This is a real kicker...

So a couple years ago, Oregonians paid too much in income tax, to the tune of 1.1 billion too much. This caused the kicker refund, in which we would each get back the over paid portion.

I didn't earn much that year, so I didn't think much of what I would get back, I thought, oh 30-60 dollars maybe.

So when I get a letter from Oregon today indicating my notice of the donation of my kicker refund for education, and that it was 238$ I did two things.
First, I was like oh, that was nice of me to do that on my 2006 tax return, it wasn't going to be much money anyways....to 2) What 238$? Man I could really use than right now! AUGH!

So, Yeah, I really could use that 238$. I didn't forecast where I would be this winter, or how my finances would change as a single person. Or how much I would really get back.

I do know, working IN a Portland School, that they desperately need money. It's a little sickening and saddening. So I hope a whole lot of other people did the same thing.

Do I regret my little altruistic box check back at tax time now that I know how much I got back? A little.
But I think I did the right thing.