Taxes, ugh. The word makes me shudder.
The Turbotax CD had been resting atop the printer/fax/scanner/copying machine (that ceased working a year ago). It kept staring me in the face for weeks. Even after a dirty look from me, it still sat there, waiting.
But I knew it was time to do our taxes. It’s one of those things I don’t plan ahead for. More like a spur-of-the-moment thing for me. So a peaceful Sunday turned into tax day, here at Beesville. What’s Beesville? It’s our home! Yes, I’m one of those annoying people who happens to give their home a name.
Thank Goodness For Turbotax
Jeez, I hate to say it, but I’m glad there is software out there, like Turbotax. Without it, my Schedule C and 1040 would be a jumbled mess. It’s laid out well; very methodical in its line of questioning, and I always feel like they are “on my side.”
Hey, I wish paying income taxes wasn’t so complicated. In fact, I think that’s all wrong. We should be taxed on what we spend, not on what we earn. Sadly, the Americans followed the Brit’s example by taxing income. Taxes, taxes, taxes. They’re suffocating. And talk about a way to demoralize workers. There’s not really much of an incentive to work harder (or do more overtime) because you know you’re gonna get taxed to death.
Taxes For Infrastructure
Look, I don’t mind paying taxes for stuff I use, like roads and bridges. I know that comes out of the property taxes. Also, I don’t mind paying for the car tags because they help pay for the roads too.
What I do mind paying taxes on is stuff I don’t use and won’t ever use. But that’s socialism for you. All for one. (Or is that one for all?)
Government Waste And Over-Spending
It’s also frustrating when the government completely wastes our tax-payer dollars. They don’t seem to have a rein on the purse. Why? Because it’s other people’s money. They pander—er, spend—themselves into oblivion all in the name of getting re-elected 2-, 4-, or 6 years down the road. It has to stop. The deficit debt takes millions of dollars a day just to keep up with the interest payment alone!
Are You Getting A Tax Refund?
So you’re getting a tax refund! Doesn’t it make you wonder why? In other words, why did the government take out “too much” in the first place? It left you with less cash in your pockets throughout the year. When you get a refund, you can only hope that YOUR MONEY was put to good use. Or that it earned a ton of interest before they gave it back to you (without interest, I might add).
Why not just tax us on our spending? If we know we can get more “stuff” because we have a healthier checking account balance, just think how the economy would boom! Look, there will always be misers and spenders. And believe me, there are more spenders than savers (sadly).
Home Economics
Back in high school, one of the classes I took was “Home Economics.” There was no economics involved. I don’t know why they didn’t just call it what it was: Cooking.
I don’t recall my math classes teaching you how to balance a checkbook. Nor any lessons on creating and balancing a budget. Real-life things that matter, you know. {shoulder shrug}.
Unpaid Tax Collectors
Before I make your headache even worse with more with tax-talk, I’ll leave you with this thought my dad used to say:
We’re all unpaid tax collectors.
My Dad, Ken
Period.
Thanks for reading!
