Mar 06 2008
It’s That Time Again
Yep, it’s tax time. Boyfriend got the popular tax software, so it was my first year using it. It was pretty easy, mostly just data entry, and I’ve got everything ready to mail out. I didn’t bother forking over the extra money to e-file. Even though I used software to tell me what to do, I still totally understand my return, which is great. I’m adamant about doing my taxes myself, because I like knowing that I can. My situation is simple enough that there’s no reason why I should have to pay someone to do it, so I done gone and did it myself. Tomorrow I just have to stop by the post office and send the returns out, along with the rebate forms for our new phones.
I also spent some time this evening updating my checkbook. I use software for that, but since it’s on my desktop computer, which I rarely use since it’s in the bedroom, so I had a month’s worth of receipts to enter. I need to make more of an effort to get on the desktop more often, not only to keep my accounts updated, but also because my iTunes library is there, and I’m itching for new music to listen to on my iPod at work.
I’ve been writing some new Music on Mondays posts, since I got caught at the last minute without a post this week. And of course in doing that I’ve not posted here. I know it’s only been about 2 days, but I had the last couple posts written ahead of time, so it feels like forever since I’ve actually written something. Such is life.
So that’s about it for now. It’s nearly 11pm and I still need to clean up the dinner dishes, fold laundry, and catch up on everyone else’s blogs before bedtime. I’ll try to have a more worthwhile post for you soon!
All your posts are worthwhile!
Thanks, KFJ. It’s just that posts like this one are written more out of obligation rather than because I have something to say, and they tend not to get as much traffic (not that I’m a traffic hound or anything!)
I used to do my own with TurboTax, but about 10 years ago I found a CPA that does our taxes for $100, including e-file, so that seemed like the way to go for me. Capitol gains, dividends, and crap like that confuse me. And he knew about a lot of extra deductions that I never knew I could take, such as union dues.
Nobody, if I had actual deductions, I’d probably use a CPA, but I don’t contribute to anything, wear uniforms, pay a union, pay interest except on my car, earn interest, etc. A good friend of mine is a CPA and while she’d have no problem taking my money to fill out my 1040EZ, but I think I can manage on my own.
Eurgh, tax. Do you have to do separate tax returns for Australia and the US? I’m confronting this possibility for when I move to the UK and I can tell you, I’m not looking forward to it. It’s hard enough trying to explain to the Australian Tax Office exactly what ‘internet content writing’ is!!
Completely unrelated, but I just saw your Virtual Tourist profile and I am so signing up!!
Amy, I’ve never even been to Australia, so I only have to do US tax returns. Luckily I live in a state that has no state income tax. If I did live in a state that has it, I’d have to fill out state tax returns too. The people who have it worse are the ones who live in one state and work in another, and have to do 2 state returns along with their federal. But here in the US, the occupation field isn’t an exact science, so if I had your job, I’d just put “writer.” The IRS doesn’t care about business licenses, either - they just want to know that your income sounds about right for your occupation.
I haven’t been on VT in eons! It’s still a great site, though, and if I had the opportunities to travel more I’d probably visit more often.
My bad, I just assumed that because you were on the Aussie Bloggers forum you were Aussie!
I didn’t realise the US had split tax regions - but that does make perfect sense once I think about it. The Australian Tax Office is really sensitive about ‘creative’ jobs like writing, because they actually give out rebates and such to encourage more of it - like with their film industry fund. Plus there’s the added problem that most of my clients are international, not Australian……….. perhaps I should just quit and become a lady of leisure?
No worries, Amy. I like the Aussie Bloggers forum, and there’s nothing like it that I know of that’s based in the US.
We don’t really have different regions. We have federal taxes, and like AUS we have states, so each state has its own wildly different rules on just about everything. Some localities (New York City is one) that also has its on tax structure. Kinda messy when you and work in different areas. Like I said, the IRS (US Tax Office) doesn’t care what your job title is, but when it comes to your business structure and employment status, then they like to get in your face about it. For example, lots of businesses avoid paying employment taxes by saying that their employees are independent contractors and leaving the tax burden on them instead. There’s a way for the employee to submit a proper employment status, though. A good CPA can help.
For the record, if I were living in AUS as a US Citizen, I would have to pay federal income tax to the USA, but I would be able to deduct any taxes that I pay to the country of my residence. That’s an overly simplified explanation, though, and we all know that there’s nothing simple about taxes.