Wha-What?!

I can't escape this year. I swear, the federal government is out to get me.

When I printed out tax documents and saw vouchers for paying 'estimated taxes' for next time, I was a little concerned. I looked closer, though, and they specifically say "If you are paying estimated taxes..." I figured that shouldn't apply then, since I had no desire or plans to. But it's been nagging me on and off.

So, I consulted the rest of the documentation recently. There are something more definite there, along the lines of "Your return indicates you must pay estimated taxes..." Errr. That was troubling. So, I thought maybe I clicked something wrong. After all, why would I want to pay money I won't owe next year to begin with?

So, I get into researching a little more. What I found was not pleasant. Under certain circumstances - usually large amounts of income that weren't subject to withholding - it seems you are required to pay estimated taxes for the following year based on your return.

WTF? The US Treasury wants me to pay twice what I owe them for last year, causing financial strain on me, only to find out next year that I didn't owe it and they'll have to pay me back? Who thought up this oh-so-frickin' brilliant idea?

The only saving grace is it's not all due at once. Still, that's pretty fucked up.

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