Now that 2008 is officially over and behind us, there's not much left to do with the 'holiday season'. You may think it's time to just sit down, take a breather, and relax... well, that's almost true. Today is the official beginning of the new fiscal year, so it's a good time to start getting everything together so you can do your tax returns for this year.

 

 

Sure, your tax returns don't have to be filed for a little more than 4 and a half months... if you file for an extension, you may have longer than that. Work, family, and any number of other obligations can make filing your tax return that much more hectic. If you get started now with just getting everything together, gathering any pertinent receipts, or even just trying to get hold of your W2 forms as soon as possible, you can usually avoid getting yourself stressed out for 'tax season'. Every year, I worked with people whom received their W2 forms at the exact same time as I did, and once the middle of April rolled around, they were hysterical and frantically running around trying to find someone that could help them file in time. In the last 12 years, I have always had my taxes filed and any money that was being refunded to me was already in my hands by the middle of February at the latest. I file my tax returns completely on my own, and I do e-file my tax returns so I can be positive that they are done and have been accepted by the I.R.S.

 

 

Now I do admit the tax codes can be difficult for some people, and if you are one of them, I HIGHLY recommend you use a tax preparation service. Once you have what everything you need to file your tax return, you should contact a tax preparation service as soon as possible to schedule a time to come in... it will save you a lot of headaches and take a good amount of stress off your shoulders. If you decide to file your own tax returns, be sure you know what you are doing... the last thing you want to deal with is an audit. Finally, once you decide which way you are going to use to file your tax returns and you have everything you need together, you should try to get your paperwork done as soon as possible. If you hesitate until the last minute, don't come crying to me... I'll just sit there, pointing and laughing at you for being a slacker.

 

 

This rant written by Joe Rosendorf Jr.  This is merely an opinion based on personal experiences, and is intended to inform based on those experiences.