that I have to withhold 5% for the state, even though my taxable income will be zero. It’s easier and far more cost effective for me to estimate federal and pay them. ---
**Author:** ![robertpri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@robertpri](https://community.clark.com/u/robertpri)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2022, 2:30am UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/do-you-look-forward-to-a-big-tax-refund-check/65/12 "2022-07-04T02:30:26Z")
I paid a few thousand but had to paper file. I’ve E-filed for years but this year could not the PIN thing to work. Rejected about ten times so printed and mailed. I’ve tried to log into my account for weeks to see if everything is okay, but sources say there are millions of paper returns to enter and it could take months. ---
**Author:** ![JPW050](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b3f665/32.png) [@JPW050](https://community.clark.com/u/JPW050)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 1:37pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/do-you-look-forward-to-a-big-tax-refund-check/65/13 "2024-04-21T13:37:56Z")
Filing taxes is a little like balancing a checking account. The ideal tax return should be zero. You pay nothing and you get back nothing. Unfortunately, reality makes this difficult. Being aware of what income is taxable and adjusting withholding amounts accordingly can help. It is a constant struggle to keep everything in balance.