It's over, done finished, until next year

I'm eternally thankful tonight that April 15th is almost done.  Yes, another tax season has come and gone.  Every year I swear up and down that I'm not going through this again, but here I am proclaiming that I have survived another season.  No, I'm not an accountant, but still closely involved in the process.

This year was brutal.  The guy I work for was busy and I had many things to do, but our business is orderly and we head off problems before they start.  I will not discuss here the others in the office that contributed to the chaos today.  Instead I want to focus on why people procrastinate and why they don't keep up with their affairs.

Now, granted I didn't finish my own taxes until Sunday.  I had them almost done, and had other priorities until I knew on Sunday that it was time to get it done.  But I had everything I needed to do my taxes.  Even in the years that I paid someone I took him an envelope that contained everything he needed and that information was complete.  I know it is human nature to procrastinate, but please people don't wait until the last minute and then expect me to be a miracle worker and produce what you need immediately.  Or fix what you messed up during the last year. 

And, for Pete's sake, people why can't you keep up with your affairs.  We send you statements and tax forms, where are they?  Don't tell me you didn't get them, I know you did.  They come in a big, clearly marked envelope, have you ever thought about setting up a place to put all that stuff so it is together when you need it?  Or, wait, did you just throw it in the trash because you knew you could call me and I would reproduce it for you and then send it wherever it needed to be?  Remember the drill from last year that I need your authorization in writing, with your signature, to send it to a 3rd party. And, why are you calling me?  You can pull them up online now, and don't tell me you don't know how as you are standing there with your cell phone in your hand.  If you can work a smart phone, then you can figure out how to get into your account on line. There are no excuses in my book for waiting to the very last minute and for not having your documents.  So, listen up for next year my fellow Americans!