I agree with you about point one. I don't mind paying taxes, just try to make it fair and reasonably done. My favorite is that when you underpay (probably because you did the worksheet on your W-2 correctly instead of making up a rational number of exemptions), you have to pay a penalty, but when you overpay, you get no fee, interest, or anything. I still try to overpay so that I don't have to cough up at the end of the year.

I'm in NC. Our max per week was just under $400, I think, and there was a cap on that, too, of six months. But that got extended by three months shortly after my six months ran out. Then it got extended by another three months long after that three months ran out, and well after I had a job. However, I was still able to apply for it in arrears and I got a nice big lump sum all at once (which went to pay for bills), or I would have if they hadn't sent me 13 different checks in 13 different envelopes. Tellers at the bank look at you funny when you make that sort of deposit.