Have you procrastinated with your taxes once again?! Don’t worry—many of us are in the same boat. If you’re experiencing tax stress, check out these quick tips for tax season relaxation.
7 Tax Season Relaxation Tips
De-stress First
The deadline for filing your taxes is fast approaching. If you have yet to start and already feeling stressed, consider treating yourself to a small relaxation break first. Do an hour of meditation or yoga. Indulge in a home spa treatment. Book an appointment with your local masseuse. Once you’re in the right frame of mind, filing your taxes will feel easier.
Use Tax Tools
Looking for a stress-free way to file your taxes? You’re in luck! It seems like every year more and more electronic tax tools hit the market. For instance, if you make a certain gross income you could qualify for the IRS Free File software and file your federal return free of charge. There are also other online programs like TurboTax, eSmart, and more. Taking a few minutes to research your options can help you find the right filing software for you and ultimately help reduce your stress.
Reach Out for Help
Filing taxes can be complicated, especially if you own your own business. While tax tools are available, some people feel uneasy when completing the forms without some personal guidance. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, try reaching out to someone you trust for help. You and your partner can spend a weekend knocking it out or you can contact a trusted tax professional, such as a CPA.
Take a Walk Break
Some stressed people just want to get the whole process over with so they rush through the forms. This could lead to costly mistakes that you might later regret. Instead, when you’ve got tax stress, take a short break from it all. Go for a short walk around the block. This will give you a rush of mood-altering endorphins and energy.
Owe Taxes? Keep a Mindful Perspective
So you calculated your taxes and the final tally isn’t so great. The truth is that while refunds are common, there might come a time when you owe the government a check. Don’t be bitter. Instead, think about it from a mindful perspective. This isn’t lost money, but rather funds going out into the world to help others. Your check could be going to pay part of a teacher’s salary or it could be helping a child in foster care.
Learn From the Experience
Was this tax season particularly rough for you? Did you wait too long to get it done? Did you lose a receipt and miss some possible write-off or deduction? Don’t beat yourself up about it. Be kind to yourself and use your mistakes as a learning experience. Start taking steps to ensure that you don’t make the same mistakes next year.
Avoid Tax Stress Next Year
Once you’ve filed your taxes and had time to assess this year’s process, it’s time to start preparing for next year. Start getting your receipts organized. Start doing research on possible deductions you can use next year. Since Congress changed the tax code, check to see how it will affect you going forward. The more you get done now, the lass tax stress you’ll have next time.