Thursday, February 27, 2020

Done!

You could have heard my sigh of relief throughout the county.

I had my taxes done last week.  It's not about the money.  If you take my federal refund, subtract what I owe the state, and the tax prep fee, I break out even.  That's okay.

Money is secondary.  It's the relief of having a complicated task completed for another year.

I follow the Tony Kornheiser rule.  My tax prep person has one instruction:  Keep me out of jail!

My returns are a tad more complex than average, but I'm no Donald Trump or Michael Bloomberg.  Each year, as I watch my returns done and I stare at all the numbers on the screens, I can't help but think there has to be a better way.

It has to involve fewer penalties for saving and investing, and a simpler way to calculate what you owe.

What ever happened to all those congressional plans for flat taxes, and returns on post cards?

You can't get the toothpaste back in the tube, and I fear things will always get more complex.