This is NOT an advance on your 2008 tax return, although I can understand how someone could construe it that way. Don't take the AJC's word for it, read it for yourself:

"In 2008, taxes would be cut from 10 percent to zero percent on the first $6,000 dollars of taxable income for individual taxpayers and the first $12,000 of taxable income for couples. Taxpayers could receive rebates of up to $600 for individuals and $1,200 for couples. A minimum of $300 per person and $600 per couple would be available to those with at least $3,000 of earned income. This relief would be available to everyone with adjusted gross income less than $75,000 for singles and $150,000 for married couples filing jointly. It will be phased out for taxpayers above those income thresholds."

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/relea...0080124-4.html

What this means is you will not be paying taxes on the first $6,000 you make in 2008, but instead of not taking it out of your check, the government will be giving you a rebate check for the taxes you paid. This differs from a tax refund in that a refund comes from you paying in too much tax over the previous year, taxes that you didnt owe, causing the government to owe you money (which no one should get anyways if you play your cards right). The tax rebate is the government waiving taxes on some of your wages and giving you the taxes you paid, that you OWED, back. Just because your tax return may be smaller next year does not make it the same thing, as most people have to PAY taxes at the end of the year.

Don't get me wrong though it is still crap and I am 100% against it.