no dependents, but cant you claim a lot of exemptions anyway and then it takes out fewer taxes out on your paycheck but then you get that money taken out back when its tax time?
Depending on how much you earn and what credits you receive, you may get more back than you paid in. There is earned income credit and the education credits. If you are claimed on your parents' return, then you cannot get the education credit, I believe. And, if you are under 25, no EIC. That is, if I remember all of this correctly!
Well, simply stated, you owe a certain amount in taxes based on your income and your exemptions. If you pay in more that you owe at the end of the year, you will get a refund. If you declare "a lot of exemptions" (mind you, there are rules about what you can declare) to which you are not entitled, it is more likely that you will end up owing the government.