End of A Season

The tax season ended yesterday and for the first time since I started doing my own taxes I didn't request an extension and I filed on time.

I might be a bit like the shoemaker whose children lack shoes. I completed the taxes I had to do for others and we arrived at the post office at 4:59 with ours.

We were able to get 100% of the home office deduction and I was super excited about that. I've never taken it before, although I probably could have taken it in 2006. Maybe I should do another amendment. I really like this dual self-employed tax time thing but it was a bit confusing initially because our joint business was a 2007 start-up and my business was existing.


I had started doing our taxes as soon as our statements began arriving but then I puashed it to the side and didn't get back to it until Monday night. I didn't include all the deductions we are entitled to because I like to save things in case of an audit. Plus I understand when you do the home/office deduction you are more likely to get the audit.

Mr A had one of his years audited and when I was done with his various missed deductions he owed very little. Then I amended another of his returns adding additional deductions which got us a bigger refund and the money owed came out of that. Mr A had been going to the same tax guy for years and for some reason the man didn't add in his state refund to his schedule A and it appeared that he had understated income. I've told him to contact the guy because tax preparers have to have insurance to pay the penalties when they make those mistakes.

Anyway its nice to have everything all organized because when I do decide to do the stuff I have its readily available. And when the IRS comes knocking at my door I can make sure I end up with a bigger refund.