I owe about 2.5k. Didn't see that coming. I thought I would owe about $200. I misunderstood what would be deductible and didn't with hold enough.

DH only had about $100 in with holding for the whole year anyway. He thought there was going to be some big cash out because this would be our first time filing married and having a baby and a house but that didn't happen.

So he spent that day upset with me and i spent it paranoid that he was trying to poisen me for the life insurance policy (I'm joking but he did have a slightly sinister face that night when i finished eating the mashed potatoes).

Anyway,I wouldn't be too bothered except for i was saving about 3k for my maternity leave at the end of the year. So now, i have to change my withholding, pay the 2.5k and save 3k. All that ain't happening.

Option 1 is just taking all the leave as negitive time (assuming 3 months leave because I had complications last time and i actually needed all 3 months) which would take me about 4.5 years to pay back. I didn't want to be here that long but, it's an option.

Option 2 is LWOP about a quarter of the time and negitive leave the other 3 quarters. That would take 3.5 years to pay back. Better, but not optimal.

Option 3 is to shorten my leave which I don't want to do considering I still wasn't able to return at 8 weeks last time. There was some kind of issue with the needle they stuck in my back in addition to my c section scar causing me intense pain. My job back then involved crawling around the belly of boats and climbing ladders but I'm mostly a desk worker now so i am hoping that if i have to come back early i can set my chair at a steep recline. My birth experience could be totally different this time (i hope it is) but i am preparing for a repeat c section.

Options 1 and 2 are not that bad and i had a plan to be at work for 10 more years. But to owe 5 years is a lot. I might get sick and need the time again. I would put in for donated time but i work with a lot of men (nuclear engineering field) and they are the ultra conservative meninist types.Our admin would have a better go with getting donated time because she does womans' work. I on the other hand am doing the job of a man and a more qualified guy could have got my job if not for affirmative action.

I'm brain storming other ways of drumming up 3k by November (when i project the baby will be born) so ideas are welcome.

Its crazy that 3k which is a little less than 1 months pay after taxes will cost me aroud 3.5 to 5 years of work.