The term “tax refund” is laughable! People pay thousands in taxes in a year and get hundreds back in April. It was designed so that people would love their government for giving them money! People forget and/or don’t notice the money being taken every pay check. Then you see ads on TV for H&R Block of people smiling and waving a check around for $1,730. Truth in advertising should say…”I got $1730! And it only cost me $10,000”!
Wouldn’t it be interesting if you had to pay your income tax in one huge annual lump sum, and got back your “refund” in trivial dribs and drabs as part of your regular biweekly or monthly paycheck?
Simply imagining the reverse situation is, as you point out, an illustration of how insidious the current practice is.