Reeling from Taxes

Just left a tax office. I couldn't figured out how to claim the blanket deduction for road expenses, which I have to do since I'm being paid per diem. So I got some help. Didn't do me a lot of good. I'm still going to have to pay the IRS over $1,200. Ouch!

The lady told me that essentially the problem was that I wasn't having enough taxes taken out on me every week. I could either get that changed or suck it up and prepare for the same thing next year. As she put it, “it all depends on when you want your money. Do you want it now, in your hands every week, or do you want it next year as a refund?”

Well, given that I'm going to be buying equipment this year, I want it now. But I'll certainly be putting back money in savings so I won't be caught with my pants down next year. Right now I have to figure out what to do about what I owe this year. I hope the IRS will let me make payments. Otherwise I guess I'll have to put it on my new credit card. That would really pain me, because I thought I was about to start buying the recording equipment.

Oh, well. It'll work out like it has to. There's not an awful lot I can do here but deal with it.