<prompt> Human: My girlfriend worked 2 jobs last year. When she enters the the info on each W-2 individually, it says she should be getting back about 800-900 in federal and a hundred or so from state for either one. However, when she enters them both together, it says shell be getting back 18 from federal, and will owe the state 200. What the hell is going on?  <response>: Why does working a second job hurt you come tax season? CAThe only people that think this are people who dont understand withholdings or the marginal tax bracket system. Your girlfriend will be taxed only according to what she owes the government. Her withholdings from her one job are in excess of her actual tax obligation considering that job only, while her withholdings from her other job are less than her actual tax burden considering that job only. When the two incomes are combined, the refund is very small as the excess withholding from job 1 makes up for the underwithholding from job 2.Tax refunds are not a good thing. Your girlfriend should be very pleased she ended up with a very small refund, as that means her money was working for her throughout the year instead of sitting in the governments 0 interest savings account. 