Tax Time!
For once, I have filed my taxes in February! Yes, February 12th to be honest!
I'm one that generally waits til March, mid March to start the process and then normally hit submit around April 14th because we've had to pay the past few years.
This year, I was a little more excited and yes, a tad apprehensive, as well, since our life changed in 2016. We became a predominant single household family with lil ole me being the primary bread maker of the household. I was actually surprised at how much the income all added up to (with that little side gig I've got going on in the evenings and the two raises I received). And of course, there was the concern about the capital gains for the year as we had withdrawn a little from our portfolio for a few things in 2016. Not a lot, but enough to have to make a claim on the gains.
We've been very conscientious in watching each one of our little green soldiers to make sure they stay in line with our financial plans and goals and I believe it paid off.
IF you are a Southwest Rapid Rewards flyer, by all means, log in to your online account and select special offers and then select Turbo Tax to get a 1,000 bonus on your Rapid Rewards. I think that's around $89 which is a one way flight to Chicago for me ...
I use Turbo Tax and have for, oh, the past 7 years or so? It's pretty easy and self-explanatory to use and if you itemize, it's great. I love that it will pull last year's returns in and ask if anything has changed (it has!) as well as importing all your financial stuff (retirement/investment accounts) and so on. It's also very conservative and will really ask you twice if you want to do something that's out of the norm ... and will encourage you NOT to do something if they think it might raise any flags at all.
For years, we paid anywhere from $500 to $1500 and would receive the call that our taxes were ready to be picked up and payment sent in a few days before the deadline. I finally told Hubby that if we had to keep paying more, then we might as well save a few hundred (!) dollars and do them ourselves and that's what we've been doing since.
Some years we get a refund, other years we need to pay more. It just depends on the bonuses for that year.
This year? Refund. Thankfully. That money is going straight to the long term savings account for something in the future ...
Oh! By the way, is anyone else a little freaked out that you can just get the refund on a "cash" card? Why wouldn't you just want it deposited directly into your bank account?
What about you ... refund or not? And if you are getting a refund, what are your plans? AND do you do the card thing?
For the record, I was sitting out on the dock in the sunshine, chillin and reading the Sunday paper and my neighbor's roommate (for lack of better word, she's not a girlfriend or live in help) let me know that Mr. Bill had driven back to Chicago EARLY Friday morning as his grandson was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting Thursday evening. That took all the happiness out of me for the balance of the day. So sad. Very, very sad. With all the shootings happening in Chicago, I know someone who was raised next door to me all those miles away. Just a reminder to always hold your loved ones close when you can.
I'm one that generally waits til March, mid March to start the process and then normally hit submit around April 14th because we've had to pay the past few years.
This year, I was a little more excited and yes, a tad apprehensive, as well, since our life changed in 2016. We became a predominant single household family with lil ole me being the primary bread maker of the household. I was actually surprised at how much the income all added up to (with that little side gig I've got going on in the evenings and the two raises I received). And of course, there was the concern about the capital gains for the year as we had withdrawn a little from our portfolio for a few things in 2016. Not a lot, but enough to have to make a claim on the gains.
We've been very conscientious in watching each one of our little green soldiers to make sure they stay in line with our financial plans and goals and I believe it paid off.
First up
IF you are a Southwest Rapid Rewards flyer, by all means, log in to your online account and select special offers and then select Turbo Tax to get a 1,000 bonus on your Rapid Rewards. I think that's around $89 which is a one way flight to Chicago for me ...
I use Turbo Tax and have for, oh, the past 7 years or so? It's pretty easy and self-explanatory to use and if you itemize, it's great. I love that it will pull last year's returns in and ask if anything has changed (it has!) as well as importing all your financial stuff (retirement/investment accounts) and so on. It's also very conservative and will really ask you twice if you want to do something that's out of the norm ... and will encourage you NOT to do something if they think it might raise any flags at all.
No, this is NOT an endorsement.
For years, we paid anywhere from $500 to $1500 and would receive the call that our taxes were ready to be picked up and payment sent in a few days before the deadline. I finally told Hubby that if we had to keep paying more, then we might as well save a few hundred (!) dollars and do them ourselves and that's what we've been doing since.
Some years we get a refund, other years we need to pay more. It just depends on the bonuses for that year.
This year? Refund. Thankfully. That money is going straight to the long term savings account for something in the future ...
Oh! By the way, is anyone else a little freaked out that you can just get the refund on a "cash" card? Why wouldn't you just want it deposited directly into your bank account?
What about you ... refund or not? And if you are getting a refund, what are your plans? AND do you do the card thing?
For the record, I was sitting out on the dock in the sunshine, chillin and reading the Sunday paper and my neighbor's roommate (for lack of better word, she's not a girlfriend or live in help) let me know that Mr. Bill had driven back to Chicago EARLY Friday morning as his grandson was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting Thursday evening. That took all the happiness out of me for the balance of the day. So sad. Very, very sad. With all the shootings happening in Chicago, I know someone who was raised next door to me all those miles away. Just a reminder to always hold your loved ones close when you can.
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