Tax Time... I hate it. However, there are a few things I do to prepare.
Start only when feeling sharp, refreshed, and clear headed. If there are errors, it will only delay that return you need so badly.
Have a space where you can leave your papers and documents out for a day or two, and do not have to be gathered up for the evening meal.
Use the free tax services online instead of the expensive tax prep places. Even this old non-tax-savvy granny can do it.
Read the instructions on the site carefully. Mistakes can be made. Read your answers over carefully and double check your figures, even if you are sure you made no errors. You may be surprised to find that info you type often (name,soc. sec. # etc.) can have a typo because of haste.
If you get too frazzled, stop and take a break. A walk, cup of coffee, time with the family etc can give your brain a fresh jump-start.
Have a quiet environment to do your taxes in. Pets running, or kids playing loudly are not helpful to detailed work.
Have all your papers together before you even start. Searching for important stuff can break your concentration and cause some confusion. (Where was I now?)
These sound almost too simplistic, but are important. I always have to relearn a couple of them each year. Hard to form good habits in this when it is only an annul occurrence.
Hope all of you do great financially this coming difficult year.
Source: This is just what I have learned to keep things simple while preparing taxes. I help raise four grand-daughters, and need to be organized as possible.
Very good advice. One that's helped me over the years is when you accumulate tax info. I have plastic folders that snap shut. The red one is for taxes (go figure) and all year long, anything I THINK might be tax deductable goes into that folder for the next time I do taxes. For those that use the long form, you won't believe how much stress that takes off you.
great advice. we too follow the same path to prepare ours. one year my husband did everything perfect>but checked the wrong box as to where to recieve the refund and there was no going back to correct it so now we print out the sheet and do a test one to double check. I just cannot believe the people who want the fast money and pay $300 to get it back in a few days when they waited all year for tax time to come around anyway and just waiting that 10 extra days will give them more money to be able to use.
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