Many US taxpayers have their withholdings refunded. But do refunds include payroll taxes?
I found this page with the actual code, but frankly, it's hopelessly unintelligible enough that I'm still not sure. I'd love a plain English answer.
If you're feeling really generous, what does the refund actually consist of? Which taxes are refunded, and in what percentages?
Payroll taxes are taxes on the employer, not on the employee. They're not refunded unless there was a mistake of some kind, and if they are - they're refunded to the employer.
Refund on your 1040 consists of overpaid income taxes, which are taxes that you pay based on your income. That also include overpayment of social security (employee portion), credits for foreign taxes paid on the same income (to the extent they're allowable) and other credits (some may be refundable even if you don't owe any taxes, others only reduce the amount of taxes owed), etc. There are no percentages. You're refunded what you paid in excess of your liability, nothing more and nothing less.
