first cut at my taxes and end up getting $16 back between federal and state. Last year we got back about $3000. We made about 14k more than we did last year and our taxes went up by about $500. We definitely paid less in taxes but it didn't feel like we received that much more during the year in our paychecks. I'm just glad that I don't have to write any checks to the IRS but it was a tough feeling to go from that large refund to a very small one. I totally understand what the rest of the country is feeling. The math works out but the psychology is odd.