April 7, 2008

I don't make enough to pay taxes!!!

#1. I did my 2007 taxes. Done. Finito. Finit! Hah!

#2. There was about 1 minute of panic during the process when taxactonline.com told me I owed like $1700 in state taxes. This ugly number in red appeared in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. I nearly died of a heart attack. You think that's nothing? For me, that's an awful lot considering I work in a theological seminary which does NOT receive funding from the General Convention (unlike the United Methodist schools) and which relies on the generosity of overtaxed donors and dwindling parishes. Every. Single. Penny. Counts.

#3. California's Franchise Tax Board has a free e-filing program called CalFile which refused to let me claim the interest I paid on my student loans. Do not use this program. I do not endorse it.

#4. Doing taxes has drained me of all desire to write poetry for tonight. I do not believe it is inspiring at all. Not at all.

#5. I make so little and yet have to pay so much. It makes me want to cry.

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