Well before you think I'm some sort of tax genious, I'm not. I am Active duty military. My pay scale is easily veiwable on line as an E5 with over 10 years in. I live in base housing so I don't get BAH. So I live for free. Good, no rent or utilities but don't have a mortgage to deduct. But as such I don't have to claim what would otherwise be $12.5K in anual income. I also get various other entitlements wich are not taxed either. In addition I use the Federal employees TSP (401k) and that reduces my over all income by 5%. My wife barely worked this year making a wopping $500. We took the standard deduction and with 2 kids my adjusted income was only $4,000.00
Then you add on the credits that for some reason pay you money back and I made out like a bandit.
Next year, same situation cept my wife will have more income and I will have a bunch more deductions.