Courtesy of merchant circle
I am not a procrastinator. Nope! Never have been. As a Capricorn I believe in getting the yucky stuff out-of-the-way so I can savor the good stuff.
This is true of food (always save the best for last unless my niece is eyeing up the chocolate bunny ears), chores or even activities. Except that it’s really hard to get all the traveling out-of-the-way so you can enjoy a vacation. After all, you have to get back somehow.
There are very few things that I really put off. Off the top of my head I can think of only two. One is taxes. I hate taxes. I thought when I retired they would get easier and they did, sort of but not completely.
I still can’t do a 1040EZ. The last time I did one of those was when I was six. After that I had to list the purchase and sale price of all my toys along with the cost basis and note if it was a wash sale.
If you don’t understand that, I envy you. I admire all you folks who throw things in a trash bag and trot off to the accountant, grabbing a pizza and a beer afterward.
I’m a Capricorn. I am way too cheap to do that when I have the know-how. Getting married didn’t help. Somehow I am the one with the tax baggage. The beloved husband is plain and simple. All his assets are in the basement and look like tools or guitars.
The government doesn’t know about them and doesn’t care.
On the other hand, the government likes to know what I am doing. I switched banks once and my accounts were frozen for a week. “They” said it was a government reg. I am not talking big money here but the thought of an account in the Cayman’s did look enticing at the time.
Perhaps I look like a drug king. Or maybe a money launderer. Do they come in an old lady size weighing 110 pounds?
I think not!
This year, my on-line software said I was due a federal refund of $20K. I know that’s not true. I track stuff in my head and I’m pretty accurate. I haven’t balanced my checkbook in decades but I always know how much is there. Exactly! I have never overdrawn or bounced checks.
I can also calculate discounts at sales in my head. Some of us have real talents here. They may be useless in business but they come in handy somewhere.
Note this skill does not apply to dividing restaurant checks equally. You always have to have a finance person along to do that. It may have to do with alcohol consumption but I’m not sure….
I knew there was a mistake – a really stupid mistake. It took me an hour but I found it. I listed one of my deductions at well over $1.5 million. You would think that the software would flag that. You have to watch those pesky decimal points!
The really great news is that I am done! I am drinking a celebratory Starbucks mocha latte. The sun is shining and tomorrow will be warm again.
Here’s to hoping spring sticks around this time. Life is good.
Views and Mews by Coffee Kat 
I HATE TAX TIME…I always say to Sam my accountant who would let me deduct air if possible, “Sam, just don’t send me to the Big House.” I’m petrified of the government asking something like…”You’re telling me you’ve only worn that macrame bustier for work? Come on Miss Bianchi…do I need to conduct interviews to get to the truth?” You can’t deduct clothing you wear in actual life…if it’s a costume, then that’s another story. I’m pretty sure that Tinkerbell suit I have is okay.
I’m glad Spring is being a good girl. About time.
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A toast to you for getting it done, Kate. My husband’s a Capricorn and stays on top of our taxes, etc. I am a Scorpio and a procrastinator – an odd combination, I think. A refund would be wonderful. Not sure if it’s in the cards this year. 😉
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Refunds are wonderful but not paying in a lot of $$ is even more wonderful. Trying to get it to be even is almost impossible at least for me.
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I am not a Capricorn so I DO procrastinate! I hate preparing taxes. And with my husband’s railroad career–which falls into an “odd” category of tax codes, we overpay taxes all year and then spend the next year getting some of it back. The IRS has owed us several hundred dollars since last April. And we get to do it all again this month. They seem to procrastinate, too, so they also must not be Capricorns!
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Oh no! I know about those railroad special codes! Fortunately they don’t apply to us. Over the last 10 years or so I have been impressed with how fast you can get a refund. I remember when it took 6 to 8 weeks at least. Now you can get it direct deposit in less than a week (unless you have to use the dreaded special codes!). I’m getting enough back to support my Starbucks addition for a month. Woo Hoo!
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I lift my mocha latte to you in a toast to all those assets (in the basement) the government doesn’t care about. Seems those are the ones with meaning. Your’s are always good reads that fuel me…drink deep. Dan
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Thanks for stopping by and weighing in. The beloved husband (also Dan) would agree with you.
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I used to do all our taxes, even when we lived overseas and had unusual deductions. The US government had no idea how much my husband earned, but I told them anyway. I did my best, and my husband signed at the bottom. No Capricorns among us. Lately I’ve been going to H & R Block. It’s easier.
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I’m thinking about that. It took about 3 hours but the anticipation (and dreading) started in February. We always seem to be missing something. Thank God you can download statements from the internet.
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Well we do turn everything over to a CPA, but I have to get everything ready, now that you mention it, this weekend. No trash bags full of stuff! We have to complete a whole workbook before he’ll touch anything. Sigh.
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Be sure there is a big pizza and a case of beer afterward!
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Being a Capricorn myself, I understand every word you wrote.
Starbucks is a major extravagance which makes it the perfect reward.
A few years back I was introduced to Dee my tax diva.
The way I see it, my money can either go to pay her or to buy a case of Advil to get me through the process. Dee wins!
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Wish I had a Dee. I had them done once many, many years ago. The filer made a mistake and I had to pay the difference plus the penalty (that was before there were guarantees).
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Great post, Kate. I don’t procrastinate on our taxes but I do postpone paying our taxes.
I did a rough draft a month ago, determined that we owe money, and I don’t feel like writing the check until closer to the 15th of April. And I celebrate THAT decision every day.
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Absolutely. This year we get some money back. Nothing much, just peanuts. When we owe, I set up a reminder to send out just before the deadline.
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Congrats!!
You would think the software would catch that. I am suddenly feeling less secure in my return…too late. 8)
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I couldn’t believe it wasn’t flagged as an audit threat.
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I am the PROcrastinator in our family of two. The Husband does the taxes and they are done. You and my Husband are very much alike. Starting at paragraph six I started laughing so hard I felt silly all alone here in the family room. Do they still call them family rooms? It was warm today and I was able to wear my sandals, the sun is going to shine tomorrow and no snow storms are on the way. I am happy. And I agree Kate, life is good.
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I think they call them great rooms now but don’t quote me. We only have one room where we “gather for nothing.” All the other rooms have a purpose, like the kitchen, bedroom or office. Oh yes, the potty room too. We had a cold night but a warming trend is coming (with a slight chance of snow (*#@!*#) on Monday). Hopefully it will miss us. We are a good month or so from sandals.
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I see a 70% chance of rain/snow for us Sunday. It was a very small window for sandals yesterday but I took it.. 😀
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I am very organized and have all my tax stuff in a file so it takes less than an hour to sort through it and get it ready to file. I got my stuff together last night and went to the tax man today. Done! Once upon a time i did my own but now I have a portfolio actually it is more like a legal size envelope… I have someone else do it.
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You are a very wise woman!
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I don’t know, Kate, I can see you working as a drug king pin, in between your visits to the gym. 🙂
My taxes are done, thanks to my dad, and my refund is already in my money market account.
Ah, the idea of a $20k refund…that would make a great story. Congratulations!
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Need some Geritol? That’s what I would be pushing!
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I see no reason why you’re not entitled to a $20K refund! I mean, how could you not be? 😉
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I’m starting to think that way too.
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Unlike you Kate, I am a closet procrastinator! My hubby is not…he is organized, thorough and well focused. He also has done our taxes for many filings and is quite good at it…I’d be in a mess if it were up to me! I’m the keeper of the necessary paper things for the grand production…his software does the ‘brain-work’ and it’s a whiz. He’s noticeably dragging his feet this year and I’m not into pushing…he’ll get it done in ‘due time’. Hopefully we won’t have any humongous errors…but wouldn’t it be great to get a $20 K refund?
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Lucky you! Yes, a $20K refund would be wonderful if you didn’t have to pay it back.
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