txtig
Full time employment: Posting here.
Early last year, I paid off my primary mortgage and a HELOC, to become totally debt free for the first time in 40 years. What a great feeling that was!! But, last night, as I completed my 2014 Tax Return . . . uggh! I sure did miss those extra deductions. Had to take the standard deduction for first time in 34 years. Still shaking my head after seeing my H&R Block software (adios TurboTax) spit out my total tax bill. Unbelievable!! Got hit with AMT, the new Medicare tax and the new ACA capital gains tax. To put it in perspective, my total 2014 FIT was equal to: 1.4 times the cost of my first house (1981); 4.67 times my total annual starting salary after college (1980); and 21 times the cost of my first brand new car (1974). I know I won’t get much sympathy here (i.e., what a good problem to have, etc., etc., etc.), but I just wanted to vent. Looking forward to RE soon and hopefully much lower tax bills.