Five Reasons To Wait Until The Last Minute To File Your Taxes

There are two kinds of people in this world: people who pay their taxes in a timely manner and people who wait until the last minute, hastily carrying ones and scrawling signatures over the steering wheel in the midst of rush-hour traffic on April 15th. Which one of these people are you? If you're leaning toward the latter, here are some great reasons to wait until the last minute to do your taxes, so that when the more responsible half criticizes you for procrastinating, you'll be able to muster a passable argument.

1. There's More Time This Year: Aren't leap years awesome? Now we've got a whole extra day in February to not do our taxes. Take advantage of this extra day by not even considering making an appointment with a CPA or certified tax preparer. On this day, there's still a month and a half until the deadline, and that is way too much time. It takes intense pressure to form a diamond, and it's your time to shine, so let the clock tick.


2. Electronic Filing Simplifies the Process: These days you don't even have to drive to the post office to file your taxes. Depending on how far you live from the post office and how fast you walk or drive, this could save you some serious minutes. What better way to spend those minutes than not doing your taxes? E-filing is a great way to save time and energy, which you can spend on nontax related pursuits.


3. Making Friends at the Post Office: If you decide not to file your taxes electronically, and to wait until the final hour to mail your tax forms, you're sure to find a bustling social network at your neighborhood post office. The best thing about the whole event is that just about everyone there has something in common: everyone waited until the last minute to file their taxes. This is a sure indicator that the group will be rich with character. Here's a great way to start up a conversation with anyone carrying a legal sized envelope in the line: "So, you're mailing your taxes?" You're sure to make friends using that gem.


4. Interest: if you owe the government money, it is not in your advantage to pay them as quickly as possible. Since account holders continue gaining interest on the money until the moment that it leaves your account, it is in your best interest to keep your money and gain as much interest as possible. Of course, the opposite is true if they are paying you money, but if you don't prepare your taxes then you won't know, will you? It is better to err on the side of caution.


5. Boredom: let's face it. Numbers are boring, or else why would you be reading this article instead of preparing your taxes. Some people may enjoy working with numbers, but those people are probably accountants (who stay pretty busy during tax season) or rocket scientists (who are up in space somewhere). Take your time. Last years numbers aren't changing any time soon.

Being responsible and preparing your taxes within a responsible window has its perks, but so does relaxation: it's good for the heart, mind, and soul. As highly reputed Crystal Lake accountants told me, "Leave your tax preparation to professionals, and get the best of both worlds." You can relax and you can have your taxes filed within a reasonable window of time. After all, is not the chore the thing from which we run? The consuming burden of engaging in a practice that we little understand can frustrate the most persistent. You might procrastinate if you had to do your own dentistry as well.

Do you need help with your taxes? There are professionals who offer full suites of tax preparation services. Contact a cpa firm to help you. You're playing with your money and your life, so maybe it's time to stop playing around.