Tax Refunds Could Be Headed to CU Savings Accounts

ISLANDIA, N.Y.-Less than one-quarter of Americans receiving a tax refund this year would spend or invest their refund checks from President George W. Bush’s tax cut package, according to the Cambridge Consumer Credit Index. Of more than 1,000 adults polled nationwide this month by ICR/International Communications Research, 18% said they planned to spend their refund checks, while just 6% said they were opting for investments. The largest portion, 28% of respondents, said they would place their refund in a savings account, while 19% said they would pay off credit card debt. Some 23% said they would pay off other bills, and 6% would use it for other purposes. “The results of Cambridge Consumer Credit Index’s wildcard question show that consumers are in such a cautious mood that most people would save any tax refund or use it to pay off debt or existing bills, rather than use it for new spending or investing,” Jordan Goodman, spokesperson for the Index, said. The Debt Relief Clearinghouse sponsored the poll.