Tax Prep


‘Tis the season. Receipts, documents, and file folders cover my dining room tabletop.

All year, the slips of this and that have been deposited in a basket. They must be gathered into appropriate piles and compiled into data charts.


My tax preparer does E-filing. A month ago, I received the dreaded email: it’s time to fill in your Tax Organizer. Gone is the day of carrying said basket to the accountant.


Once the papers have been sorted, key items must be scanned and saved in computer folders/subfolders.


If I compile tables of information, I only have to maintain the records rather than send the massive pile to their office.


For example, I make a document of all income (personal and business) and other pages for itemized deductions: expenses (business and medical).


As we age, the medical deductible section grows yearly. And since we live in a rural area, we must travel thousands of miles per year for our health care. Sometimes, we even have to do short hotel stays: yes, this lodging can be expensed-remember to ask a hotel in a hospital vicinity if they give special rates to patients and family members.


Have you filed your 2024 tax return? Maybe you’re the early bird who has already received (and spent) their refund. Or are you the poor soul who owes Uncle Sam?

You can follow the Author on her Website or X.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

January 18th: National Thesaurus Day

Image
The thesaurus, a book that serves as a cross-reference for synonyms, and serves as a guide to effective and precise use of language, is a necessary tool of every writer and even some readers. Dr. Mark Peter Roget (1779–1869) was a British natural theologian, physician, and lexicographer. He suffered from depression his entire life: beginning at the age of eight, his coping mechanism was obsessive list-making. He wrote the first draft of the eponymous English-language thesaurus in 1805, two years prior to Webster beginning the undertaking of his own dictionary. For 47 years he kept it a secret, and finally published it in 1852 at the age of 73, under the title  Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases Classified and Arranged so as to Facilitate the Expression of Ideas and to Assist in Literary Composition . This document is archived in the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum. Roget’s Thesaurus has been in continuous print. The original manuscript included 15,000 words; the Eighth Editi...
Read more

Memorial Day 2023

Image
Today,  Memorial Day , we honor those who have died serving this country in the US military. Typical remembrances include parades. And visiting cemeteries to mourn loved ones. Unfortunately, many people have forgotten or chosen to ignore the intent of Memorial Day and consider the date one more long weekend off work and an opportunity to picnic and party. Please don’t wish others a “Happy Memorial Day.” The day has a solemn intent: to remember and honor. Do you have a family member or friend who gave all? Do you plan a unique way to honor them? You can follow the Author on her  Website  or on  Twitter .
Read more

I Voted!

Image
  [ No trigger warning required: this is a non-partisan post .] Election Day 2024 is Tuesday, November 5th. This date is a crucial Federal Election; State and Local elections are also on the ballot. This is the  60th quadrennial presidential election in the USA . Record numbers of voters are flocking to the polls. We voted early to avoid the rush, but even at our rural polling place, we waited an hour. Many locations nationwide have already seen record-breaking queues. The first step is to ensure you are  registered to vote . No further steps are needed if you have not changed your name, address, or previously voted. However, if you have changed your name or moved within your state, you must update your registration. If you have moved to another state, you need to re-register. Even if you have not made any of these changes, it is worth checking that you are still on the roll, as states are cleaning up their databases: ascertain that you have not been inadvertently removed...
Read more