One of the weirdest things about W2 jobs in the US is that people have accepted it as normal that someone who is married and/or has children should be paid more than someone who is single.
Discussion
I too have made financial decisions that kind of wreck me. Can I have more money just because you feel bad?
Nobody should get more back on their tax refund than they paid in through payroll taxes all year.
Anybody who thinks that is an idiot. We all do the work for the rate of pay, as negotiated and agreed upon.
Just because The State decides to steal from other people a little less violently every year doesn't mean they are paid more.