I'm a stubborn old coot and I insist on always doing my income tax on my own.
My income tax is not complicated so it's doable. There are a couple of curves . I can split some things to gain some advantages. This is where the bus went in the ditch. If you split things you have to file a special form with all the details of the split. I have never found a more convoluted form than this one. There are five steps and they are weird.
Now the routine around our place is that I fill out the tax forms and my manager checks them. Now I'm not perfect so I make the odd mistake. So when my manager got to the form to split things she thought it was wrong and began to change things. She got really frustrated and called me. Since I was looking at a form she was filling out I was confused for a while. Then for the next 4 steps we stumbled and yes words flew and got louder. After two hours of reading and rereading, we found that my first attempt was the right one. Worse than that we then discovered that there was no need to split that part of income. Luckily it didn't matter if we did split or not split. That meant that we didn't have to do the whole process over again.
So we sat down and wrote a letter to ourselves that next year it wouldn't be necessary to do the splitting. So next year we will find the letter in the file and it will tell us what to do.
So once again the income tax is done without too much damage to the premises, bodies or minds.
My husband has had the same accountant do his taxes for almost 40 years. All I have to do is save receipts for certain things. Glad I don't have much participation.
ReplyDeleteBut I know it feels good when you have that accomplished. Be sure to read the note you left before you start next year.
There are many situations where it makes perfectly good sense to have somebody do your taxes.
DeleteHaven't done mine for years, but remember going through the steps.What I have to pay almost makes it seem like i should again.I planned to take a trip on my return, but it was so low I spent a weekend with the kids.
ReplyDeleteIf you've got some time and some skill it's worthwhile doing. If your situation is complicated you'r better off paying someone to do the return.
DeleteAhhhh the dreaded tax season, right that's something I've yet to do. I'm glad you got it all sorted and all bones are in tact, no divorce is in the works and just think, you have another entire year before you have to do this again!
ReplyDeleteIncome tax around our house is one of those rituals.
DeleteI'm glad that's sorted. We do ours on line it's a nightmare.
ReplyDeleteEven the dogs hide.
I would prefer to do mine on line but my manager isn't at all comfortable with that.
DeleteYep..my taxes should be simple except I have 25 pages of stuff from just one investment...I will pay someone to do the math. It also saves my marriage.
ReplyDeleteYes, why can they make one small section so complicated?
DeleteIts great that you do your taxes yourself.I have to admit I hate paying income tax and all the other hidden taxes to a corrupt and sleazy government.
ReplyDeleteHaving worked in Govt. I'm not one of those people who thinks everybody is a crook. Politicians are crooks but govt. employees are fine. At least that's the way it works here.
DeleteIn India, every government department is corrupt. There are hardly few individuals who work sincerely and that is only because of their individual principals.
DeleteJust a couple of hours yelling at each other. Clears out the lungs. :-)
ReplyDeleteHey, I've got less stressful ways of fixing my lungs!
DeleteI admire you for being able to do your own taxes! Ours a bit too complicated for us to handle on our own.
ReplyDeleteYes, it pays to pay somebody to do them if there are complicated sections.
Deleteha,ha discovered that too after much ado about #$^*(&%###! forms too. I have to laugh at the end, for we concluded the same. This really made me laugh Red - thanks a bunch.
ReplyDeleteI can also laugh about doing income tax. I don't really get stressed. My manager becomes very stressed as it's not what she's comfortable with.
Deletethanks for letting us laugh at your angst! :)
ReplyDeleteAnytime! I am a low stress person so I don't get bent out of shape over things.
DeleteMy mom is 82 and insists on doing her own income tax too. I take ours to an accountant because it's way to complicated for me....and I don't even feel guilty ;)
ReplyDeleteWay to go Mom! It's impossible for farmers and ranchers to do their taxes. My brothers always go to an accountant.
DeleteCertainly glad not too much damage was done. :)
ReplyDeleteI have always let my hubby do it all. Heavens knows I trust him fully. The only thing I do is sign the form when he hands me the pen!
After 38 years it's gone off without a hitch.
What a super way to have things!
DeleteGlad to see that other people are in the "writing letters to oneself in order to remember what to do" phase of life. A taxing business all this isn't it?
ReplyDeleteLove the humor. Lots of different things are taxing businesses.
DeleteOh my. I'm chicken to go this road though when we first got married I did it all...:)
ReplyDeleteIncome tax has become much more complicated over the years. Mine isn't worth going to an accountant.
DeleteI did ours on-line. We used to hire an accountant, only because my late dad's file was complex. I used TurboTax and it was too bad. We are getting money back. They figure out how much income splitting to do. I felt a sense of accomplishment!
ReplyDeleteCheers from Cottage Country!
I will have to look at something like this . Sounds much better than what I go through now.
DeleteIt's the least wonderful time of the year. (sing with me now!)
ReplyDeleteI get it! The play on words...what you like. You're good at it . Is your second career a comedian?
DeleteGood for you guys especially with the letter to yourselves next year! Ours go to our accountant..that way I know they are correct. It is worth it to me to just give him the figures and let him go from there..they are all done waiting to be sent with checks:(
ReplyDeleteCertainly with more complicated situations, go to and accountant. I think you had a business before and then you have to use an accountant.
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