found: my personal banker...

... at the branch near the mall, where I was greeted, assisted, and made to feel like a valued customer. I had such a crummy experience when I stopped in the branch that would be most convenient I had to wonder if it would be best to change to a different financial institution.  But went to the bank a bit less accessible for my needs, and closer in to town, and met with someone who was amazingly helpful and seemed truly interested in problem solving with me. So, yay, I have found myself a banker who I can work with, someone who knows people that can help me get the info. I need.

I recall when we first entered the world of social security payments, and discovered that it is 'income' even though you are just getting back the funds you were taxed and paid into the system all those working years. So unless you set aside a portion for Uncle Sam's needs you will be in the hole at income tax time. Pretty annoying to feel like you are being taxed within an inch of your life/sanity. I decided when I signed on early, that the best idea would be to open a savings account linked to checking in order to have funds transferred monthly as a cushion, a form of insurance, when the time came to pony up for taxes. If I don't need it, I am building up a nest egg, but if I do end up having to fork over extra when taxes are filed, I will be prepared and it will be less painful when I can borrow from myself!

Now that my payments have increased considerably, I thought it would be wise to do the same thing with the extra funds. Especially after getting so annoyed when my tax refund from the state last year was rolled over and paid toward federal taxes due. Remember the story of when I never even got to get my greedy little hands on the hundreds of dollars I would have gotten back from GA tax refund?

I need to go back and revisit the W2 form again, and figure out what would be a reasonable, safe amount to have withheld to make it all come out more-or-less even. Get to the place where I do not owe GA or Uncle Sam, even if I do not get any back, I just do not like the idea of paying taxes out of every paycheck, and then forking over more on April 15.