Kokua Line: Why is tax refund so small?

Question: I got a big refund last year and was hoping for the same so I did my taxes early, but ouch, it’s not the case. Is this because the stimulus is over?

Answer: Possibly, although your individual circumstances also might be factors. The Internal Revenue Service is warning taxpayers to expect “significantly smaller” refunds this year, for the following reasons:

>> “No additional stimulus payments. Unlike 2020 and 2021, there were no new stimulus payments for 2022 so taxpayers should not expect to get an additional payment in their 2023 tax refund.”

>> Some commonly used tax credits are returning to 2019 levels, making them worth much less than last year. The Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child and Dependent Care Credit all reverted to pre-pandemic levels. “Those who got $3,600 per dependent in 2021 for the CTC will, if eligible, get $2,000 for the 2022 tax year. For the EITC, eligible taxpayers with no children who received roughly $1,500 in 2021 will now get $560 for the 2022 tax year. The Child and Dependent Care Credit returns to a maximum of $2,100 in 2022 instead of $8,000 in 2021.”

>> “No above-the-line charitable deductions. During COVID, taxpayers were able to take up to a $600 charitable donation tax deduction on their tax returns. However, for tax year 2022, taxpayers who don’t itemize and who take the standard deduction, won’t be able to deduct their charitable contributions.”

Q: Will AARP’s Tax-Aide be open on the neighbor islands too?

A: Yes, volunteers at a total of 10 sites on the Big Island, Maui and Kauai are scheduled to help Hawaii residents prepare uncomplicated federal and state income tax returns through this free service. For details, go to www.taxaidehi.org/site- information and click on “Neighbor Island Site Schedule.”

Q: Weren’t season-­ticket holders supposed to get their Aloha Stadium seats?

A: They had an “exclusive opportunity” to purchase them, according to the Aloha Stadium website. Although the deadline has passed, season- ticket holders who are still interested can email alohastadium@hawaii.gov to see if the seats are still available. In the email, be sure to include the following information, along with your contact information: seat(s) level (yellow, red, loge, blue, orange); section letter (A/AA – V/VV); row; and seat(s) number.

Under the “exclusive opportunity,” the cost was $50 for the seat back only, or $329 for a two-seat “kit” that included two seat backs, two seat bottoms and seat frames.

Elsewhere on the website, it says that seats were offered only unassembled and in pairs because stadium seats are not free- standing and share armrests and other parts. The “seat back only” option was recommended for those who want a memento of a single seat.

Q: When did they change the name of Hale Kula elementary school?

A: In April 2016. The state Board of Education approved renaming it Daniel K. Inouye Elementary School to honor the late U.S. senator from Hawaii. The school, located on the Schofield Barracks military base, was in the news this week because assistant principal Esther Kwon won a $25,000 Milken Educator Award.

Auwe

Beware when hiring someone. The person I hired to build a wooden fence claimed to have over 30 years’ experience and in a week my wooden fence is coming apart. Expensive lesson learned as I have to get someone else to finish the work, repair the boards that came off and double-check the part that was finished. — A.O.

Mahalo

On Jan. 25 in the Hawaii Kai Costco parking lot my red iPhone fell out of my pocket as I was getting out of my car. Thank you so much to the good Samaritan who found my iPhone, left a note on my car and turned it in to the Costco front desk. It is reassuring to know that there are thoughtful and considerate people in Hawaii. — L.S.K.

Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.