Fewer workers this year plan to use their tax refunds to pay off their bills, and more plan to put the money into savings, according to a new survey.
The survey, by staffing company CareerBuilders, found that 46 percent of the 3,910 workers it polled said they plan to use their tax refunds to pay off bills, down from 56 percent last year, reflecting a more stable economy. In addition, more than one-third (36 percent) of workers report they will use their tax refund to augment their savings accounts, up from 34 percent who said the same last year.
Workers may be feeling a little more fiscally secure because fewer are living paycheck to paycheck. While more than six-in-ten (61 percent) said they currently live paycheck to paycheck, this is down from 77 percent who said the same in a study conducted between May 18 and June 3, 2010. In addition, 79 percent of workers said they haven't reduced their 401 (k) accounts or personal savings in the last year.
While the majority of workers will use their tax refunds to put into savings or pay off bills, others said they will use their refunds to make home improvements, go on vacation, pay back money they owe to people, invest, and buy a car.
Workers also said their tax refunds would be put toward a variety of other expenditures, including paying for a wedding, donating to charity, paying for doctor visits, paying down a mortgage, buying a new computer, and paying for college.
