By Calluna - 08/03/2016 15:26 - United States - Somerville

Today, I filed a client's tax return. His refunds alone were more than my gross annual salary. FML
I agree, your life sucks 20 322
You deserved it 1 727

Calluna tells us more.

OP here. To clarify, I'm the secretary and the official number was over 7 times my salary. The client's case was indeed unique and not a regular event, but it didn't make me feel any better...especially considering that I can't afford my own apartment here in good old New Jersey.

Top comments

This is not going to be popular, but this is one accountant talking to another about professionalism. You will never be happy in accounting if you keep comparing your clients' income to your own income. I've worked for many high-wealth clients who make exponentially more than I ever have made or ever will make. I just simply don't know enough about them to make a judgment about whether this disparity is "fair." In my experience, it is the client's character that matters most. I'm perfectly happy to work for or with those people as long as they're nice. If they're total jerks, then I'll hand the work over to someone else or withdraw from the client. And if you think you deserve more than you're currently earning, then plan a way to ensure that you can earn more -- take classes, get certifications, get an MBA, etc. Take the frustration you're currently feeling and channel it toward improving your own lot in life.

Steve95401 49

Yet another example of the ever-widening gap between the "haves" and the "have-nots".

Comments

How? My family is pretty low income but we don't get that damn much.

His tax return was high because his salary is high I think

tantanpanda 26

OP's client probably makes so much money that even the tax refund check exceeds OP's salary. Either the client makes a shit load of money or OP doesn't make that much. Probably the latter since this is an FML.

I thought that if your income was high (especially above $75000) you usually have to pay. And that people who get a tax refund are those with kids or don't have a high income? I'm not sure though...

Different type of tax refunds. In this case, the client makes loads of money and payed more taxes than he should have had.

Steve95401 49

Yet another example of the ever-widening gap between the "haves" and the "have-nots".

This client could be making $18,000 and claimed 8 kids. If you make a lot of money you typically owe - unless you donate a lot to charity.

splinteredApple 36

Please learn proper English before attempting to communicate, it would benefit you, as well as the community if you did so.

euphoricness 28

It would also benefit the community if people didn't have pine cones in their asses as well.

mm12344 8

Maybe you should learn how to use a comma correctly, 17.

It happens by making a lot of money. Duh?

football98_fml 20

Married. Dozen kids. High paying job. That's what happened OP.

This is exactly why I prefer not knowing what kind of money other people make, and am glad I work in a progression where it's not necessary to know or care.

time to charge him more for working his return!