On Easter Sunday I had quite a shock when I discovered that my accountant wanted my 2011 taxes submitted by the end of the week. I didn’t know how I would ever make the deadline. I was always planning to get to it. I don’t know how many time s I said, “I’m going to finish my taxes today”. But in my mind, I still had a couple of weeks, not a couple of days. Birthday parties and the holiday celebration were my top priorities. Taxes hadn’t made it on to my radar yet.
Monday morning, bright and early, I got to it. The bulk of my expense entries were already in place; I maintain my tax records throughout the year. But sometimes the day-to-day gets a bit overwhelming , and some important tasks, (in this case, tax entries), slip through the cracks. I had some homework to do. Miraculously, juggling work and family, I was able to finalize my tax package within two days and get it into my accountant with time to spare.
In the end, it all worked out because I had been taking small steps along the way to keep my taxes in order. We can’t underestimate the benefits of doing a little bit of something at a time, no
matter how tedious it may seem.
Ironically, I came across one last receipt this morning. As I vowed to never again mismanage my time with regard to recordkeeping, I wondered if that final charge would make it into my 2011 tax return, or if it would remain a reminder for the coming year.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
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