Alternately: I’ve Heard of Extensions, But This is Ridiculous
My 2010 taxes were finally filed on Friday.
For those of you keeping score at home, it is October. Of 2011.
You are wondering how I am not in prison, aren’t you? Or possibly you are screaming at your computer “NO WONDER THE U.S. HAS SUCH HORRIBLE DEFICIT PROBLEMS!” And in both cases I’d be right there with you.
You see, I am a freelance writer and an independent contractor who should be filing quarterly (and who will be doing just that in 2012 if I can get my shit together), who isn’t much for following up once something seems completed and who also happens to have an accountant with lots of personal issues. So I sent the guy all of my stuff at the very end of March and in May.
I was all, Huh. I wonder if he ever filed our taxes. In June I was all “Dear Accountant, Did you ever file my 2010 taxes?” and in July he was all “You have an extension until October.” And my stomach has hurt ever since then.
Did you even know you could pay your taxes in October? I didn’t. Nor did I realize that in October of 2011 it is very difficult to remember how much I paid for a hotel room for a conference that I attended 21 months earlier.
*slams head on desk thrice*
Now I owe the government a whole bunch of cash. Surprise, surprise. Right after this I’m planning to Google places to sell plasma. This concludes our lesson in how not to file your taxes.
In related news, does anyone know of a good accountant in the Washington D.C. area?
Also related, can I borrow $5?
About Goon Squad Sarah
we filed our late and now i have to sell a kidney and one of my kids to pay for our debt. i laughed when they said we were supposed to file quarterly and it was against the law that we weren’t doing so. yea, with what money again?
I’m Canadian so it is a little different but my husband just filed our 2008 taxes which were processed oct18. Guess how much interest they paid for three years on the almost ten thousand dollar return? $2.18. Somehow I think we will be paying considerably more interest on the taxes we owe for 2009?
The extension is not an extension to PAY your taxes – just an extension to FILE your return. I know – crazy huh? Most people are not aware of that and then end up paying penalties & interest on the amount they owe since it was not paid on April 15th. Good luck and here’s hoping that next year runs smoother for you.
Yeah, I’m still working on 2010. On a positive note, they owe us money so there’ll be no massive interest.
On another positive note – at least I’m only a year behind. In 2010 I filed for 2008 and 2009. In 2008 I filed for 2005-07. So I’m catching up. Next year I might even file on time!
Twitter Name: ReadilyAParent
We are on almost the same exact schedule as Dara. When you’re owed money, the government doesn’t really care when you get them in. They’d probably rather you drag it out as long as possible, in fact. Aiming low, right?
Twitter Name: Chase_McFadden
I haven’t paid taxes before October in years. As for a good acct in DC, our is in Reston, VA. If that’s close enough for you, let me know and I’ll give you our guy’s name.