Mar 20 2009
in which it sometimes does suck to be an alaskan
If you know much about Alaska, you probably know that the best time to be an Alaskan is right around mid-September–that is, when Permanent Fund Dividend checks get mailed out. Last year it was even sweeter, because we got a good PFD year from the high price of oil, plus a $1,200 “resource rebate” because gas and stuff was so expensive. That came to $3,269 for every Alaska resident, just for…well, being Alaska residents. I especially appreciated mine because it went right to paying for my housing in England. (That answer disappointed a flatmate who asked if it was true that the state gave us money every year. I said yes and told him how much, and when he asked what I did with it, I think he expected to hear “I threw a wild party/bought a new car/something else extravagant”. Nope, it went straight for my tiny, overheated room in an all-concrete building on an all-concrete campus. Because I’m boring that way.)
Of course…when it hurts is tax time. It’s not like anything’s automatically withheld from a PFD, after all. And considering a not insignificant amount of my 2008 income is on a 1099, I’m gonna be paying through the nose to Uncle Sam pretty soon.
Sigh. I want my refund. Yes, the one I’m not going to get. I want a refund for…breathing. And being a college student. Something.
I suppose I should really take this opportunity to explain the whole PFD thing. Eh…maybe later.
