Like death, tax season approaches

Palm Coast Observer
Opinion

Mark Twain is sometimes given credit for saying that the only sure things in life are death and taxes, and those two things are often connected in the hearts and minds of the people.

And yet, there is a group of Flagler County-ites who think taxes are fun.

“To me, doing a complicated tax return is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle,” says Margaret Campbell. “We enjoy doing it. Some people like one thing, we like another.”

Campbell is the technology coordinator for AARP Tax-Aide, a free service that helps people prepare their taxes.

Nationwide, 33,000 volunteers in 6,500 locations did 1.5 million tax returns in 2010, 68% of which were for people 65 and older. In Flagler County, 32 volunteers at seven sites did 2,400 returns for Tax-Aide.

“We’ll do a return for just about everyone; you don’t have to belong to AARP,” Campbell said.

Considering how complicated the tax code is, Campbell says she would recommend that nobody prepare his or her own taxes — not when Tax-Aide will do them for free. She regularly saves people hundreds of dollars on their taxes because she keeps up to date with all the changes to the tax code.

But why, do you ask, am I bringing all this up when it’s only November?! Can’t we delay the agony until next year sometime?

No. First of all, Campbell stresses that keeping records is essential to tax preparation, and that begins yesterday.

Second, Campbell is looking for a few gluttons for punishment who would like to join the tax-preparers club and be trained (See the box, “To volunteer,” on this page).

If you join, you will be in good company, with the likes of “retired school administrators, a psychologist, government employees, company CEOs, and even a space engineer or two,” she wrote via email.

I have taken the liberty of preparing my own glossary, just to help those who might not know much about taxes:

1099
Commonly known as the whole number after 1,098 and before 1,100, it is also the product of two prime numbers: 7 and 157. Also, the year the Crusades began.

401K
In the year 401, St. Innocent I replaced St. Anastasius I as Catholic Pope. Not sure what the K has to do with it.

Pension
The money you invested for your whole life comes trickling back to you in the mail, after you retire.

Social Security
Similar to a pension, only less so.

H&R Block
A green, square company that hides or hibernates most of the year, but is usually sighted in the early spring, at a booth at Walmart.

Tax liability
The ability of taxes to lie.

Earned Income Credit
The government gives you credit for earning income. It’s essentially their way of saying, “Way to go!”

TO VOLUNTEER
To volunteer to be come a greeter, appointment-taker or a preparer, call Margaret Campbell at 503-1455. There is a training Nov. 18 and Nov. 19 for new preparers.