My federal taxes have gone up. I am retired, on disability.

[alfredo]

My SSI check is unchanged, but my federal retirement check which is $602 a month has shown a tax increase starting next year. It isn't much but the fact that the billionaires get a huge tax break, and us poor folks get a tax increase is mind blowing.

There is a 100% deduction of my retirement check, cutting it by the amount of my SSI.

Are you getting a tax increase?

[RobertSeattle]

1. No changes in Fed Tax Rates from 2003 to 2004 as far as I'm aware

The brackets have changed due to inflation, but that shouldn't increase your taxes, all things being equal.

[alfredo]

3. I just got the news today. They are withholding a few more

dollars a month from my check, item 31 Federal income tax.

[Yupster]

5. What they withhold

has nothing to do with how much tax you pay.

You could pay $ 1,000 tax and have $ 10,000 withheld or nothing withheld. Either way, you still owe the same $ 1,000 tax. In the first example, you'd get $ 9,000 back in April, the second example you'd owe $ 1,000 in April. Either way, it's the same $ 1,000 tax owed.

[leftyandproud]

7. correct...his overall bill will be lowered...problem is..

someone probably bungled the paperwork and are taking out too big of a deduction...If this is the case, he will have a fat refund coming at the end of next year...Personally, I would try to correct this so you get the full amount NOW, rather than loaning it to uncle sam at 0%.

Fact is...regardless of your opinion on the tax cut, ALL BRACKETS are going down next year...and the year after...so nobody should be getting a tax hike, at least on the federal level.

[Walt Starr]

2. We're actually getting a nice cut

This is the first time in my life when a Republican president promised to lower my taxes and they actually didn't go up.

Of course, we are a two income family. My wife is an attorney and I am an IT professional.

[Demobrat]

4. In other words

you guys, who are fine, get a break and Alfredo, who is on disability, gets to pay for it. Nothing against you, of course, you didn't ask for it to be this way.

[Walt Starr]

9. I agree, I should have my taxes raised, not lowered

My wife and I make enough. I calculated witholding to just about break even on the year based upon last year. If things work out the way I think they will after looking at the tables, we'll be getting a couple grand in a refund.

I believe I'll take the tax cut and send it directly to whatever candidate gets the Democratic Nomination.

[Skittles]

10. Walt, you are a sweetie pie

that's why you are a Democrat - you care that other people suffer.

[Walt Starr]

12. I've been in Alfredo's shoes before

I've been extremely low income, heard Ronnie Raygunzzzzap tell me he was cutting my taxes, and low and behold, they went up! During the "largest tax increase in history" (aka, Clinton's reworking of the tax code to be more fair, my "quote" is what the Repugnants call it), my lower income taxes went down.

Now that I am in a higher income bracket with a Repugnant pResident, my taxes actually go down when by all rights due to the nation being involved in some kind of a global conflict and the deficit being so high I should be in a bracket that is amongst the first to have taxes raised!

It pisses me off, what better way to spend the tax cut than invest it in a man of integrity who will share the tax burden fairly?

[Skittles]

6. it sucks, doesn't it alfredo?

you are finding out exactly who has to pay for those tax cuts to the wealthy.

[pscot]

8. I don't yet know about my federal tax bill

but my property taxes are up, my health care deduction is up and my medicare disability is up. The increases more than offset miniscule COA adjustments to pension and SSI. Net result is about 6% less to me than last year. If I live long enough I'll be zeroed out. Guess I'll just have to turn to crime. It's a great life if you don't weaken.

[alfredo]

11. My state and local have skyrocketed. Our utility company is asking

for a huge increase of rates.