Posted on 02/25/2017 4:52:28 PM PST by TaxPayer2000
When Christina Knaack received a $5,600 tax refund, she didn't head to the mall or book a trip to the Caribbean. The South Carolina-based single mom of two kids used it to pay her rent … for the entire year.
"Instead of buying my kids the latest Jordans or fancy electronics I paid my rent for the YEAR," Knaack writes on Facebook. "I'm a single mom and I do it all by myself on a minimum wage job. I know that a roof over my kids head is what's important."
Since Knaack uploaded the picture of her rent receipt on Feb. 22, the post has gone viral and racked up more than 320,000 Facebook "reactions."
"You see too many posts now saying, 'Oh I got my kid the latest Jordans.' Or, "Look, my 7-year-old has an iPhone 7,'" Knaack says on FOX Carolina. "People lose sight of what's important."
Now that Knaack's rent is covered, "I don't have to worry about my kids saying, 'Mommy, I need this,' and I can't get it because I'm still trying to debate if I can pay my light bill or if I can pay my rent," she tells FOX.
Plus, she now has an extra $450 a month (the cost of her rent), which she plans to spend on fun activities with her kids.
If you're one of the millions expecting a tax refund this year, consider using it to improve your financial situation, whether that means chipping away at your rent or mortgage like Knaack, funding your retirement accounts or investing in your career.
"Instead of buying my kids the latest Jordans or fancy electronics I paid my rent for the YEAR," Knaack writes on Facebook. "I'm a single mom and I do it all by myself on a minimum wage job. I know that a roof over my kids head is what's important."
So...she does it on a minimum wage job???
That's $7.25 an hour, $14,500 a year.
Her standard deduction and personal exemptions for herself and 2 kids, plus the child credit for both kids, means she would pay NO federal income tax, but instead get $1746 FROM the government.
On top of that, she would get an EITC of $5572
South Carolina food stamps are an AVERAGE of $125.18 per person. that's $375.54 a month for her and her 3 kids. That's $4506.48 a year
"Plus, she now has an extra $450 a month (the cost of her rent), which she plans to spend on fun activities with her kids."
Fun activities???
What about a car?
Car repairs?
Why would anyone make a point of this? Would you?
“Plus, she now has an extra $450 a month (the cost of her rent), which she plans to spend on fun activities with her kids.”
She still hasn’t learned anything.
Its the unearned income tax credit and kids that got her the refund. At least she didn’t waste it.
I prefer owing taxes and living ok.
Simple. EIC. Minimum wage workers (or more) with children all get in the 3 to 4 thousand dollar “gift”.
She should have used it for a down payment on a small house!
I’m not happy about paying taxes so that it can be redistributed as “tax credits” but with that as a given, I’d much rather see it go to the working poor than to the deadbeats.
“For some reason, I always have to write a check.”
If your stone-cold-stupid accountant can’t tell you how to start a business and deduct various expenses legally, thus, paying less taxes, get yourself a new accountant.
It’s not a refund if you don’t pay in but it is The earned income tax credit and other refundable tax credits. My guess is she did not pay anything.
That being said, of all of the welfare programs, the EITC is probably better than most because it at least requires work
Pretty sweet deal. Plays the system to her advantage.
She gets an earned income tax credit for her kids, she pays NO TAXES on her income then you and I the taxpayer give her EXTRA MONEY for having kids!!!
Earned Income Tax Credit and being overwitheld a couple grand might do it. That’s what I’m thinking.
It was EITC. Credit bit refund. Unfortunately a lot of these are fraudulent and go for big screen tv.
I agree.
But only from the stand point of paying in to something, that you'll eventually own.
But with a Personal Exemption of $6300, she won't pay enough in taxes or interest to use the house as a deduction.
The house as a tax break is useless.
She lives in Gaffney, SC. I don't know what the area is like, but it seems she could buy a pretty nice home in the $80k range, getting an FHA loan for 3.5% down.
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-search/Gaffney_SC/beds-3/sby-1/pg-2
Earned income tax credit. Earn 12000 with two kids, get 5-8K back as a thank you for working and not just sitting on welfare.
The incentive is so strong many women won’t marry the father of their children though he lives with her, to get that extra 5-10K per year in EITC and welfare benefits like SNAP and utility discounts.
Because you’re now paying for her family’s health care?
She claimed she works a minimum wage job.
That would be $7.25 an hour. $14,500 a year.
Filing head of household, plus a personal exemption for her self and one for each child, PLUS the child tax credit for each child. She pays no income tax, instead the government gives her money ON TOP of the EITC.
so their really not making minimum wage, not when they get that much back....
its a scam that we taxpayers probably never saw since most of us are older....
gee, my parents could have made out like bandits...
and gee, we could have done fun things too if our rent was paid for by other taxpayers....
I’m sure its EIC which is just giving them OUR money from OUR taxes to make their lives easier....
Earned income tax credit.
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