Friday, January 9, 2009

One of my favorite times of the year

Tax season is upon us.

I received my first filing papers yesterday. I know, everyone out there thinks I am nuts but this is something I have enjoyed since college when I did, pretty much, everyone's taxes on my dorm floor. Its not that they couldn't do the math, they were scared of the I.R.S. I don't know how many times I had to reassure them that the chances that the government was going to go after a college student if they forgot to put down a weeks worth of tips in their taxable income was slim to none. The sad part is that most of them filed an EZ form which was simple math. I had been filing one since I was 15.

I have never been scared of the I.R.S. I follow the rules that are laid out in front of me and I follow them. Now I know that several politicians who are in charge of writing our tax code can't seem to follow the rules (Charlie Rangel) but if I have a question about a deduction I will look it up on line, or call the number (which you will wait on hold for hours) just to get back a few dollars.

I have always reveled in the numbers (even though me and math class don't get along), and when I got older and bought my first house I reveled in the deductions. I did the same thing when I started my first business. 'Save that receipt,' I would holler to my wife. 'We can deduct that.'

Don't worry, my wife thinks I am nuts too but she does like it that she doesn't have to hire an accountant.

10 comments:

Rob Brooks said...

I am not a fan of tax time, but I'm eager for it this year. I could really use the money. I discovered how easy it was to do a simple return one year when I went to H&R Block. Turned out I owed that year, so I didn't finish with them, and went home to do it myself to save the money. Wasn't so bad after all.

Jamie Eyberg said...

Turbo tax is great software if you are wondering.

Anonymous said...

Numbers scare me...

(shudder)

Jamie Eyberg said...

Barry, just remember that 2 plus 2 is always 4.

K.C. Shaw said...

I actually like doing my own taxes too. A few years ago I went to H&R Block, but it costs too much and all the info is online now anyway. And I love finding deductions!

Aaron Polson said...

As long as the kids keep bringing us deductions, I'm a happy, happy man.

Jeremy D Brooks said...

Taxes are too much detail for me...I was actually kind of excited to get some extra deductions for paying side-stuff like programming and writing, but apparently it has to be some percent of your income, need a business license (for Nevada), need a second phone line, have to be doing it in a non-living space, etc...I was bummed.

My wife does the taxes, and we use TurboTax, so I get to stay two steps removed from the whole mess.

Fox Lee said...

I'm with your wife. Numbers make my head swimmy : P

Jameson T. Caine said...

Tax time was always a period I dreaded. I hated doing taxes myself and I loathed going to H & R Block. What did I do? I married an accountant that works at Block during tax season. Now "I've got people." Mainly, the wife.

Jamie Eyberg said...

Deductions are all good, even if you aren't the one actually putting them down on paper, as long as you get them, who cares. It is your money.