Out of Chaos an organizing newsletter
Tax Time or: this is why we want to be organized
My husband and I were on our our new routine of a Sunday hike and breakfast, and I said I needed an idea for this week’s newsletter. “Taxes,” he replied. “Boring,” I said.
And yet… taxes are one of the key reasons to be organized. When I help people get organized, a key question I ask is, Will you need this again, and if so, under what circumstances? When I’m asking about papers, the answer is usually Yes, for taxes. Most of the paper that we save, we save for tax purposes. So while taxes are boring, they don’t have to be stressful—if you’ve been staying organized.
Even if you weren’t super organized in 2017, prepping your taxes is the perfect time to set up your files and get organized for next year’s filing. You can create digital files on your computer or in your email, or they can be regular old manila folders.
As you are compiling your materials for this year’s tax filing, you’ll see which particular categories you need to collect. Common categories are estimated taxes, earnings (W-2s, 1099s, records of any random income or disbursements), and contributions (donations, whether monetary or material donations to charities such as Good Will). You may have other categories, especially if you have a small business or home office. If you work with an accountant, ask about categories when you meet this year. You may still need to pull things from other files (such as medical), but you’ll be well ahead of the game if you set yourself up now.
Anytime you are dreading something or are stressed out about it (taxes, a holiday dinner, seasonal clothing swap), it might mean you need a better system to tackle it. Spending a little time setting up a smarter approach may help eliminate the stress.
Already really organized about taxes? Good for you! Post your tips on my Facebook page and maybe they can help someone else.