[HairOfTheDog]

It could have been the retirement fund check, if that was tax-deferred it would have been untaxed unless they withheld it when they cashed you out. It would say that on the W-9. Any untaxed income of significance will get ya at return time, so I wondered if you had reported band gigs. I have done enough work on the side... a couple thousand dollars... to end up owing in the past. But I also made the mistake on my W-2 once of counting 1 exemption for me, and 1 for head of household. A single person shouldn't do that... Head of household is for folks with kids.

[RosieCotton]

Supposedly they withheld taxes from the retirement fund check, but I wonder if they didn't take out enough.

But in any case, what's done is done. Had one brother lecture me for like half an hour on Saturday because I owe taxes and he was sure it had to be my fault. I just kept saying it must be the exemption thing, but it was too late to fix it now. He wouldn't shut up. I came close to nailing him. ;-)

[Overtaxed]

It could have been the retirement fund check,

If you cashed out the retirement fund check without rolling it over into an IRA or something, they're going to charge a penalty (10%, I think) for withdrawing before age 59 1/2 on top of the taxes.