“Get into the spirit of the times.”
It all used to be so simple. I would pop my W-2 figure onto the tax return. (In high school, I even took classes and volunteered my time to help others fill out their IRS paperwork.)
Nowadays, I’m trying to juggle all that math. Last year, I needed to make sure I had everything pertinent categorized:
- Deductions for home office, research, etc.
- Travel expenses for speaking engagements
- Inventory of books on hand and sold
- 1099 form from publisher
Multiply all that by three for this year. I’ve got three novels floating around and sources of income from publishers, along with my own self-publishing effort in e-book, print, and audiobook formats. And don’t forget my freelance editing revenue and anything extra from short story publications or contest wins. I count it all a blessing, but still it takes a lot of accounting to figure everything out.
Hmm. Time for a tax accountant?
Happy tax season to you all!
I’m lucky: my husband took on this aspect of our life. ?
I feel your pain. Good luck!
Thanks, Evelyne. It takes both of us to figure out the intricacies of the IRS system :)
While I sympathize with your struggle (just the word accounting makes me feel ill), I’m happy that you have these issues to worry about. Hopefully, I’ll have the same concerns one day, and I’ll ask you for help!
Haha! I’m not sure how much help I would be. My dad’s an accountant, though…And someday, you’ll be giving your info to the IRS, too!