TAXES

Yesterday I FINALLY e-filed my tax returns. I can usually finish in less than 3 days, but this year I spent over 2 weeks searching, sorting, inputting, deleting, getting advice, re-inputting, etc., etc. This year was complicated by the purchase of our 2 farms--the Roosevelt Ranch in western Oklahoma and the Blevins Farm here in Sand Springs. I'm also phasing out my Arbonne business. I will keep my Consultant status in order to get my products at a discount and supply my family and friends with wholesale products, but I will no longer try to make time to pursue actual profit from the business. So that added to the nightmare of taxes. I was determined to do it all myself, so that I would have a better idea throughout 2008 of what was deductible, and what kind of records needed to be kept. I consider myself an organized person, but I really disappointed myself this year. The government makes it way too difficult for the average person to make sense of the infinite number of forms and schedules. It's a mind game. I wonder how many people that can't afford a CPA just give up and go the Short Form, losing out on money that they deserve. Anyway...I have big plans for the refund. More on that later.