Death and Taxes

Dear Tax Gods,

Another year has come and gone and I am reminded how much you dislike human beings. Isn’t it bad enough that so much of my paycheck already goes to the government? Isn’t it enough that you made me suffer through years of paying estimated taxes! When will the madness end, what is left to take? My first born isn’t an option because I don’t have one and you refuse to barter with human lives! Stop crushing dreams!!!!

~Thanks LC

Every tax season I am disturbed by how much money I don’t actually get to keep from my paycheck. This year is no exception because a business venture actually cost me a bit more money than I anticipated. I have learned some valuable tax lessons over the years and I wanted to impart some knowledge:

1. Hire tax professionals not back alley card sharks- Every year I make sure to pay my favorite tax pros over at Tax Depot to prepare and file my taxes. I’m no accountant; I don’t even play one on TV, so I make sure to hire the people that know what they are doing. I have heard the stories of finagling accountants, dirty dealings, and scams but the IRS doesn’t play that so neither do I.
2. Don’t spend your refund all in one place – try to be a bit more fiscally responsible than you were all year folks! Don’t blow your entire refund check helping Cinnamon at Pink Pony get her degree in business. It’s called a savings account open one up!
3. Internet stalk the IRS – become familiar with all that government jargon then wikipedia what it all means. Visit their website just to get an awareness of some of the tools at your disposal and the forms that are necessary…then refer back to lesson#1.
4. Don’t wait until the last minute – this isn’t like hitting snooze on the alarm clock. Filing your taxes late can cost you money! This isn’t something to do last minute so get it out of the way sooner rather than later so if you owe you can make arrangements to pay (if necessary).  Also if you are interested read this article from the Huffington Post about delays leading to identify theft - Procrastinating at Tax Time Can Cost You Your Identity  (no need to thank me for encouraging you to read).
5. IRS doesn’t stand for Incalculable Riches Stolen – IRS stands for Internal Revenue Service but the acronym is often confused with It Really Sucks, Inhereit Retardation Syndrome, or Intrusive Revenue Snoopers. Oddly some additional legitimate meanings for IRS are Insulin Receptor Substrate and Indoor Residual Spraying (mosquito control) and for text users I’ll Return Soon!

Well that is all I really plan to say about that…no need upsetting the tax Gods just to write a blog. For the record, I am not a financial consultant but the one I pay hopes you have a great tax season!

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