End of Tax Season Reflections

This past Sunday evening, April 15^th, I began preparing my final tax return of the season.  This taxpayer had been putting off his tax return for the past ten weeks, and now it was my turn to pound it out and beat the deadline.  Worse yet, the taxpayer simply shoved all his receipts in a big envelope and left it up to me to sort through them. 

Frankly, I was pretty worn out by the time I began this return, so I prepared it more casually.  I took a break for a delectable dinner featuring grilled salmon, thanks honey!  I spent about twenty minutes chatting over Facebook with a friend regarding the all important topic of country music.  I enjoyed a Bud Light (to the extent one can enjoy a Bud Light) while working through the return. 

Two and a half hours later, I pressed the e-file button on my own return, and my tax season was officially done.

As I reflect back on this tax season, there are a variety of moments that will stand out.

There was the client for whom I needed to prepare nine tax returns.  As I handed over their tax returns and somewhat large invoice, they simply said, “Thank you for lifting this big black cloud off our heads.”  Had I known how complex their tax returns would be, I likely would not have accepted them as clients.  But then, I would have missed the opportunity to relieve a gnawing stress in their lives.

There was another client who told me to bill him extra as he felt he had been a pain in the butt.  I billed him at my regular rates.  I recently received his payment, along with a 70% tip.  Wow.

There was my mom who said, “I know you sometimes wonder if doing taxes is worth the hassle, but that does not worry me.  Even if you stop doing taxes for other people, you’ll still do mine.”  In the spirit of full disclosure, I suppose I should point out that my mom prepared her parents’ taxes for about forty years after she quit doing taxes for the general public. 

There was another taxpayer whom I jokingly (but maybe not) refer to as my favorite client.  Whenever I tell her the amount of her refund each year, she cheers.  I was disappointed that she did not actually come to my house this year, so I could only hear her cheering over the phone.  She said, “And just so you know Boz, I am pumping my fists as well.”

There is one of my best friends, whom I can’t bring myself to charge for preparing his taxes.  When I was saying goodbye to him at my front door at the end of the night, he said that he forgot something in my office.  I did not think anything of it until I returned to my office after he left and found a few twenty dollar bills.

There is the single mom, who spends her money very wisely.  I feel honored to help her receive large refunds each year, and when I told her the amount of her refund, she cried.

There is John, the subject of my sabbatical.  When I handed him his tax returns this year, I quickly changed the subject as I really didn’t want him to pay me - I figure it is the least I can do for bothering him so much with my endless questions.  The next time I was walking past his office, he called me in and handed me a check.

If you are a tax client of mine and I neglected to discuss your situation above, don’t worry, I enjoyed you as well.  This is the first year that I have sincerely enjoyed 100% of my tax clients.