Stupid tax 'things' we do when we are tired

[Christian]

I have just awakened from a two hour nap while sitting in front of my computer doing taxes having dozed off it seems.

[Slippery Pencil]

3 hours ago, Christian said:

I have just awakened from a two hour nap while sitting in front of my computer doing taxes having dozed off it seems.

I do that numerous times a week.  Doesn't everyone do that? 

[jasdlm]

I have an antique fainting couch in my office that my husband bought me several years ago so I could nap periodically and save drooling on my keyboard.

[Lion EA]

If it weren't for sleeping in front of my computer, I wouldn't get any sleep! Not really, but the "computer naps" are a nice supplement.

[GLJEANNE]

The people who wait until April to get their paperwork to us always makes me wonder - have they never thought about the fact that by April we're overworked, over-stressed, sleepless and in a fog? And that's who you want doing your tax return??  I wouldn't want to do my own return at this point!
I have one major return left to do, but I'm having a hard time getting started.  It's always horrid - Sch C, most years bad bookkeeping, owner is clueless, etc.  It takes so many hours over several days (waiting on him or his bookkeeping service to reply to questions or supply missing info).  Last night I was thinking, just make sure the W3 matches the P&L, and take the rest at face value.  I don't have it in me to go through his GL and fix all the errors. 
And by this stage of the game, I'm firmly in "the hell with this" territory.

[jasdlm]

I am blown away by the people who have a W-2 or 2 and maybe a 1099 INT and can't get their act together until April.  Unfortunately, I only have a small handful of these super-simple clients, but why can't they get here before 12 April?  Maybe the same reason they don't free-file their own returns.  Hmmm.

[joanmcq]

I sent out my emails "Have you already done your taxes or should I file you an extension".  Got a few 'damn here's the documents, I totally forgot!', a couple "I've filed already".  Now trying to open a huge return that keeps on giving me an error message so that I can file the 4868.  I rebooted yesterday, dammit!

[Catherine]

On 4/9/2022 at 8:11 AM, Gail in Virginia said:

Actually, I would just show up with the tax returns I don't have the energy to finish.  That would be worse than tar and pitchforks!

Oh, now you're just cruel, @Gail in Virginia!

[Catherine]

On 4/11/2022 at 5:39 PM, Christian said:

I have just awakened from a two hour nap while sitting in front of my computer doing taxes having dozed off it seems.

Years ago while in college I did medical transcriptions from recordings in a hospital lab as a weekend job. Typed, not computer-ed. Six copies with carbon paper, so errors were a royal PITA to fix. Trying *so* hard to stay awake one day.  Jerked awake to find FOUR reports I don't remember typing all neatly stacked, with no typing errors!  Spent the rest of the work day trying to figure how to sleep my way through them every time.

[jasdlm]

I just got baked potato with sour cream all over a client's 1099-SSA.  Sorry, Carol.  Hopefully she'll never pull it out of the nice packet I make for her.

[Slippery Pencil]

10 hours ago, GLJEANNE said:

have they never thought about the fact that by April we're overworked, over-stressed, sleepless and in a fog?

The irs has.  Returns filed between 4/1 & 4/15 have a higher audit rate than extended returns and returns filed earlier in the year.

[GLJEANNE]

9 hours ago, Slippery Pencil said:

The irs has.  Returns filed between 4/1 & 4/15 have a higher audit rate than extended returns and returns filed earlier in the year.

That's smart of them.  Perhaps I'll remind my procrastinators or that next year!

 

[Abby Normal]

13 hours ago, Catherine said:

Years ago while in college I did medical transcriptions from recordings in a hospital lab as a weekend job. Typed, not computer-ed. Six copies with carbon paper, so errors were a royal PITA to fix. Trying *so* hard to stay awake one day.  Jerked awake to find FOUR reports I don't remember typing all neatly stacked, with no typing errors!  Spent the rest of the work day trying to figure how to sleep my way through them every time.

Your elven friends must have done them for you.