Most of us dread this day and the time leading to this day. We complain about the money we give the government and we complain even more about the process of filing.

And we do this every year. Same way every time. Much like we wait for Christmas to get all excited, we wait for tax season, so that we can complain.

But John Oliver did an awesome piece about the IRS and taxes on last Sunday’s episode of Last Week Tonight on HBO and with the help of a really good sport in Michael Bolton, he made some solid points.

We never think about it, but truly, we need to pay taxes for our government to run and for us to be able to live life as we know it. In fact, if we paid more taxes some things might even be better, but that is a whole other story.

The point is, instead of waiting for tax season to come and then complain bitterly about everything to do with it, why don’t we take a new approach and be happy about tax day.

To that end, before letting you enjoy the John Oliver/Michael Bolton skit, I want to give a few tips of my own, to make it a more happy tax time for you next year…

• Get a good accountant that you trust and feel comfortable with. Don’t just use the big name brands because they are big name brands. Find what and who you are comfortable with. I used to have my taxes done at H&R Block because there was a really nice lady that I saw every year. She understood me, my work and my way of record keeping. She was always very willing to explain if I had a question, and she did her best to get my best returns. Then she moved to Arizona. Many friends and family members of mine go to private CPAs who do taxes as a home business. There are not-for-profit agencies that help people with their filing too. It’s all about your comfort and your trust. There are many options out there.
• Don’t want to deal with any one at all?? Do it online! Especially if you are filing a simple return. The IRS offers online filing for free. And there are other online options as well, like TaxACT.com, TaxSlayer.com,HRBlock.com and many more.                                                                                  After my H&R Block lady moved away, I decided to give TurboTax a try. I have used it ever since. Even after my filing was no longer “simple”. TurboTax is reasonably priced and walks you through every single detail, and if you are still unsure, you can speak to someone in person AND buy Audit Defense when you file so you can have a professional work with you in the event that you get audited.
• Become an Entrepreneur. This is no small idea. Being a business owner offers you tax breaks and opportunities that you would not otherwise have. So you are not only making some extra money from the business through the year, but you might get some cool breaks and maybe some cash back at tax time too. That makes for a happy tax day, no?
• Stay organized year round! Don’t wait until tax season to pull out your receipts from where you tucked them into books and pockets and under trays or cups somewhere around the house. At the beginning of the year, set aside a box or a large envelope or ZipLoc bag for your receipts and anything tax related for the year. When you have a new receipt, it also helps to label it right away before putting into the box. This avoids the headaches that come from wracking your brain trying to remember what on earth that faded receipt from 11 months ago was for. If you want to be really good, you can actually store your receipts sorted by category. This makes filing your taxes so much easier for you. And if you are using an accountant, they would be so grateful for making their job that much easier. You might just become one of their favorite clients.
• Simple rule of Law of Attraction. What you think about, you bring about. If you continue to have a negative attitude about taxes and tax season, that is what will come back to you. Instead, be positive. Be happy to pay taxes. Be grateful that you are able to do so. Look forward to filing your taxes. The fact that you are doing so says that you have been a part of the flow of money in the last year. And remember, that is the purpose of money – to flow! And not be stagnant. So let the money flow to and from and back to you and be grateful! Be Happy!

Happy Tax Day!

And Now This…