04-15-2026 — Quiet Taxing
Howdy all. Just a few thoughts for today. My sleeping has not been great most nights. Too much worry and stress about life in general. The general chaos we all are trying to live long enough to see end.
For many, here in the U.S., today is considered “tax day”. We are supposed to have our yearly IRS tax forms in by today, or have filed for extensions. I did my part back in February. There have been lots of news splashes about how much more in refunds people are getting than last year. Sure didn’t include me… I got less than half as much back this year. Of course that really means that I paid too much up front during 2025 and the government got to use it without paying interest.
And the disinformation on “tax-free” tips and that senior deduction, just blows my mind. Neither is as great as being sold. I explained the senior $6000 deduction back in February. But the tips being tax free just doesn’t add up to the fake-news. A person that actually qualifies for the tax deduction is not a high income player.
If they get $10,000 plus in tax free tips out of a total real income of just $20,000, they likely paid Zero taxes on the tips last year, and will do the same this year. Even if they earned $30,000 plus in total income, at most, they were paying a tax rate of 10-15% on those tips. Now I’m not saying a savings of $1000 is not meaningful to a low income earner, because it obviously is, but it is being sold as a Big Beautiful tax cut. Nope, it isn’t one.
Where are my tax free social security benefits? Where is the tariff rebates/relief/refunds of up to $6000? Where is my DOGE check?
What I do have are, Medical insurance (including Medicare) increases of 15% or more, property taxes up 20%, gasoline up $1 a gallon(at minimum), food costs totally through the roof, utilities that get more scary every month.
My monthly income is up a micro 2.3% year over year, while my expenses are up nearly 15%. And what do I have to look forward to? Why Social Security cuts of 30% in 4 years because the money is going to blow up infrastructure a third of the way around the world.
Wow, I had no intention of typing the above, when I started today’s blog. Just going to mention things are starting to turn green outside, or at least growing. A bit too much rain, so I have a weather excuse to not get outside and do my plantings. Reality is, I just don’t feel enthusiastic, or energetic enough to do it. Today was supposed to be the second mowing of my yard, but it looks like the lawn service got rained out. Probably tomorrow for them..
Green grass and if you look closely, you can see leaf buds on the maple tree in the yard.
The trees, way out there beyond the evergreens at the fence line, are filling out slowly.
There is still a day in the next seven that may drop to freezing or below. But hopefully that will be the last, and the plants and trees can begin to Enjoy Life