This is an exciting time of the year for many American consumers, as tax time approaches. No, most people are not too excited about filing their income tax return, but most people receive a refund each year, and this year that refund averages out to a little more than $2000. That windfall is usually quickly spent on a new TV or a vacation or as a down payment on a new car. Tax refunds are rarely spent wisely, which is a pity.
The average American household carries nearly $10,000 in credit card debt, and that $2000 or so could go a long way towards paying that debt down. Of course, few people will see it that way, as such a large sum of money just seems better suited towards some large purchase. But what if that $2000 was in your pocket all along? Could you have done something smarter with it?
The tax refund that most people receive each year is just that; a refund. It means that the taxpayer paid more money in taxes than he or she owed, and for the average taxpayer, that means about $170 per month. That money has effectively been lent to the government, interest-free, for a year. With most people heavily in debt, who can really afford to lend the...