Why It's Not Smart to Get a Big Tax Refund Each Year

If you’re expecting a big tax refund this year, you’ve probably already decided what you’re going to do with that money. Whether it’s a vacation, a new jet ski or a nice boost to your retirement savings, you’re probably pretty excited about the extra cash. But here’s the deal: Getting a big tax refund each year isn’t necessarily a good thing. It means you haven’t been putting that money to work for you all year long.

“If you are receiving a refund this year, it means that you overpaid your taxes during the course of the year. Instead of giving the government your hard-earned money, think about all of the great things you could have done with that money,” says Ron Weber, a senior marketing manager with Quicken Inc. “You could have paid off credit accounts, invested it in your future, and/or spent it as you earned it. Money is always better in your pocket than in someone else’s — even if that someone else is the government.”

Here’s how you can make sure you boost your bottom line this year by not overpaying your taxes and also not getting a refund.

Review Your Withholdings

Sit down and review your paycheck withholdings and see if you can break even when it comes to the taxes you pay. You’re looking for your Goldilocks zone. Not too little, not too much, but just right.

“If you are unsure what to do, experiment until you get it right,” Weber advises. “Most people are unaware that you can change your number of payroll exemptions as many times as you wish.”

You can also try using a tool to help you find your Goldilocks zone. The Internal Revenue Service has a withholdings calculator that can help you see how much difference a change in your withholdings will make. Certainly, you don’t want to owe taxes next year if you can avoid it, but getting your tax refund as close to zero as possible means you can invest or spend the additional income on a regular basis instead of letting the Treasury Department store it for you.

As you review your withholdings, you’ll want to be sure you …

Don’t Forget Your House …

If you own your own home, you probably know you can claim mortgage interest and property tax deductions, so take into account how much that will reduce your tax burden.

… Or Your Investments

If you own investment property, you’ll also want to consider any expenses you can deduct that might affect your taxes for next year.

… Or Big Life Events

“There are certain life events that you want to keep in mind when changing your exemptions such as marriage, having children or any situation where you decrease the number of dependents, such as divorce,” Weber says. “Also, keep in mind that while you are able to change the number of withholdings as often as you wish, your employer doesn’t have to apply it until the first payroll ending 30 days after you submit the change, effectively limiting the number of times you actually can change. Other than these considerations, the ultimate goal each year is to get your refund close to zero. Make it a game and see how close you can come.”

But You’re Terrible at Saving Money, You Say?

Of course, if saving isn’t your forte and you’re going to just end up spending whatever additional income you get throughout the year, letting Uncle Sam hold it for you might not be such a bad idea if you plan to put your refund directly into a retirement account like an IRA. The IRS will even help you keep your promise to invest the money by direct depositing all or part of your refund into savings, an IRA or even toward buying savings bonds.

If that’s your situation, you can read our guide on how to maximize your tax refund. But investing that money into a 401K throughout the year could be a better alternative, especially if your employer provides matching funds.

Those savings can pile up, especially if you start young. If you’re planning to turn your refund into the start of a lifetime of saving, check out our list of 50 things young people can do to make sure they’re set when it’s time to retire.

Also remember that keeping your credit in good standing helps you save money throughout the year, on everything from loan and credit card interest rates to mortgages. A good way to check on how your credit is faring is by getting credit your two free credit scores, updated every 14 days, on Credit.com.

Image: Maxson_Design