Is it possible to make your life easier and less stressful at tax time

Just thinking about preparing your taxes can be stressful. It’s not only the actual filing of taxes but how much you might owe. Money is a huge source of stress and filing our taxes definitely takes center stage.  So, how can you make tax season easier on your self?

Here are a few basic tips to make tax filing less stressful:

• Don’t procrastinate. Don’t put off dealing with your taxes to the last minute. the stress itself of waiting to find out if you owe from February to April is enough to cause anxiety.
• Gather all your information together in one spot. Each time something comes in from the mail, add it to it.
• Make a check list so you don’t forget anything.
• Visit the FAQ’s on our website for a helpful list of what to bring to your appointment.
• Don’t panic if you think you might owe.  You can easily set up a payment plan on taxes you owe as long as your return is file on time. Most of the time that can be set up on line.
• Deal with any back taxes you might owe. Don’t let it snowball. Ignoring the problem will only increase the amount you owe.
• Why not email your information to your tax preparer thereby skipping the Face-to-Face. Sometimes not actually being in a tax office can alleviate stress. Your tax preparer can tell you the final outcome and let you know when you can come and sign your return so it can be E-Filed. (See..Less Stress)
• Choose Direct Deposit. That way you’re not waiting and checking your mail box every day.
• Call and make your “In-face” appointment early. That way you won’t get stuck without an appointment until the first week of April because your accountant is already booked.
• It’s never to early to organize your finances for next year. Set up a folder in the beginning of the new year and keep all your documents in it.
• If you have a significant amount of unpaid taxes at the end of the year, an unusually large tax refund due, or anticipate a substantial change in income during the current year, you can adjust your withholding so your employer withholds more money from your paychecks during the year or has more money distributed to you each pay period.
• If your employer offers flexible spending accounts for health care, child care, or commuting expenses, take advantage of them early in the year. That allows you to pay those expenses with pretax dollars rather than after-tax dollars.

Preparing for and paying taxes doesn’t have to be stressful Follow these tips, and you can spend the tax filing deadline doing something more enjoyable than waiting in traffic in front of the post office or trying to e-file your tax return.