Originally Posted by Flogger

To the OP: You do realize the bonus is taxed? So, you can pay off maybe 16K in credit card debt?


Most Folks don't really understand the Tax System. Yeah, the Company will take out Withholding at a higher percentage from your Bonus, but at the end of the year when you settle up with Uncle Sugar, you will get it back. Most F.O.'s won't breach the 12% Tax Bracket anyway. You can also run the IRS.gov Withholding Calculator every month and change your W-4 with the Company and get them to withhold less Federal Income Tax (you can't change your withholding on FICA Taxes). So, this allows you to keep more of your income, but then, not receive a Tax Refund, or much of one, the following year. This is particularly salient if you are relying on CC' s to bridge the gap. Additionally, as interest rates rise, it will be beneficial for you, and not the US Government to collect the interest throughout the year, instead of giving .gov an interest free loan.
Another way to forestall the Taxman is to max your 401k out & if you are real Bada$$, to max out an additional IRA on top of the 401k- a lot of Folks are unaware that you can do this. You can also get your MAGI down enough to qualify for the EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit) and the Saver's Credit or Form 8880 (which gives you free money to encourage retirement savings in one's 401k, or IRA.
We have a Progressive Income Tax in this Country which means everybody pays zero until a certain amount and then everyone pays 12% of every dollar ABOVE that amount and it goes on and on till you hit the max bracket. Every Dollar that goes into the next higher Bracket only gets taxed at the higher rate for that, and all subsequent dollars. Hope this helps some Folks here. I too used to be a debt slave and didn't understand how the tax system worked. Good Luck!