Summer Analyst Tax Refund Poll

For everyone that interned this past summer (or people who have interned in the past), how much did you get back when you filed your tax return?

I'll start: made 23K (10k sign on bonus and 13K summer salary) Paid 9K in taxes, return says I should be getting 3K back

Seems pretty low...

42 Comments
 

I think you guys may be missing that he got the signing bonus at the end when he accepted the FT offer. He just worded it strangely.

I am permanently behind on PMs, it's not personal.
 

I can't tell you how much I hate the damn near 50% bonus tax......Its literally heartbreaking.

You give me a gift? *BAM* Thank you note! You invite me somewhere? *POW* RSVP! You do me a favor? *WHAM* Favor returned! Do not test my politeness.
 

10k for SA? i call bullshit 10K for FT sounds about right.

50% bonus taxes just hurts and screws up your next 2-3 paychecks

“I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me.” - Malone
 

I'm sure there is a problem with this but do you think companies could get away with not calling it a "bonus" but instead through some creative method divide it amongst your next couple of check so its taxed less? or does it not matter.

You give me a gift? *BAM* Thank you note! You invite me somewhere? *POW* RSVP! You do me a favor? *WHAM* Favor returned! Do not test my politeness.
 
1man2nvI'm sure there is a problem with this but do you think companies could get away with not calling it a "bonus" but instead through some creative method divide it amongst your next couple of check so its taxed less? or does it not matter.

makes no difference in the grand scheme of things, since your total tax liability will be the same come april 15th regardless. the only difference is whether you have to wait until tax season to get the money back as a refund.

 
dublin
1man2nvI'm sure there is a problem with this but do you think companies could get away with not calling it a "bonus" but instead through some creative method divide it amongst your next couple of check so its taxed less? or does it not matter.

makes no difference in the grand scheme of things, since your total tax liability will be the same come april 15th regardless. the only difference is whether you have to wait until tax season to get the money back as a refund.

Ooooh Ok I didn't know that. I thought bonuses were applied differently.

You give me a gift? *BAM* Thank you note! You invite me somewhere? *POW* RSVP! You do me a favor? *WHAM* Favor returned! Do not test my politeness.
 
ModusOperandi
bamlnite10k sign on is for signing full-time offer my bad on the wording now can someone answer the tax question?

Not shit... my parents still file a joint tax return that includes me so I'm just one big tax write-off anyway and I don't get shit back. BALLS

Wait, I admittedly know nothing about taxes, but are you saying that if your parents claim you as a dependent still then you get no tax refund? That can't be right...

 
JeffSkilling
ModusOperandi
bamlnite10k sign on is for signing full-time offer my bad on the wording now can someone answer the tax question?

Not shit... my parents still file a joint tax return that includes me so I'm just one big tax write-off anyway and I don't get shit back. BALLS

Wait, I admittedly know nothing about taxes, but are you saying that if your parents claim you as a dependent still then you get no tax refund? That can't be right...

The cutoff is like 6k or something. If you made less than that you get your money back, if not you get boned and they take more taxes... you may still get a little bit back though

 
Best Response
ModusOperandi
JeffSkilling
ModusOperandi
bamlnite10k sign on is for signing full-time offer my bad on the wording now can someone answer the tax question?

Not shit... my parents still file a joint tax return that includes me so I'm just one big tax write-off anyway and I don't get shit back. BALLS

Wait, I admittedly know nothing about taxes, but are you saying that if your parents claim you as a dependent still then you get no tax refund? That can't be right...

The cutoff is like 6k or something. If you made less than that you get your money back, if not you get boned and they take more taxes... you may still get a little bit back though

If you make over the 6k limit and are over 19 y/o then they cant claim you anymore. id look into that

 

i think people here overestimate the actual tax bite, once refund has been received.

your mileage may vary, but as a real-life example, i started FT last summer, no bonus in 2010, so on ~$35k pre-tax, my total federal tax bill was ~$3500, so right around 10%. SS/Med adds another 7-8%, and then state taxes will vary depending where you are. a full year + bonus would bump up some of your tax rate too (and if you don't know how marginal tax rates work yet, it's a good thing to understand).

all in all though, i don't think you're kissing away more than about 20-25% in most cases.

 

What I dont get is all those people talking about 5K+ refunds after their SA stint Did they use tuition credits or something for deductions?

 

I made 21K in 2010 while in college PT Job + SA gig.......and I got back $3500.

You give me a gift? *BAM* Thank you note! You invite me somewhere? *POW* RSVP! You do me a favor? *WHAM* Favor returned! Do not test my politeness.
 

Feenans-- I'm in the same situation as you. ~17k pre-tax income, estimated 1.4k back. Seems very low, esp when compared to friends with similar/same banking jobs who are all receiving higher tax returns. Can someone help?

 

Praesentium tenetur ut delectus sed delectus nihil reiciendis. Sed consequatur quia aut modi vel aut sed quia. Sit nostrum architecto dicta distinctio quia numquam suscipit. Optio nemo consequatur laborum molestias suscipit.

Voluptatem architecto maiores voluptas voluptatem ex asperiores error. Qui et exercitationem tempore error ut porro. Quibusdam reiciendis maiores vel eveniet magni nihil. Velit quo quidem est unde. Recusandae suscipit quo similique ut maxime accusamus porro nesciunt.

Qui nulla sit officia enim atque magnam molestiae. Blanditiis dolorem veniam voluptate doloribus consequuntur iure et. Est maxime et quia et sed aliquid reprehenderit. Nihil sit quibusdam voluptate dolorem odit. Libero est maxime porro ullam dicta nostrum. Quisquam voluptatem nulla quibusdam magni et. Voluptatem nostrum fugit et est recusandae blanditiis. Adipisci optio quasi veritatis optio suscipit quia.

Cupiditate et eaque quis sit debitis. Dolorem quis consequatur officiis consequatur excepturi non aut. Nemo sit consectetur natus dolore.

 

Sit eos voluptatibus autem ipsam veritatis. Eius laborum molestiae officiis earum id totam autem nihil. Eaque quam quas odit. Consectetur voluptatem nisi dolore ipsum sequi sint error.

Eaque voluptas neque animi ducimus. Et veritatis omnis vel dolor. Unde id veritatis sint minima in voluptas quibusdam. Deserunt facere exercitationem voluptatem maiores rem minus. Error at necessitatibus aut aut aut eum.

Recusandae tempore et dolores sint eos exercitationem. Eum illo corporis eos incidunt autem.

Autem ea aut iure in ut odit doloribus. Nulla iste aut dolorem sunt. Vel nisi beatae nihil similique nesciunt dolore deleniti.

 

Et sit delectus totam perspiciatis. Totam dolorem facilis libero fugit praesentium. Cumque sint voluptas deserunt pariatur voluptatem delectus rerum dolor.

Id consequatur praesentium mollitia sed. Itaque et ut molestiae totam assumenda sit. Voluptate veniam ut nostrum rem maxime.

Repudiandae voluptatibus quibusdam facere architecto blanditiis. In molestiae atque veritatis sit. Aliquid omnis et enim necessitatibus voluptatem est. Praesentium aut illum dolores inventore maiores voluptas rerum et. Sed et delectus qui officia recusandae.

Fugit repudiandae consequatur rerum voluptatibus iure neque aut. Suscipit omnis suscipit ad.

[Comment removed by mod team]

Career Advancement Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Guggenheim Partners 02 97.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 99.0%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 13 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (57) $264
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (28) $184
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”