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| Thursday, April 07, 2005 Volume 1 Number 7 |
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ADHD and Taxes: Things to Think About Before April 15th!Many people talk about tax preparation as an event. People talk of sitting down to "do their taxes." It suggests a picture of a wonderfully organized person simply opening their tax file, and seeing everything in front of them, they quickly work through the numbers. For most of us this is not the normal scenario, and for this we can find comfort in the faces of other stressed and rushed people we see every year at the same time, just days before April 15th. We with ADD/ADHD often see it as more of a SPRINT! Looking through a jumble of paperwork and feeling overwhelmed. Finding at the last minute we need form #IRS-EEEK-002 and not having the first idea of where to get it! I know how easy it is to get overwhelmed and I also know how stressful it is to feel rushed, so I thought I would offer a brief outline to refresh your memory and help make this process a bit easier. The process of "doing the taxes" is far more than sitting down to write in numbers. It is indeed a process, and to work forward smoothly, it should be tackled as any project-in small steps.The first item may be as small as determining a safe place to gather together paperwork. File cabinets rank number one, but if you are currently disorganized, and lacking cabinets, you might try a large box with a secure cover. Marked clearly and placed in a safe place you can now begin to think of what items you will need. As you come across tax related paperwork, toss it into the box. If you do not use computer software, then, you will need Federal and State forms. Local post offices and libraries are great for these and usually have boxes of different forms available. Make sure to go soon, because they begin to run out the closer you get to the big day. If you take an extra copy of each form you will have it available in case you make an error. Be sure to take a copy of the instructions for each form as well. Read through any extra form titles while you are there. It may help to remind you of any extra forms you might need. Dig out those employee forms you have been holding on to: W-2's and other forms need to be stored together. Gathering together tools that you need, will help to decrease frustration and distraction: A couple of pencils, a pen, blank papers, a calculator, a stapler, and don't forget your reading glasses! Take a look at your schedule and make a specific time when you can sit quietly and go through the process of filling out these forms. Try to schedule time when children are away from home, or asleep. It is important to work in a quiet environment. Your work area should be completely clear of any other items and the surface should only have tax related forms, information, and your tools. I think ADHD'ers like me want to skip forward and begin to fill in the blanks of each form, but in the case of taxes, it really does pay to read the instructions! It also pays off to sit down the day before you intend to do your taxes, and look through the forms a bit. This way, you can check and see if you will need any last minute forms you have forgotten. Personally, I have spent many an April 15 frustrated and rushing to the local library right before closing time to find a missing form. You will also want to make copies of any paperwork you mail to the state or federal government, in case they lose them. If all of this seems a bit too overwhelming, or just too time consuming, you still have time to gather your paperwork together and make an appointment with a tax preparer or Certified Public Accountant. Don't delay this phone call if you intend to go to a professional. Be sure to ask the pro for a list of forms that you need to bring with you and write them down so you can gather them together after the phone call. If you have many receipts, don't bring them in bags or envelopes intending to hand them over to the professional after April 1st, they very often do not have time to dedicate to organizing your paperwork and if they do make the time, it will increase your bill substantially. Take the time to break these receipts into groups. Then use a notebook and staple the receipts onto the pages, write in the group name and the grand total of the receipts. For example, "Receipts for Donations: $1,435.65." This way, you can hand the professional the notebook, and the totals will be available for him/her to review. If you find yourself needing information or forms, here are a couple of very useful websites that you might want to have at your fingertips.  Tax Filing For IndividualsTax Filing For Small Business OwnersTax Filing FAQ's |
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