First of All......Happy February 💗
February is the RED month... also known as the month of love.
And now................
Well dear friends...Tax season is officially peeking around the corner....it's like that one bill you were hoping would forget your address. (laughing) and laughing some more.
I spent most of Saturday afternoon deep in tax land and I actually think I worked overtime. Extra pay? Not a dime!!
I love how when it comes tax time, every receipt suddenly becomes super important. Not sure about you all, but yes, I'm the one who saves every receipt.....
I looked everywhere for my ice cream receipts....then I remembered I don't eat ice cream. And now I feel like I missed a deduction for the year.
For me, tax season is one part math, one part mystery and 2 parts emotional exercise.
Working on taxes is very humbling for me. One minute I feel responsible and grown, the next I'm squinting at my calculator wondering why my eyes are all glazed over, wondering why I grew up in the first place!!!!! Many may agree with me on this....I am convinced that the best cardio exercise is when I am deep into figures. This definitely gets my heart rate up.
Woo hoo ..... I'm done, I'm finished, and now it is up to our accountant to double check me.
Now, on this Sunday morning, I can breath better, I can now totally move my focus to my 2026 receipts, and I can officially leave 2025 behind me.
I survived Saturday and all the numbers that were being thrown at me.....and now today (Sunday) is my recovery day!! lol.
BTW....we still have ice on the ground in some areas. It was bitterly cold yesterday with the wind blowing, so what better thing to do than to work on taxes!! 😀😅
*************
Thank you January for teaching me to be still. To slow down enough to see what I usually rush past.
To listen instead of filling every quiet space.
To breath deeply and to rest.
You reminded me that not every season is meant for doing! Some seasons are meant for becoming.
For noticing the small blessings, and trusting in the pauses of the day.
I am now stepping in the next month softer, and more aware while still carrying the stillness with me.
Shug...💙
Taxes are easy when you're on a fixed income. But I remember when I had my business. Tax season always came with trepidation and ended with a pretty good refund. Now my husband knocks it all out quickly.
ReplyDeleteHere's to blessings and a whole lotta love for February.🌹
Good morning Debby. When you are in the farming business, there are so many tax issues to consider... I think this is the hardest part. February is the love month and I thank you for the blessings..
DeleteI am fortunate that Hubby was a 'numbers guy' by profession and handles all the tax issues. If I had to do it things would be way less organized.
ReplyDeleteOh Shug, taxes are one of my least favorite things to do. But I'm on a fixed income, so it's much easier. I am one who doesn't keep receipts at all - in fact, I just went to the grocery store and tossed the receipt. If there is something that might have to be returned, then I'll keep the receipts, but other than that, they get thrown away. I do keep all my tax files for every year. I loved your words on "stillness," and I hope you find some of that in February as well. Wishing you wonderful February days, Shug. I have appreciated your delightful posts, and they have always been special for me to read.
ReplyDeleteGood for you getting those taxes done. I always did ours, but the last couple years we had them done because of inheritance stuff when my Dad passed. I don't want to get in trouble with the IRS!
ReplyDeleteKudos to you for doing your own taxes. My late husband always took care of filing our taxes, but when he passed, there was no question that I'd pay a professional to take care of the task. I'm thankful for that. Congrats to you for having it done now!
ReplyDeleteI love your soft and pretty February header. And I am so impressed that you do your own taxes; that is not easy!
ReplyDeleteWe need to work on our taxes one day soon! I gather the numbers and take then to our accountant!
ReplyDeleteYour new header is cheerful and uplifting. My husband has always taken care of doing the taxes.. It's his big job.. I don't get involved.. (Yay) ...
ReplyDeleteKudos 👏 to you for doing your taxes, dear Shug.
ReplyDeleteHaving worked a Big Chunk of my career for CPA's, I'm applauding you -- for getting a good head start AND keeping all those receipts. One of my favorite clients was a real colorful old man who'd show up each year with a shoe box brimming with receipts. It bothered him not one bit that we billed by hours spent.
ReplyDeleteThankfully, now we're on a fixed income(s) and no longer obligated.
Good for you! I'm taking the opposite approach, I'm breaking it down into small chunks and doing a little at a time. Whatever gets it done. ❤️
ReplyDeleteHappy February to you. It's sure starting out cold and snowy in many places. I'm married to my accountant, so I admit I don't even think about it. He does everything on line and keeps up with computerized info all year long; so it's just a matter of him plugging in numbers when the time comes. I do get a bit nervous as he's a last minute filer. Can't figure out why....since he basically has it all there at his finger tips.
ReplyDeleteToday is February 1st....St. Brigid's Day....a return of the light. Spring is on the way, dear friend. Hang on!! Love, Andrea xoxo
ReplyDeleteI love all the pink and February on your blog and the header.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your taxes - I know they can be awful to do.
It's easier when you don't have too much. lol
Since we are on a fixed income there isn't so much to handle anymore. We still hate doing it and I do keep all of our important receipts. Its been a two person job for us these last few years ... but it does get done.
ReplyDeleteKudos to you for getting them finished this early. What a good feeling.
Happy February !!!
Sue
How wonderful to have your tax preparations behind you. I am almost there, thankfully! It is a good feeling to have it done. I love your thoughts about being still and I enjoy winter for that reason, it is a season of rest for me! I hope the snow and ice melt for you soon. We really needed it here, and haven't had much snow to speak of this winter. Has been a strange one indeed. Happy February to you!
ReplyDeleteI was so thankful when we retired and no longer had enough income or deductions to have to do a long form or save receipts/expenses/etc. When we were in the ministry, we had to keep up with a lot of details for our parsonage allowance, car allowance, etc., etc., and it was challenging.But I always have done our own taxes. The one year we let H&R Block do it for us we got audited, and they did NOT come to the audit with us. So never again, and we were never audited again! I am about ready to do ours, and thanks to Turbo Tax, I don't even need a calculator. LOL. Thank you for you message on my last post. I didn't know you were in the tree farm business. So that's the farm you keep talking about! How wonderful! I am such a tree lover I would love to see your tree farm. I do love pine trees, but actually they can be quite scary in hurricanes, which is what we have here mostly...wind! I hate to cut any tree down, but I know we will have to eventually cut those pine trees down that are in front of our porch and beside the pond. But I enjoy them now as the birds love to land in them.
ReplyDeleteTake care and enjoy your February. January certainly went out like a lion, and February so far is off to a very chilly start. But it is still winter...we're just not used to it here in Florida. Blessings to you all...
I am highly impressed that you do your own taxes, my friend. My entire contribution to our tax season is creating and keeping an organized folder with the word TAXES written on it in a pretty font. You are amazing! Have a cozy evening.
ReplyDeleteAfter the IRS tried to extort us $45,000 dollars two years after settling my mother's estate, I thank the good Lord that we have an accountant who was able to work miracles and we ended up only having to pay $250. Kudos to you for being able to tackle this complex exercise on your own, Shug! I'm gratified to know that January has taught you the lesson of being still. Blessings and prayers!
ReplyDeleteI'm dreading doing taxes this year. Normally I only have the one w2 but this year there were 2 jobs and unemployment. I sure hope I don't have to pay this year.
ReplyDeleteWell done. It's a task that no-one seems to enjoy but it's good to have it done and out of the way.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad we don't have to deal with taxes over here much, it is all done automatically and tax is taken off wages before we're paid them. My dad does have to deal with them as he owns his own business and I help him out with the sums which is always a headache.
ReplyDeleteI am dreading mine, even though they have been easy because of the fixed income, and for a few years I did not have to file because all we had was 2 ss checks. then I passed 70 and had to take Minimum distribution from my 401k, a law by federal govt, and since then I have done the free to poor folks like us online Turbo Tax. it was easy, but now 10 years of doing it and a year of craziness, my mine doesn't work well, and it will take me a lot longer to do them... a NORMAL person could file in less that 30 minutes, which until as year I could do that,
ReplyDeleteOh Shug. You are amazing to do your own taxes. I could never do that! I just bring the documents to a tax guy, and he always does them for me. He does a good job, too, so every dime I pay him seems worth it! Good for you, though!
ReplyDeleteI save all my receipts as well, and spent the weekend getting my taxes done (I do them myself using TaxAct). So glad to have gotten that out of the way.
ReplyDeleteReally appreciate this well-written post tax topics like these are often overlooked but extremely important. IRS and tax debt challenges can feel overwhelming without proper guidance. At NasirCPA Tax Debt Solvers, we help taxpayers understand their options and move toward effective, stress-free resolutions. Anyone seeking reliable tax relief support is welcome to visit our website: CPA For Tax Debt Brooklyn
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