Other People's Kids

The Tax Man Cometh

Some people have their taxes completed, signed, sealed and filed every year by February 2nd. Others get it in the mail on April 15 in the last 5 minutes the post office is open. I've personally been all over the map, depending on the year, my mood, my financial condition, whether I'm getting money back or sending it in, etc.

This year I'm feeling fairly uptight about my taxes, given that I've bought and sold houses, I'm dealing with an in-home business for the first time, I suspect that fostering doesn't really affect taxes but I'm not really sure, and I've just generally had a low-grade ongoing anxiety attack due to the massive life changes I've undergone over the last year or two.

I think I'll start with H&R Block (.com) to run the inital figures and go from there. I've taken a hit in income, given that I moved outstate and took a large pay cut, so you'd think we'd pay less, but it seems like some employers delight in withholding too much in order to slowly bleed you during the year and entice you into blowing your return on 24K gold pooper scoopers and imported handmade quartz Bart Simpson figurines, while others favor the tactic of withholding too little, the better to screw you into the ground in April.

I'm about to run the numbers, ladies and gentlemen. Place your bets.

posted by Dan @ 6:17 PM