And All My Dreams, Torn Asunder

I've mentioned my income tax refund a couple of times in recent posts.  It's ironic.  Last year I made the least amount of money that I have in ten years or more, yet my refund was going to be the largest I've seen in that same time.  I wasn't planning too many extravagances.  I was going to give some of it to my sister, to help with her bills.  I was going to buy a new camera, and maybe an MP3 player.  On the practical side of things, I was thinking about a haircut, and maybe a manicure.  The rest I was going to sock away, to support myself during my ongoing unemployment.

This afternoon I got a letter from the Treasury announcing that my entire refund has been "offset".  I have a student loan in default, and the Department of Education has laid claim to any "Federal payments" owed to me.  They have actually declared their intent to "intercept" any such payments.  Jeez, they make it sound like my tax refund is a bomber trying to lay waste to my lack of wealth.  That's actually not a bad simile.  It's such a shame I don't need their protection.  The letter says I can contest the claim, but I can imagine how that will go.  Now that Ed know where I live again, I can expect a letter any day now asking when I plan to pay off the rest.

This is what I get for making plans.

Note: A lot of my recent posts have had titles from different things.  I might have another "Write for you" contest if anyone can tell me where they all come from.