Okay, so fine. This post has zilch to do with George Clooney, but George Clooney makes me smile, so I titled the post after him.
It’s better than the title, “I don’t get why people wait until 11:59 on April 15 to file their taxes,” which is actually what this post is about. That title would have been a real snoozer.
Tonight on the news, they showed footage of last year’s tax day and the line of cars at the post office, which remains open for tax slackers (our tax dollars hard at work), and the line was beyond long. It was dark and the post office workers looked annoyed and frantic, and the people in their cars looked like they were HIGH on DRUGS. Who are these people, sitting in line at the post office, probably wearing their pajamas, turning in their tax returns in the dead of night?
Maybe YOU are one of those people and frankly, I want to know what the heck is going through your head.
Here are the facts.
Tax day is April 15 EVERY YEAR, am I right? It never changes, unlike Easter and Thanksgiving, which I find confusing, but tax day happens every year on the same day, like clockwork. Right???
(I said factS above, but actually that’s the only fact.)
What wrong with getting your return completed at, say, noon? Or 5:30. Why wait until 11:59?
To be honest, Tate and I aren’t exactly speedy in our tax return completion, usually waiting until the last few weeks, or so. This year, I just mailed in our Indiana State return on Monday, which I feel compelled to say, IS NOT SENDING IN MY RETURN AT 11:59 ON APRIL 15 FROM MY HONDA PILOT AFTER WAITING IN A LONG LINE AT THE POST OFFICE WHILE WEARING MY PAJAMAS, LOOKING DOPED UP .
To sum this all up, I don’t get why people wait until 11:59 on April 15 to file their taxes.
Random unrelated bit: I really enjoyed seeing George Clooney/Dr. Doug Ross on ER during it’s last hurrah season. He makes me feel warm and tingly down there.
Random unrelated bit 2: I’m so sick of getting Easter grass stuck to the bottom of my feet and finding empty plastic eggs around my house.
Random unrelated bit 3: Number of glasses of wine to write this post: 2 XL glasses.
We wrote our check and sent our return in at about 3:30 pm today. Because we had to write a check. A big one. I was in the bank 4 years ago today crying and threatening to give birth on the desk if they didn’t loan me money.
If the government isn’t going to pay interest on the overage that millions of Americans pay in to the IRS each year, then get as refunds, then they can wait until the last possible moment to get my money.
Self-employment sucks rocks.
10,852 rocks, to be exact. And we were RELIEVED at that number, that it wasn’t any higher. (That was what we owed after paying the correct amount of estimated quarterly taxes, too. OUCH).
Amy´s lastest post..What I Say In A Day
It’s because we’re in denial. But we e-file, so at least we’re not showing our mental deficiencies in the post office.
Jerseygirl89´s lastest post..But For The Grace Of God
Okay, I got out the vacuum hose and sucked up the last of the Easter grass (or so I hope) yesterday — driving me NUTS. I also threw out the pesky plastic eggs that had broken in half.
Funny that we both filed state taxes on Monday for states we don’t even live in anymore. Glad to be in a place that doesn’t HAVE a state income tax. Next year should be SIMPLE. And no, I didn’t wait until today. E-file, it’s MUCH easier!! Don’t even have to leave the house!
Moriah @ Please Pass the Salt´s lastest post..Tuesday, you were good to us
I totally 100% agree. WTF?! It’s no surprise that tax day is here!!! But I have to say, I was hoping to find some Clooney action here. Now I’ll have to go and google nude pictures of him.
oh mm gosh, I KNOW. Or rather, I don’t know. I have no idea why people wait until the last minute to do anything, especially mailing their taxes. Just silly!
Jen´s lastest post..recipe: spaghetti & meatballs
hold on, now. you had 2 xl glasses of wine and you didn’t share?
pfffft.
the planet of janet´s lastest post..My mother, the pole dancer (part 2)
i often wonder the same thing …
especially when … you can start your taxes in january if you want to.
but maybe it is something to do with keeping your $ until you HAVE to fork it over?
and wine? god … maybe i need to start posting with more wine. that’s my problem. in fact, i think that should be in the next installment of your how-to-blog series … what types of wine go best.
jen´s lastest post..because this is the one that y’all voted for … i’m hitting publish. just like it is … well, kinda … the post titled … clarity.
We filed late tonight – via TurboTax – because we moved from California to Colorado this year. For the move we bought a lovely reasonably priced home in Denver and then sold an over priced home in Silicon Valley. Capital Gains Tax. Lots of Capital Gains. But here is the catch – BOTH states wanted a cut. California because that is where the property was located and where the transaction took place. Colorado because we were residents at the time the income was received. So we had to find out if we really had to pay Colorado an extra $35 grand. It was worth the wait as a CPA friend found us the correct forms and we only had to write an enormous check to the State of California. And would I do it this way again? Yep. Until the Feds/State start paying interest on refunds due they can wait until the 15th for my cash.
Shell´s lastest post..I Defy You
Geez, I get my federal return filed as quickly as possible….unfortunately not the day I get all our w2s, but within a few weeks of it.
I just sent off our Alabama state return on Monday. I filed at the same time, but had to actually send them money.
I can not IMAGINE having to do all that on the last day, and up until midnight? If I were a postal worker, I’d be ready to whoop some tricks!
Follow up question: why did I go to the post office yesterday to mail a package? did I think that it was going to be especially empty?
Marinka´s lastest post..Hi, There! We Are Here To Destroy You!
admittedly, on the years we’ve had an especially large tax bill, i’ve waited until the 15th to mail. but NEVER the end of the day?! (that makes it so much better, right?)
MommyNamedApril´s lastest post..Did Your Dirty Old Uncle Take Advantage Of You? Here’s Some Tax Day Relief!
Agreed.
Shannon´s lastest post..Not That It Happened To Me Monday: The Easter Candy Edition
Amy, Oh I can understand waiting until the 15th to file, particularly when you owe money! I don’t get waiting until 11:59. When you owe money, you should keep it in your own bank acct for as long as possible where it is earning interest!
Moriah, We e-filed for Alabama, but for some reason Indiana wouldn’t let us e-file via Turbo Tax. Thank goodness for state income tax-free TN! Otherwise we would have had to file in 3 states!
Shell, Moving 2 times last year, owning 3 different homes during 2008, I totally understand! Waiting until the last minute to e-file is not nearly as kooky as waiting in line at the post office! Still sounds like you didn’t wait until 11:59, though, which would have been downright ridiculous.
I actually don’t get why people MAIL thier taxes at all. Have these people never heard of Turbo Tax? And that filing online results in less mistakes? I was pleased to see that my local post offices closed at the normal time yesterday, even though we E-FILED late night on the 14th.
Or how about those people who don’t file at all? I wonder what goes through their mind? I’ll have to ask some of my family members and find out.
I don’t get it either. We always overpay, because it’s easier for us to “Save” money if we don’t have. Then, every April we do a little home improvement with our refund. I KNOW we could get interest on that money, but trust me, it would be spent on stupid stuff and not gain any interest.
Cathy´s lastest post..
On Tuesday, the day BEFORE taxes were due, my friend went to our small, local PO. The line was out the door with all those wanting to get their taxes in the mail. Also in line? Three different people who needed passports. Passports take a LONG time and were holding up the process quite a bit. Seriously, the passport people knew what the date was, they couldn’t have waited 2 more days until no one would be in the PO to wait to apply for a passport?
& like Heather, I don’t the people who choose not to file at all. I could not sleep at night knowing I hadn’t filed.
Shelly´s lastest post..New DMB
I am with you — I don’t understand the benefit in waiting until the VERY. LAST. MINUTE. I can certainly see waiting until April if you need to pay, but waiting until the last minute would make me all twitchy and spastic if it were me. Then again, I filed my taxes in February, so I’m probably not the right person to comment…
Maggie´s lastest post..I Love My Job…
So, speaking of George Clooney, my husband, who filed our taxes January 10th, was 5 feet from him yesterday filming the movie he’s doing here. He wasn’t nearly as excited as I was.
I will confess that when I was a consultant, I waited until April to do our taxes. I’m just in no hurry to mail Uncle Sam a check with that many digits. Although, the latest I ever went to the post office was the morning of the 15th.
Now that we get a refund? I’m pissed if I don’t have taxes done before February rolls around.
Burgh Baby´s lastest post..Hopelessly Devoted
We always wait until the last minute because we always owe money. This year was particularly bad because we owe an overwhelming amount of money.
But every year, I promise myself that next year will be different. Next year, I’ll pay someone to deal with it. Next year, I’ll get this done in February.
Next year…
Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect´s lastest post..We got an extension.
We filed for an extension. Online. Because we could.
We’ll need drugs later in the year.
amy´s lastest post..Loreal Kerastase – You’re On Notice
The only thing I can figure (because my husband is one of these people – we don’t file jointly for business reasons) is that he’s hopeful that the government will be overthrown and sent into a tailspin that causes the IRS to be de-funked. I’m pretty sure the spelling’s off on that last one.
And the joke here is that nine times out of ten, he’s getting a refund.
Har – d – har – har, right?
Amy in OHio´s lastest post..For Maddie
LOL I really liked this post, probably because you were tipsy when you wrote it. I’m the kinda tax person that is done a week after I get my W2. I hate screwing with that crap.
Miss´s lastest post..Fuck Thy Neighbor With Thine Mental Penis
Mary, He’s in St. Louis!?! How exciting! Too bad it wasn’t YOU who got to see him!
Mary, How last minute is was your last minute? Did you go to the post office at 11:59 or did you just file sometime yesterday?
I should clarify that e-filing at 11:59 is not at all bothersome to me.
amy, That’s what people should just do instead of going to the post office and waiting in a long line at 11:59!
I wanted to comment on yesterday’s post, but couldn’t assuming you closed comments fpr Maddie.
My MIL and I were talking about this today. Of the hundreds of cards and letters and donations we have received on behalf of Brian’s passing, the ones that say, I’m Sorry and You are in my thoughts and prayers pale in comparison to others. As someone who lost their loved one (spouse) we want to hear and know that everyone else knew how amazing that person was as well. We want to hear a story of how something always reminds you of our loved one and why. We want to know that at least you had a glimpse into the awesomeness of our loved one and we want you to share that with us.
For future reference anyway.
KEEP BELIEVING
Angie@ Keep Believing´s lastest post..housekeeping
I hear ya! My husband and I are kind of obsessive-compulsive about tax returns. We send our stuff in the minute we’ve got all our W2′s so we can get our return as quickly as possible! I’m proud to say that as of April 15, we had already SPENT most of our return!
Jen L.´s lastest post..Belated Easter shots and a recipe
Know that I am pumping my fists in he air in taxday solidarity with you!
And they empty plasci eggs. Every year I buy them and swear I am going to re use them. But then, I get so annoyed picking them up for the week after Easter, I toss them. Every year.
brittany´s lastest post..That will bring us back to doe…oh, oh, oh.
I am with you! File a freaking extension and get on with it or even finish before the close of business. I am usually a February tax girl but I was running behind this year at the end of March. What can I say I like my refund!
Michelle´s lastest post..No Egg Roll but Lots of Fun
Uh, duh, it’s because people watch the 10 pm news story about the post office being open late for taxes, and suddenly a light bulb goes off and they remember they still have to do their taxes. What morons.
Mmmm, wine AND George Clooney! I love your page, I am new to blogging and learning as I go! Cheers from Australia Michelle
In defense of those 11:59pm folk, sometimes (rarely) (very rarely) they don’t have a choice. My husband and I are big fans of filing as early as possible, just to get it over with. One year, though, we didn’t receive the K-1 statements for an investment partnership until the evening of April 14. It seemed ridiculous to file an extension when we still had a day left, so we went to work.
We postmarked at 6:32pm on the 15th. So I’m sure that if it’s happened to us once, then it’s happened to at least one or two other people.
The rest of them are slackers, though =P
I filed Jan 15th!! I had my return by 30th and all spent by the 31st. Now that is the way to file! On the funny side we did it so early I kept freakin out that they weren’t done yet because i forgot we did it early!
luv2cooktoomuch´s lastest post..Daring Bakers in March
My federals were done sometime in early February. I mailed my IL ones April 15th at 7 pm, since Turbo Tax does not want me to file electronically. Oh well, it’ll be at least 3 months before I see the money.
Jennifer A´s lastest post..The Mormons Are Following ME!!!!!!
I don’t understand either. I was so proud to send it early this year, but we were getting a check. If we had been paying then I probably would have been there in the morning…hopefully dressed.
texasholly @ June Cleaver Nirvana´s lastest post..KEEP BELIEVING