The letter by Jon Shimamoto shows just how little most people know about their taxation (“Taxpayers seeing emptiness of tax cuts,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 18).

In it, the writer acknowledges that taxpayers saw an increase in their take-home pay, then bemoans the fact that they got a smaller refund. A smaller tax refund means you’re getting closer to the ideal situation, in which you get no refund and owe no further taxes.

A tax refund means you’ve given the government your money, essentially an interest-free loan, all year with no benefit to you. The difference lies in the fact that most employers withheld less income tax, thus employees would get more of a benefit from the tax cut in each paycheck.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act did indeed result in tax rate cuts for most Americans. Before you complain that your refund is smaller, please do the math. I think you’ll find that you had more money in your pocket and paid less to Uncle Sam.

Tim Gedney

Hawaii Kai

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