Don't Mess With Taxes

Not that I'm complaining about having work. No self-employed small business person is ever going to say too many jobs are a bad thing. But they do sometimes make you want to take a moment and scream.

[Brief intermission.]

OK, that's out of the way. Now a couple of things I'd like to share.

We get letters, lotsa letters: First, thanks to all the readers who also write, both in the form of posting comments and e-mails directly to me. I hope to get back to each of you, but I can't really say when.

I know it's tax season and you have tax questions that you want answered. And you want them answered yesterday.

But tax season is also my busiest writing period and I've got clients I have to keep happy. If I don't, I won't be able to keep working from home (and blogging), and will instead have to once again schlep to a cube farm Monday through Friday.

And yes, that's me there in the picture, slaving away at my home office. And no, I'm not making the photo any larger!

If I don't get back to you with my thoughts in time to meet your schedule, don't just sit around, especially if you're trying to sort through a  complicated tax matter. In fact, if you do have a particularly difficult tax issue, you need to quit surfing and hire a tax professional. This earlier post has some tips on what to look for. That way both you and the IRS will stay happy.

My goal in blogging is to give you some general information and a heads-up on tax and money matters that might impact you. In recent years, with the proliferation of personal finance Web sites and blogs, I suspect accountants and financial planners are hearing a lot of "I read on the Internet that you could … ."

That's not a bad thing. A good tax or financial planner won't be insulted if you come to them with questions or suggestions; they welcome informed and involved clients.

By that same token, you need to make sure that you're getting the best advice for your situation. Take all this good, general advice and suggestions that you find online and, in consultation with your adviser, make sure it does indeed meet your unique financial circumstances.

All of us online financial bloggers are not substitutes for your personal counsel. We're complements to that person.

So keep reading, and writing, and make sure that when you really need it, you have a tax and/or financial professional you can consult.

Tax Carnival's a-coming: Now about all my fellow PF bloggers. I want to remind y'all that, since I don't have enough to do this weekend, I'll be putting together the next Carnival of Taxes.

You can read our last one here. If you have some tax thoughts to share, please send them along via our Blog Carnival submission page, and we'll try to work them into Monday's 28th Tax Carnival.