Taxes

I just filed my federal and state tax returns electronically. I actually kind of enjoy doing it since online calculation and filing became the norm. It is kind of like taking one of those facebook quizzes, you answer a whole bunch of questions and at the end, you get a fun result! And getting a tax return is much more fun than knowing which literary character you are, which Sex and the City character you are, which author you are, and what color your aura is.

I can almost hear all of you collectively moaning while reading my declaration that I like doing my taxes. Sorry, but I do. Granted, I'm almost guaranteed to get a return every year and, generally speaking, my taxes are fairly easy. I don't own my own business, I'm not self-employed, I'm not married, I don't have any income other than my bi-weekly paycheck, I don't own any land or other real property other than my own home, I don't have any investments other than my retirement accounts, and I don't have outrageous medical expenses or any other expenses that aren't reimbursed to me.

It took me about two solid hours to do the online work, after I had gathered all the information I needed. Not bad at all. I've never seen the point in hiring someone to do my taxes, really. Before I went to law school, my taxes were really simple. The state where I went to law school required all law students to take an Income Tax Law class. And after that, I would feel kind of like an idiot if I didn't do my own taxes. There may come a time when my taxes are too complex for me and I might change my mind.

My only regret this year is that I didn't buy my car a week earlier, when it still would have qualified as a 2008 purchase. Oh well . . . there is always next year.