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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 21 of 21. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by tabitha on April 10, 2004, at 15:25:16
Anyone else still have to do their income taxes? For the last ten years or so I've filed the extension.. one year I even filed the extension late plus missed the Roth IRA contribution deadline. :-( But there's hope for this year-- still 5 days left. I can do it! I can do it! I can file on time! (trying to psych myself up)
Posted by fallsfall on April 10, 2004, at 17:14:20
In reply to Income tax procrastinators?, posted by tabitha on April 10, 2004, at 15:25:16
I'm halfway done.
Posted by karen_kay on April 10, 2004, at 17:46:55
In reply to Re: Income tax procrastinators? » tabitha, posted by fallsfall on April 10, 2004, at 17:14:20
ah ha! i don't work, therefore, i don't file. when i did, i went to have them done. no problem, as i was poor. but, i didn't understand how i was always duped because i was a student and didn't have children, so i got no breaks. and my mother still claimed me, even though she didn't help pay for my schooling. i got no money, even though they took quite a bit of money from me. that's it, i'm moving to canada after i graduate. (end rant)
you can do it tabitha! falls too! promise! i believe in you! get going girl! if i can finish this paper, you can finish your taxes! go, do it!
Posted by noa on April 10, 2004, at 18:29:27
In reply to Income tax procrastinators?, posted by tabitha on April 10, 2004, at 15:25:16
Always!
Every year I'm late. This year, I told myself I would get the stuff together early. I have used an accountant the past few years but it's too late for that now, unless I file an extension first. Last year, I didn't file until October, using 2 extensions. Even then, I was rushing to mail it just before the October deadline. And the thing is--they owed me money! So you'd think I'd have gotten the return in earlier. Nope.
I have no idea this year if I'll owe or get a refund. I'm embarrassed to go again to the accountant and am wondering if maybe I can get the forms done myself this year. It is less complicated this year, I think, than last year because of a complication with my state taxes the year before that. So I wonder if maybe I can do it.
I thought I'd buy Turbo tax, but it seems to me from their web site that it isn't that I am buying the software so much as paying for the service of printing out or efiling the return after doing it online. I don't like that--I would buy the software if I could use it again next year and the year after that. But I don't want to pay just for the service. I can pay an accountant for that.
I think I have all the right documents gathered in one place. Maybe I'll go to the library where they have all the forms and try doing them myself.
So, no, Tab, you are not alone. But you knew that already, I'm sure. (It's obvious to me every year from the lines at the post office on the last day!).
Posted by tabitha on April 10, 2004, at 21:00:34
In reply to Re: Income tax procrastinators? » tabitha, posted by noa on April 10, 2004, at 18:29:27
I use Turbo Tax. I buy the CD instead of using their web site. You have to buy the state tax part separately-- it ends up costing about $40 with the rebates. I don't really want all my data entered on the internet-- it doesn't seem like a great idea. You can buy it anyplace that sells software. You have to buy the new version every year though, but at least it's smart enough to import your old data, so you don't have to type everything in from scratch. I print it out and mail it at the end.
Posted by fallsfall on April 10, 2004, at 22:06:37
In reply to Re: Income tax procrastinators? » noa, posted by tabitha on April 10, 2004, at 21:00:34
I use TurboTax, too (also on my computer). It is SO much more fun than reading the forms. That makes it worth the money. Sort of like blowing leaves with a leaf blower is SO much more fun than raking (which I would just never do), that it was worth the cost of the blower. (I know they make noise, but the houses here are not too close together... Hey, it's the ONLY way I'll get the leaves up).
I'm just waiting for a couple of numbers from my (sort of ex)husband. And I'll be DONE with my taxes.
Posted by mair on April 10, 2004, at 22:14:49
In reply to Re: Income tax procrastinators? » tabitha, posted by fallsfall on April 10, 2004, at 22:06:37
I use an accountant; he thinks I'm hopeless. I consider it to be a major victory if I can get mine in before August. This year there is no reason for me to be late - I'm not waiting for anything I need from anyone else. Right now my dining room table is covered with unorganized papers. My husband can't stand it because he basically can't stand any clutter. Every day I come home from work, I swear that I'm going to spend my night organizing my papers and putting together the tax info. I'm sure in the midst of the mess in my dining room are a bunch of unpaid bills that I've just forgotten about - out of sight, out of mind. It's all too depressing.
Posted by pegasus on April 10, 2004, at 23:16:59
In reply to Income tax procrastinators?, posted by tabitha on April 10, 2004, at 15:25:16
This year I asked my husband to do the taxes because I've been so swamped with work and school and travel and health issues. He happily agreed.
So, this morning I asked him if he'd done it, and he gasped, and said, I'll do it today! He totally forgot! And he wonders why I don't trust him sometimes. He has no idea what he's in for, either. Lucky guy! He hasn't done his own taxes since grad school, when it was easy.
Reminds me of my sister a couple of years ago, who asked her husband to pay the bills, since he was unemployed and had more time. So, she starts noticing things like bills thrown in the back seat of the car, and he still insists that he's keeping track of everything and she should trust him. Which she decides to do. So, one day, their electricity is turned off, because he never paid the bill. :0
pegasus
Posted by Dinah on April 10, 2004, at 23:37:45
In reply to Income tax procrastinators?, posted by tabitha on April 10, 2004, at 15:25:16
I did mine at least a week ago. We're getting a refund. All my husband has to do is sign it and mail it. And guess what?
He's usually such a responsible guy, too. Maybe he likes the midnight run to the post office on April 15. ???
Posted by noa on April 11, 2004, at 8:37:38
In reply to Re: Income tax procrastinators?, posted by Dinah on April 10, 2004, at 23:37:45
Wow, it's interesting to me that in all of these marriages, it's the woman who is the one who routinely is responsible for the taxes. Like Mair---your husband doesn't like the clutter, but is it taken for granted that you are the one who has to do the taxes?
Posted by tabitha on April 11, 2004, at 22:06:39
In reply to Re: Income tax procrastinators?, posted by noa on April 11, 2004, at 8:37:38
OK, I don't think I'm going to make it this year. BUT I'll get started anyway and file the extension on time. And that's OK.
Posted by noa on April 12, 2004, at 9:27:41
In reply to Re: I give., posted by tabitha on April 11, 2004, at 22:06:39
Yes, it's ok. Get the extension in on time, and then, don't procrastinate (like I did last year!!) and you can get the forms in well before the August deadline.
Do a little at a time, rather than all at once right before the deadline.
I might very well end up doing the same thing.
(Caveat---Wise words coming from someone who RARELY practices them!!!)
Posted by jane d on April 12, 2004, at 22:50:40
In reply to Re: I give. » tabitha, posted by noa on April 12, 2004, at 9:27:41
I do love the IRS web site. There was nothing quite like running all over the place looking for the right forms on the afternoon of April 15th. Then finally giving up and calling that one person you knew would have stashed some extra extensions and arranging to meet them in some out of the way place.
And the midnight post office run is traditional. For years that was my family's traditional get together spot. Those years I get the stuff in the mail at 4:55 I spend the rest of the evening feeling somewhat adrift.
Posted by noa on April 13, 2004, at 10:28:02
In reply to Re: It's not procrastinating for another 3 days!, posted by jane d on April 12, 2004, at 22:50:40
The post office makes a huge party of it in some towns around here. In one town they have a band playing and it is like a street fair atmosphere all evening until midnight!
Posted by noa on April 13, 2004, at 20:09:14
In reply to Re: It's not procrastinating for another 3 days!, posted by jane d on April 12, 2004, at 22:50:40
I finally sat with my tax stuff and figured out enough to get an extension filed. So, I went to file the extension by phone. They take you through a bunch of questions, you enter your info, etc. and then they file it for you and give you a confirmation number. Well, when they went to connect to file it for me the 'voice' came back on and said that "the IRS is not available to accept your form 4868 at this time. Please call back later." WTH??? Why couldn't they tell me that before I entered all the info? So, I'll try again in the morning and if that doesn't work, I'll go to the library and get a form and fill it out and mail it. Oh, you're probably wondering why I don't just print the form from the website. I did download the forms but I dont' have a printer right now!
Posted by tabitha on April 14, 2004, at 9:59:52
In reply to Re: It's not procrastinating for another 2 days!, posted by noa on April 13, 2004, at 20:09:14
How irritating. But there's still time.
I'm still not there yet. Must do it tonight. I can print the extension form from turbo-tax, but that means I have to get to their website to pay for my CD copy that was mailed, and I sure hope their server is OK. Worst case, I go to the library tomorrow. There's still time. Then I'll start the real return this weekend. (Promise to self).
You know, I've tried to start this tax day conversation with folks in 'real-life' and everyone has said theirs is done, what's the big deal? Then they ask if my taxes are especially complicated or something, to which I'm evasive, since the biggest complication is getting my medical expense deduction together. So I'm grateful for anyone who understands my irrational tax procrastination issues.
Posted by noa on April 14, 2004, at 13:13:37
In reply to Re: It's not procrastinating for another 2 days! » noa, posted by tabitha on April 14, 2004, at 9:59:52
Tab, you can print the extention form from the IRS webpage for free!! It's in adobe PDF format.
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4868.pdf
Posted by tabitha on April 14, 2004, at 22:38:56
In reply to Re: It's not procrastinating for another 2 days! » tabitha, posted by noa on April 14, 2004, at 13:13:37
Oh sure, make it easy! I loaded the federal software, and I'm trying to download the state but it just sits there forever saying 25% complete.
I think I'll start the return anyway, and if I can't finish tonight, then do the extension. That's still better than normal.
Posted by tabitha on April 15, 2004, at 1:44:34
In reply to Re: It's not procrastinating for another 2 days! » noa, posted by tabitha on April 14, 2004, at 22:38:56
The turbotax website was down, so I couldn't get my state tax download, but I finished the federal form. It's in its big fat envelope ready to mail. I can't remember the last time I filed on time, without any extension. I had much less anxiety while doing it, too. :-) :-)
24 hours before the deadline! whoo-hoo!
Posted by fallsfall on April 15, 2004, at 6:25:11
In reply to Re: I finished!, posted by tabitha on April 15, 2004, at 1:44:34
Posted by noa on April 16, 2004, at 21:23:36
In reply to Re: I finished!, posted by tabitha on April 15, 2004, at 1:44:34
This is the end of the thread.
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