Finishing up the tax returns

Almost done with tax returns. UGH! As much as I H-A-T-E doing tax returns it's a wonder I ever became an accountant...but not all accountants do taxes and most of the accountants I know don't even do their own taxes, haha. I got DD's done first thing Friday morning. Really took only minutes. She's getting back $344, so she's happy.

I, on the other hand, am going to owe about $1200. I had hoped to come closer to zero than this. I had hoped with the extra taken out of my big bonus check and the tax credit for college tuition I'd be close. I guess income tax wise, I came out even on federal income tax and basically it's just social security I owe on the self employment income from my side job. Last month I started putting $100 a month out of my side job income into my Capital One savings so that next year at this time, I'll have that for taxes and this shouldn't be an issue next year.

I also went over to my mom's to help her finish up her return. She wanted to try doing it online on her own this year, but in the end, wanted me to just look it over before she files it.  Well, that's the impression she gave me. I got over there and she hadn't even tried to start it! I thought I was going to look it over and be done in 15 minutes.  I use Taxact.com. First she wanted to try to enter the info herself while I sat and helped. OMG!!! Add in someone who barely knows how to use a computer along with someone who's internet is soooo slow it reminds me of dialup and I was ready to pull my hair out in about 10 minutes. After she tried to enter one thing about 3 times she finally said I should do it. So, I finally got it all entered in and done - over an hour later. Honestly, I could have had it done, at home on my own computer, in about 15 minutes.

Then I tried to help her figure out why she cannot see any  comments or add a comment to anyone's posts on Facebook. She can see their posts but that's it. She only uses AOL for everything. That is how she searches the internet and goes to other websites. She doesn't even know IE or Firefox exists. The only way she knows how to get on the internet is by clicking on AOL. So, I logged into her Facebook using IE and it worked fine. I have tried and tried to explain to her she does not need the AOL program loaded on her computer. She can access her AOL email via IE and that the AOL program always has problems. I give up, LOL.  I don't mind helping someone one bit, but when I know it's going on one ear and out the other I really don't like wasting my time.

She will be 74 soon. She is worried she might get Alzheimer's like her dad did. She really has trouble remembering what word to use for things and she notices it. She says she wants to ask her doctor about it. I guess there is now a test that sees if she has the gene? Anyway, she told me to pay attention to her in the coming years and see if she is getting worse. In one conversation we had yesterday she was repeating a conversation she had with her BF about me and used my daughter's name instead of mine. So, ya - definitely something to watch for.

Glad to have it all done and no more thinking about it in the back of my mind. I keep a file folder handy at my desk all year and slip anything in it that would be related to taxes. Medical receipts (just in case we end up with a big enough year to claim, though not this year), car tabs receipts and donations receipts. I took stuff to Goodwill and Salvation Army 4 times last year - turns out once every quarter.  (why do I still have so much stuff in my house?!).  Then, when the year end tax forms start coming in (W-2, mortgage interest, etc) I put them in the folder too.  Makes it fairly easy to file. It's not like we have too complicated of a return.

Our February electricity bill was $31 lower than February last year. Most likely a combination of DD not here and our unseasonably warm month. Warmest month we've ever had on record. Ok by me.

DD is off on her weekend getaway with her BF. She sent a picture from a hike they did. So pretty. After that they went on a 5 mile bike ride. It's great that they share the love out being outdoors and active. They lucked out as we are having beautiful low 60's and sunny weather this weekend.

I'm not sure what my plans are today. I guess our cat has been pooping out in our "park" area out between the trees in our backyard and DH isn't too happy about it. Our cat has never before (and he's like 16 years old) so not sure why he's starting now. I'm going to a home improvement store to pick up some kind of cat repellent granules we can try in the area.  I'll check again and see if they got the whiskey/wine barrel planters in yet while I am there.