For some it is happier (or sadder) than for others. There has always been two schools of thought on paying taxes. Some prefer to have more come out of their weekly paychecks so that at the end of the year the government will return some of that money and it will be some extra spending money to come back your way. Others prefer to pay the minimum from their paychecks. Their thinking is that they don't want the government to earn interest on their money instead of them so they don't like to pay up until the last minute before filing deadline. I myself prefer the first way, where I have never had to pay any more to them when taxes returns were due. Not like the ones who waited until today have earned too much interest from their banks anyway with the lousy interest rates right now. Just something about writing out a check to the IRS that doesn't sit well with me. I prefer my employer does it throughout the year, and then see a check FROM the IRS instead of me writing one to them.