This is a taxing time for everyone

Everything is always kept in complete order in our home. It is especially true in my office,

I have a special file for each topic. For example, there is a file for my Middle Age Plus columns, as well as one for each article. Since each article has a different topic, that makes a lot of files.

A new decision has been made to just date the submissions without giving any title to it. So the one I write today will be listed under 5-16-16.

THAT HELPS A LOT IF I REMEMBER WHAT I WRTOE ABOUT ON 5-16-16. I DO REMEMBER WANTING TO LOOK UP AN ARTICLE I WROTE ABOUT A NEIGHBOR, BUT I HAVE NO IDEA WHEN I WROTE IT. Probably it was when her daughter was born. Let's see. Susie is about two years ahead of her Janie in school, so it was possibly in 1997 or so. Or maybe it was her older daughter I am thinking of.

With economic systems it is much easier because there are usually spaces for such things as "income" and "expenses." I merely put in the exact amount and add it all up at the end of the year, and we are ready to take our trip into Ruth Gordon who then has a dozen other questions we should have thought of sooner.

It seems like our employers waiting until the end of the year and then sending the list for the amount earned during that year would really help. It does, if you remember to keep the report until time to submit it to Mrs. IRS, There is always one employer who hasn't sent the needed report promptly, which of course makes your employees very unhappy with your bookkeeping practices.

I found out that it was easier this year to consider a book as a donation rather than to try to keep track of how many I sold. Sending in two copies of a $12.50 book is really not worth adding in the $12.50. Besides who would spend that much for one of my books anyway? Maybe back when they were new I could have asked that much, but with smartphone and rental libraries why should we even try to ask?

OK. We'll leave that as a donation. That is easier.

I also began wondering if you could charge the IRS for my labor. I am sure it took me twice as long to fill this form out as the money I was paid by my employer for whatever it is I do for a living.

By now I am probably too late for the return, so I might as well forget about it. I wonder what the fee is for delayed responses or for just being sick and tired of not knowing what to do. There should be a small fee for that at least.

My best result is for me to just pay what I think it is worth it for me to live in Vernon County. Any suggestions to give me on that question? Looking back at the mud roads, no electricity, etc., of my youth, I guess I should say that I should pay a substantial tax for today's services.

HAPPY TAX DAY.