free money for me!

Wow!
Teaching only part-time at Armstrong State University has paid off!
After filing the Georgia taxes for my brother's business tonight, I thought I would see about filing my own income tax forms.
I had been working with H&R Block, but they were suddenly changing their tune. Instead of use of their site for my federal taxes costing only $9.99, suddenly the price doubled. And they wanted another $34.95 to file my state taxes?! No way!
I remembered that the Internal Revenue Service offers referral links to sites that allow free filing of the federal tax forms, from a few years ago. I was looking for something less expensive than whatever I was using at the time.
The site I used worked well, with no issues at all. But then I freaked out about having my information "out there", so I went back to the use of tax software on a disc. All the information stayed on my hard drive, right?
Sure... until it was uploaded into the ether to travel to the IRS and the Georgia Department of Revenue.
Well, fine.
So I went to the IRS website.
Then I used their wizard, answering six general, very basic, questions.
In return, it presented me with a list of eleven sites, recommending that I check the stipulations of each site before making a final selection. Some would offer free filing of both federal and state, some would charge for state. I should find the site best for me, they stated.
I checked the link for H&R Block's Free File first.
Nope, I was too old for the free filing.
Next, I selected Jackson Hewitt Tax Service. I was at least familiar with their name, through the Melaness.
Nope. Strike two, again because of my age.
Fine. So I pulled up the link for TurboTax All Free(SM).
No age discrimination! I met the income stipulation and that was all that was needed for the free filing of the federal forms! Even better, my state income tax forms were also free!
Yeah!!!
I liked that it was called the "Freedom Edition".
So, I went ahead and set up my account name and password. Then I started answering a few preliminary questions. You know: name, address, marital status.
The program gave me encouragement all along the way, saying "You're doing great!" and "Good news! 'Single' status is best for you to maximum your refund!"
Really!
I was amazed, and quite pleased, by how user-friendly it was. Whoever wrote the program knew the importance of taking out the "fear factor" and making the subject material more pleasant. In other words, it was written in the same manner in which I teach chemistry.
Nice.
So, I kept going. I still had the necessary tax documents at hand, as I had been working at the H&R Block site, off and on, for the past couple of weeks. I went ahead and entered the information, stepping through the pages with ease and speed.
I kept expecting it would hit me at the end with fees to efile.
Nope.
Totally free, for federal and state, efiling included.
Very nice!
In addition to me regaining every dollar of my federal withholding, I am also receiving $399 extra for being poor.
Wow! That's half a month's pay for me!
The Georgia refund isn't quite so generous. I'll only be repaid 80% of the money withheld. However, I do receive a $14 "low income credit", for being poor.
Nice.
That will get me three movies with popcorn at the Spotlight Cinema. Well, if I use Groupons, that is.
Very nice!

Not that I wouldn't have preferred to have a full-time teaching position, you understand.