<prompt> Human: A tax refund is essentially a free loan you gave to the US bc they dont trust you to pay your taxes on time and in full. Theyre treating you like and child and charging you for it in the process. Grow up, dont use the tax refund as an automatic savings account. Its a losing proposition.  <response>: While youre not wrong that by getting a refund youve paid money you didnt need to, but also cant make a blanket statement that its a losing proposition.From a calculated and rational point of view certainly not paying too much is ideal, but from a behavioral finance point of view, youre drastically underestimating the psychological benefit of a windfall of cash. Saving a lump sum of cash or paying down a chunk of debt can do wonders for keeping people on the path to good money management and financial independence.To youre point, if the refund is being spent recklessly or to catch up on delinquent payments, then it makes no sense not to keep the money up front. 