Time for my Income Taxes | GBGV

Me working on my 2011 tax returns

Oh man, it is that time of year, yes, tax time!  This year we have 2 extra days until April 17th to get them done, like that makes any real difference!  As usual, I have been so busy with wabbits, squirrels, having friends over, etc, I have put off this task until today.  Mom says I always look slightly dishevelled and that is kind of how I run my life – a bit on the messy side, a procrastinator but I like it that way.

Here I am trying to make sense out of 2011.  I use my excel spreadsheet to keep a tally on all my expenses.  First I have to go through my big pile of receipts so I can get everything recorded.  Upps…looks like I overspent a bit on snacks last year…oh well…hope they are allowed as a write off!  You know when I was a puppy, about 9 months old I was helping mom do her quarterly taxes in Germany.  We had all the stuff spread out on the living room floor and she was busy sorting out receipts and bills.  The mailman came to the door so she left for about 30 seconds to get the door and when she came back I had chewed and shredded one receipt.  Just one receipt, but it was the one for a new computer – a big receipt.  Since I was a baby I did not realize the importance of these receipts and just felt like eating some paper at that moment.  Boy was she upset – she ended up ironing the pieces to get them dry and then she had to tape the puzzle back together so it was usable once again.  Let’s just say I was in some major trouble!  Our accountant did not see any humor in the situation either, that’s Germans for you!  I have lots of German friends but they are not known for being funny!  Now I know I should not eat my receipts and I keep lots of treats on my desk incase I get the urge to chew something.

I have to file state and federal taxes I guess, what a project!  If you need a dog W-K9 form click here, it is a 2010 one but 2011 is the same.  I don’t mind doing all this paperwork but what really bothers me is this paying uncle Sam stuff that everyone talks about.  I can see paying the state that I live in but why Uncle Sam?  Who is Sam anyway?  I have never met Uncle Sam, he has never even come to visit us since we moved here almost 5 years ago.  Why does he deserve my money?  I am just a poor dog.  I would give mom some money but why Uncle Sam – he must be some real greedy old geezer if he forces so many of us to give him our hard earned money!  Does Uncle Sam even like dogs?  Hmmm…these are questions that I would like answers to before I just send him my money!

Well, enough blogging, as you can see I still have a lot of work to do to get my taxes done.  I only have about a week left so I need to put my hound nose to the ground, sniff out the best deductions I can find and then walk these babies to the mailbox.  My secret tip to avoid a tax audit…even though I am a girl, I always lift a leg on the mailbox after I drop in my taxes!!!