Procrastinators, slackers, and last-minute tax-filers unite! Tax day is April 15th, meaning it’s time now to get your act together.
The stress of tax-filing can eat away at you. It’s a virus that starts now and ultimately harms your productivity, at work and home. Trust me… making plans now is a much better option.
Don’t be stressed, sorry, or late this year. Here is an easy 10 day tax preparation plan that will keep you from being a last-minute filer:
Planner sale! Start your home office work journal with this complete planner solution set.
- Get started today: Mark April 15 as “Tax Day” on your monthly calendar. This seemingly modest effort will acknowledge your commitment to planning ahead.
- Day 2: Schedule yourself a half hour meeting on two nights each week, you’ll be well on your way to beating the April 15 deadline.
- Day 3: Plan a tax-filing date in your schedule, or call and schedule a day to hand-off your information to a tax expert.
- Day 4: Make a list of all you the activities you need to get done. Include acquiring bank statements, mileage records, expense totals… everything including a stamp on the envelope.
- Day 5: Get the ball rolling. Break your tasks down into little chunks that can be accomplished over an evening or weekend. Knock out one or two of the tasks right away.
- Day 6: Start a folder and dedicate it as the sole destination for all your necessary tax-filing documents.
- Day 7: Create a checklist of all necessary tax documents. Staple it to your folder. For starters, use this tax preparation checklist from Yahoo Finance.
- Day 8: Gather your various receipts and quickly sort by expense type into letter-sized envelopes (e.g. health care, business, donations).
- Day 9: Print a sheet with your current contact info, including social security numbers of all dependents, a handy reference during your filing.
- Day 10: File your taxes. Consult professional tax advisors, in-person or online for any advice necessary.
Stop tax-time stress from invading your life. Start a plan for yourself today and stop being that last-minute tax filer.
