by Kerry Schafer
Yesterday, I went in for my annual appointment with my tax guy and something miraculous happened.
I am not a numbers person. I did well in school in general, but math? I memorized my way through 12th grade. I’d tell myself things like, “This looks like that other problem where you did this thing to get the right answer.” And I’d use the same formula and cross my fingers and hope I got it right. Fortunately, I have a good memory. Also, I was dating a math whiz. Don’t tell anybody, but I still count on my fingers.
When you combine numbers and math with tax rules and bookkeeping and records ‒ well, let’s just say that I have a long history of approaching tax prep with fear, dread, and loathing. Like, much as I fear the dentist (and I fear the dentist greatly) I’d prefer to get a root canal. Usually I come away from a tax appointment feeling equal parts demoralized, stupid, guilt-ridden, and resentful.
My mind would be spinning with questions. Why am I being forced to part with my hard-earned money? Why am I cursed with a brain that stares slack-jawed at numbers, frozen like a suicidal deer on a narrow country road? Am I going to get money back or am I going to have to pay?
Which brings me back to this year’s miracle.
I walked into my income tax appointment with a smile instead of the usual dread and loathing. I enjoyed the visit and was still smiling when I walked out again later. No, I didn’t discover that I was getting unexpected thousands back in a return, nor did I make so much money last year that it’s easy to let some of it go.
So, what’s different?
Me. I’m different. I’ve been working on my thoughts and beliefs around money and taxes as part of my commitment to choosing to live a joyful life. What allowed me to actually enjoy preparing my taxes this year and have fun during a meeting with my tax accountant, is the way I’ve learned to think about money and taxes and my own ability to manage both.
On the off chance that you are not a fan of taxes yourself, I’m sharing my seven favorite things about tax season:
1. Here’s the easiest and most accessible one: it feels so good when the taxes are done. You can make it feel even better by giving yourself a small reward (or a big one!) to celebrate such as dinner out, a treat from the bakery, or a glass of champagne. Hey, you’ve earned it.
2. I’ve realized that if I’m paying taxes, it’s because money came in to pay taxes on. And the more taxes I’m paying, the more money I’ve been making. I make a conscious point of being grateful for money that has flowed in.
3. Instead of wallowing in resentment about the government taking my money, I tell myself that my money is contributing to the wellbeing of others (and my own!). I’m contributing to Social Security and VA (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs) benefits, to health insurance funds and feeding hungry kids and paying law enforcement personnel and other good things for all of us. Yes, my tax dollars also go to a lot of other things that I’m less excited about, but hey, life is short and I choose to focus on the good things.
4. Tax prep is an opportunity to review the past year, to look at what I’ve accomplished, what I’ve learned and experienced, and also what I might want to work harder on or do differently this year. Was the money I spent well spent, or do I want to switch things up and do it differently?
5. I enjoy spending time with my tax accountant. We laugh and have fun going through my records. It’s amazing to me that he actually loves all of the number crunching and organizing of income streams. The tax things that are mystifying and mind-numbing for me are a fun puzzle for him. I look back (way back) to the days when my taxes were relatively simple and I did them myself, and shudder. It felt so uncertain and unwieldy. I never knew for sure whether I did it right. Now, I have confidence that it’s all in good hands and that is an excellent feeling.
6. When I’m spending time assembling all of the tax things, instead of resenting the time I could be spending on other things, I tell myself I’m working for a paycheck. My withholdings are sufficient and I’m confident I’m going to get a return; that’s something to get excited about.
7. I used to avoid tracking my income and spending because, hello, math! Also, I’d told myself for years that I was bad with money. Who wants to spend time working on something they believe they’re bad at? Then, when my tax appointment came around, I had to face up to a year of neglecting my records right alongside the shame and loathing that came with believing I was a bad money person. Turns out, I’m actually pretty good with my money when I stop avoiding it and pay attention to it. This year, I knew what I needed. I knew where my deductions were. My records were reasonably up-to-date, and it was easy to pull together what I needed.
So those are my favorite tax season things. I guess what it all boils down to is this: taxes are inevitable, as Ben Franklin said, so we might as well make the best of it.
Colville resident Kerry Schafer (who also writes as Kerry Anne King) is the bestselling author of 15 novels, the co-host of The One Happy Thing Podcast, and a licensed mental health counselor. Find out more at allthingskerry.com.