There is nothing I like less than preparing for my tax appointment. Every year as I rifle through boxes of receipts and face my truly disorganized self I swear that next year will be different. I will input my expenses on a regular basis so at the end of the year I can push ONE button and VIOLA!

The thing about NEXT year is that it is always in the future. And in the present, I let the receipts pile up till I can’t see over them and then for convenience sake I box them. At first I say temporarily which turns into until when I have to drag them out for tax time. Hum….

The other big issue about tax season is the pit in my stomach about how much I might owe. If I was not concerned about owing money and then paying the penalty for late payment, I would get an extension until October 15th. That sounds nice right? Are you seeing a pattern here?

I have an excellent accountant. To make the appointment affordable or should I say more affordable, I have to add all the receipts and create all the categories. I present the finished product to him and in about 45 min we know what the damage is. I know people who just give their accountant boxes of receipts but that must be crazy expensive if you have a lot of expenses!

At this point I have gone through all the receipts, the online bill payer, the mortgage interest statements. I have sneezed and cursed and calculated. I am ready for my 1pm appointment. Fingers and toes crossed that I will walk out with a sigh of relief and not a pit in my stomach.

And then next year, things will be different…