Oh and I just noticed, but I'm not sure how what you said holds truth. Taxes are based on 3 situations.

1. Your income
2. The amount of papers the tax preparer has to file.
3. Your status. Single 0-1; Dependents 2-whatever;

Your total income derives from the amount you owe. If you make more than 6500 federal; and state is separate (varies from 5000-10000) then you WILL be paying taxes. Only way you earn all the money back is if you earned less than both federal and state.

Secondly, the papers that you file for taxes make a huge difference in what you can earn as credits that the government is issuing etc etc. Health insurance, school expenses, house mortgages, deductions, dependents under 16 etc etc etc. You can make over 100,000 and get back 15,000 in taxes because you have dependents and other deductions the government will throw money at you for. For each child under 16, it's a 1,000 credit.

Status on your paycheck is the kicker. If you claim single 0, both state and federal will take more money from your paycheck, but you will play less in taxes. Claim single 1 (because you're saying you claim yourself and someone else) they will take less money out of your paycheck, but will pay more taxes at the end of the year putting into consideration the money you have earned through out the year. This is why people hold onto receipts, and other papers. To get more credits that the government is paying off. Tax returns aren't loans. It's money that the government has determined you have the right to get back through the papers you paid someone else to have filed.