Why is tax refund so small?
February 2nd – Question: I got a big refund last year and was hoping for the same thing, so I did my taxes early, but ouch, that’s not the case. Is that because the stimulus is over?
Question: I got a big refund last year and was hoping for the same thing, so I paid my taxes early, but ouch, that’s not the case. Is that because the stimulus is over?
Answer : Possibly, although your individual circumstances may also play a role. The Internal Revenue Service is warning taxpayers to expect “significantly smaller” refunds this year for the following reasons: “No additional stimulus payments. Unlike 2020 and 2021, there were no new stimulus payments for 2022, so taxpayers should not expect to receive an additional payment in their 2023 tax refund.” – Some commonly used tax credits are returning to 2019 levels, making them much less valuable are than last year. The Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Tax Credit and Child and Dependent Care Credit all returned to pre-pandemic levels. “Those who received $3,600 per dependent for the CTC in 2021 will receive, if eligible, $2,000 for the 2022 tax year. For the EITC, eligible taxpayers without children who received approximately $1,500 in 2021 will receive now $560 for tax year 2022. The Child and Dependent Care Credit returns to a maximum of $2,100 in 2022 instead of $8,000 in 2021.”—“No excessive charitable deductions. During COVID, taxpayers were able to take up to a $600 tax deduction for charitable donations on their tax returns. For the 2022 tax year, taxpayers who do not provide individual disclosures and claim the standard deduction will not be able to deduct their charitable donations.
Q: Will AARP’s Tax-Aide be open on neighboring islands?
A : Yes, volunteers at 10 locations across the Big Island, Maui and Kauai are dedicated to helping Hawaii residents complete hassle-free federal and state income tax returns through this free service. For details, go to and click Neighbor Island Site Schedule.
Q: Shouldn’t season ticket holders get their seats at Aloha Stadium?
A: According to the Aloha Stadium website, they had an “exclusive opportunity” to purchase them. Although the deadline has passed, season ticket holders who are still interested can email to inquire if seats are still available. In the email, be sure to include the following information along with your contact information: seat level (yellow, red, box, blue, orange); section letter (A /AA — V /VV ); Line ; and seat number.
Under the “exclusive opportunity,” the cost was $50 for the seatback only, or $329 for a two-seat “kit” that included two seatbacks, two seat bottoms, and seat frames.
Elsewhere on the site, it says that seats are only offered unassembled and in pairs, as stadium seats are not freestanding and share armrests and other parts. The “seatback only” option was recommended for those who want a souvenir of a single seat.
Q: When did you change the name of Hale Kula Elementary School?
A: In April 2016, the State Board of Education approved renaming Daniel K. Inouye Elementary School in honor of the late US Senator from Hawaii. The school, which is located on the Schofield Barracks military base, was in the news this week because assistant principal Esther Kwon won a $25,000 Milken Educator Award.
Be careful with the setting. The person I hired to build a wooden fence claimed to have over 30 years of experience and in a week my wooden fence is falling apart. Costly lesson learned as I have to get someone else to finish the job, fix the boards that came loose and double check the finished part. – OO
Mahalo On January 25, in the Hawaii Kai Costco parking lot, I dropped my red iPhone as I was getting out of my car. Thank you to the Good Samaritan for finding my iPhone, leaving a note on my car and dropping it off at the Costco front desk. It’s reassuring to know that there are thoughtful and considerate people in Hawaii.—LSK——Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813 ; call 808-529-4773; or email [email protected]——
