Oh the Pain... The Pain of It All....

Doctor Smith from "Lost in Space" could not have put it more eloquently. We are now two days away from the bane of many a worker's existence, Tax Day. Now granted, because April 15th falls on a Saturday, all states have allowed people until the 17th to have their returns postmarked and in Massachusetts (I think) they are giving you one day more since it's a state holiday on the 17th. Still, with a thing like taxes, I freak and try to get it in well before the due date. I kept April 15 circled on my calendar so that I wouldn't forget. Nevermind that I have an extra day or two this year, why delay the inevitable?

I have been filling out tax forms for close to fifteen years. I started working when I was 14 and have held some sort of job since then. The nice thing was that early on, because I was earning so little (hey... they were summer jobs!) and I was a dependent, I got almost all of my tax money back. Smartly, albeit reluctantly at times, I put a lot of it away and that was what helped me build up my savings. That came in handy when I decided to buy my home. That's when everything changed and the once simple process of filing a tax return became a test of patience.

Having studied economics, I understand the importance of taxes and why we need to pay them. But still, does it have to be so confusing?

As you run the veritable gamut of forms things seem to get more and more confusing. Annual gross income, adjusted gross income, single, single claimed dependent, single but recently separated, single but seeking, married, married but filing separately, married but in name only, dead. Federal income tax, state income tax, earned income credit and on and on and on. When you first get those forms it's an extremely daunting. I could never understand why they used to provide you two copies of the form when you get the 1040 packet... it's so that you can pencil in everything and erase and then try again until you are satisfied that you have some semblence of a return.

That's how it used to be, that was the easy version. Now I have so many deductions that I must itemize. That term used to have some mystic meaning to me but now it's yet another form to be filled out which is even more confusing! I had quite a few deductions this year since I have interest, mortgages and property. To think... all that saving for a home and indeed it does come back to save me. But ugh! What a pain to fill out. I have my favorite calculator (the one I used to at the SATs back in high school) and a mechanical pencil and a strong cup of coffee.... although it is kept as far from the forms as possible. No spilling allowed.

Remember to read the directions on how to staple your W-2's. If you owe taxes, don't forget to fill out the pay voucher addition. Include these with the return but do not staple the form or the payment to the return. If you're getting a refund... darn you! Just kidding. For those of you who (like me) have completed your returns... congrats! For those of you just getting started, good luck! And for those of you who are scratching your head saying, "What taxes?" look out... the Tax Man will come for you!