Income Taxes Done!

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I was taught how to do the standard 1040 back when I was in high school. This was before the EZ forms. So for many years I did the standard form until coworkers told me I needed to save every receipt for my work clothes, work boots and everything I bought for work. So I did. Then I took all those receipts to H&R Block. The tax preparer took one look at the box and a glance at my W-2 form and said, “You didn’t make enough money to deduct anything.” Then he proceeded to tell me how much it would cost to do the standard 1040. I gathered up my W-2, box of receipts and told the guy I already knew how to do the standard 1040, and left. I decided, as I left the tax office, I’d learn how to do every step of my taxes. So I have never taken my taxes to a tax preparer since. However, when TurboTax came along, I jumped on board. Except if it cost more to use TurboTax than my refund. In that case I did my taxes without TurboTax’s help and mailed them in. Besides the federal taxes I have to do state income taxes. I live in Washington state which has no state income tax, but I worked in Idaho. So I have to pay Idaho state income taxes. What makes Idaho state taxes even worse is the tax payer has to do the federal taxes first then Idaho uses a percentage system of the federal taxes to calculate Idaho taxes. That means if I make any money outside the state of Idaho then I have to pay a percentage of it to Idaho. I can understand that for residents of Idaho, but for those of us who live outside of Idaho, it’s a bit unfair. What I earn outside of Idaho should be none of Idaho’s business. If I draw unemployment from Idaho it’s only based on what I earned in Idaho and not what I earn outside of Idaho. Despite my ranting and raving about the unfairness of Idaho income taxes, I’m getting a refund from Idaho. When I finished my taxes TurboTax offered to take their fees out of my returns which I thought was a good idea–until I saw they charge $34.99 (basically $38 by the time they tacked on sales tax) for doing so. Oh, hell no! I was paying TurboTax enough without them slapping another fee on top of my bill. So I paid with my debt card. All I need to do now is wait for my refund. If you live in the U.S. do you have your income taxes done? Of course you have until April 15 to get them done. But that will creep up on you so fast the next thing you know you will be sweating to get your taxes done in time. And Uncle Sam loves to slap a penalty on you if you don’t get them done on time.