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What to do with your tax refund

May 9, 2009

As April was winding down, the number of e-filers was going up.

More than 90 million tax returns were filed electronically through April 24, according to the IRS. As has been the trend over the last few years, more individuals in 2009 opted to electronically file their returns on their own.

In fact, that segment of filers hit a record this year. For the first time, says the tax agency, more than 30 million individual income tax
returns were filed from home computers. That's a 19 percent jump over last year.

As the math indicates, that means around 60 million taxpayers turned to tax pros to complete and then e-file their returns. That figure is essentially the same as last filing season.

E-filing to get refunds faster: One of the main reasons for e-filing is the speed at which refunds are issued. This year the hubby and I e-filed our Form 1040 on April 15. Our refund showed up in our bank account on April 23. Not too shabby.

I shifted our refund from our checking to our money market account the next day. The money market fund pays a big ½ percent higher interest rate.

What did, or will you do, with your federal tax refund?

Put it into a short-term savings instrument.

Added to my retirement account.
Invested in stocks, bonds, etc.
Helped the economy by spending it.
Deposited it in my, or a family member's, college fund.
Refund? What's that?
I haven't filed my 1040 yet.
Other. Please elaborate by adding a comment.

  

If you're still looking for refund spending ideas, Quicken suggests three ways to get the most from your tax refund.

And remember, if you got an extension to file your return, when you are ready to submit the form, the IRS will accept e-filed returns thorugh Oct. 15.

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The More Tax Posts tab at the top of this page will take you to, well, more tax posts. You also can search below for a tax topic. 

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TAX-SAVVY WAYS 
TO WRAP UP 2026

It’s over! With October’s extended filing deadline behind us, it is now time to focus on year-end moves to reduce your 2026 tax bill. 

You’ll find ways to do just that on the Tax Tips page (see the More Tax Posts drop-down menu at the top of the blog), as well as the separate tax tip pages for each month, notably October through December. If you’re on the Tax Tips page, you’ll find a monthly list at the end of this column. If you’re on another blog page, you can head straight to the October tips; at the bottom of that tips page you’ll find links to all the other 11 months’ collections of tax advice.

Not to spoil what you’ll find in that tax advice, but it does cover such things as tax deductions for charitable donations, investment moves that could reduce tax due, and ways to max out your tax-favored retirement savings. 

Finally, as the year winds down, things get hectic. There are lots of other things to occupy our time, like the much more fun upcoming holidays. But don’t lose sight of taxes, since timing is key. To be of use, most tax moves must be made by the end of the tax year. That’s Thursday, Dec. 31, which also is the last business day of the year. 

So that you don’t miss that final tax year deadline, also keep an eye on the countdown clock below. It will keep you on top of just how much time is left to make important, tax-saving moves. (Note: I’m in the Central Time Zone, so adjust accordingly for where you live.)

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