I know it probably sounds over-dramatic, but every year when I finish doing the taxes, I feel like I’ve just been pardoned from death row. Having retired last year – and hopefully selling our CA place soon – this should be the last time we’ve got multiple state returns to worry about. And of course, without the aid of modern tax-filing software with its relatively simple Q&A interface, I’d more than likely have jumped off a steep roof in tax season a long time ago – just FYI.
Still, this year’s return(s) ran to over 60 pages. All that and I got it done with 12 hours to spare. New this time around was IRS form 199-A referencing Treasury Regs. §1.199A-4(b)(1)(i); as well as §1.199A-5(c)(2). For those of you on the outside looking in, that’s the de minimis Safe Harbor Real Estate Statement. In previous years this was just covered by a single check box inside the Tax Act package. But this year, inexplicably, it required an additional .pdf attachment to form 1040. I could go on. But if I did, I’m afraid I might have to seek additional psychotherapy. And nobody wants to see that hot mess.
Suffice it to say, I’m walking on post-tax sunshine today, and that is a very good thing. We should all be so lucky. As I’m well aware, there are those of us out there who are not yet off the hook. Sorry about that, Chief.
LMK = “let me know,” just FYI.
Better luck next time, DJT.