April 15 Will Be Here Soon. Sooner Than You Think !

The Taxman Cometh. Be Ready.

Here are three simple steps to be ready BEFORE APRIL 15.

1.) – Use This QUICK LIST.

April 15 will be here soon. Sooner than you think. So …

Just START gathering your tax documents. FIRST gather the EASIEST to locate documents. Here is a QUICK LIST to get you started and ready for April 15th – that ominous tax deadline.

Just get these documents together. You know. The ones that come to your mind FIRST, and you ALREADY have them stacked somewhere on your desk or on that kitchen counter area that serves as the “in and out” box for your mail. Now create a folder labeled “2014 Taxes” and start.

For your “2014 Taxes” folder, just use one of your large discarded envelopes.

file your taxes early — Don’t let filing your taxes intimidate you. Just GET STARTED.

But just GET STARTED NOW …

… with this QUICK LIST:

W-2 forms for you and your spouse,
1099-INT forms for interest income from you bank,
1099-DIV form for investment income,
IRA statements,
child care receipts from your Day Care Center,
medical and dental expenses for the family, AND
all receipts for the taxes you paid this year – state, real estate, vehicle fees.

This QUICK LIST is designed to get you started.

Put these documents into your 2014 Tax Folder.

Now that you have started, PRINT this NEXT list.

2.) – PRINT This “NOT SO QUICK” List

I call this your “Not So Quick” List, because this is your COMPREHENSIVE CHECKLIST that is used to find and record the documents you have collected.

This is the comprehensive list of documents that you will NEED BEFORE PREPARING your 2014 Federal Tax Return.

Print this PDF list (thanks to Intuit – TurboTax) and use it as your WORKING document for gathering information.

Later, if you need any additional documentation, your tax software will request those documents from you.

April 15 will be here soon. Sooner than you think. So …

3.) – SCHEDULE A SPECIFIC TIME

Schedule a FIRM TIME …

to gather ALL of your needed documents, and
get STARTED on your 2014 Federal Tax Return.

Schedule a time that will be UNINTERRUPTED – early in the MORNING or in the EVENING when your children are in bed. I suggest to schedule a “PROTECTED” ONE HOUR piece of time for your peace of mind.

Schedule this time in the calendar of your smart phone just like any other IMPORTANT APPOINTMENT. This is one of those important appointments FOR YOURSELF that will relieve the STRESS of procrastination.

This will GET YOU STARTED. That’s all you need – an appointment with yourself to provide the discipline and motivation to get started.

Download Your Tax Software

Now download the tax software you are going to use. I prefer TurboTax for a number of reasons detailed here. Click here to learn more about Why You Should Use TurboTax to eFile Your Taxes.

Then just follow the instructions of your tax software. Tell your financial story of 2014 via your tax software. And file your taxes early.

The key is just getting started by …

gathering your documents using the QUICK LIST
and the COMPREHENSIVE LIST,
downloading your TAX SOFTWARE, and
setting a FIRM TIME to start.