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 |  Pearls of wisdom, inappropriate thoughts and the occasional rant. |
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| I recently read the book The Renaissance Soul and it unexpectedly resonated with me. After years of being called a quitter, flakey, and lightly, I finally realize I'm not alone. I love learning but as soon as I get familiar with something, I tend to move on to the next thing. The result is that I'm a jack of all trades, but a master of none. It turns out that it's not uncommon. Deciding on a major in college was torture. My interests are varied and I never could settle on one true passion. Except for books. After finishing The Renaissance Soul, I've decided to narrow my focus on three things for the next three months. So my current quest for satisfaction will be becoming a certified VITA/ICE Volunteer for the IRS. I have a love/hate relationship with money and I suck at maths, but I can honestly say that in the 20+ years of doing my own taxes I haven't lost my fascination with the process. For the first few months of the year, I engross myself in tax law, learning what's changed and how it affects my family. A few years ago, I got my Tax Preparer Identification Number so I could legally do my mom's taxes. Of course, that led to helping out a few other family members, but I don't mind. It irritates me to no end that so many people use a service like H&R Block when most could get free help. Not to mention, if you read all the fine print, you'll learn that you've given them power of attorney to collect your refund for you. That's to ensure they get their overpriced fee. Many years ago, my stepdad went to H&R Block. The tax preparer said she didn't require his receipts (while neglecting to tell him the IRS does) and doubled his expenses. He didn't notice until he got a letter from the IRS. Of course, H&R Block told him that there was nothing they could do even though he forked over a couple of hundred extra for "audit protection". Not only did he owe several thousand dollars, but they also audited him for two other years. Unfortunately, he had thrown out those legitimate receipts and ended up owing even more. I also had a friend go to Jackson Hewitt and shell out 150$ for a 350$ refund. She didn't want to sign after learning the amount but they refused to give back her W-2 so she could file elsewhere. The horror stories are endless. People that need their refunds are handing over a chunk to someone that (most of the time) is not a tax professional and only has a very basic understanding of tax law. The software does more work than they do. When I learned the IRS is in desperate need of volunteers, I decided to join. One perk (for me) is that tax season is short and I can quickly move on to another interest. I haven't figured out what my two other focuses will be yet, but having even a loose plan somehow makes me feel better. I have a lot of anxiety about not having enough time and this method allows me to lift some of the pressure off myself. DISCLAIMER I am, in no way, saying every tax preparer or preparation service has an evil plan to steal your money. My opinion is based on the experiences of people I know. |
| The month of June brings nothing but doom. My doctor recently ran a shit load of tests to try to figure out what's going on with my body. I got more than I bargained for when the results came back. So far, I've been referred to a Rheumatologist for Lupus, a Dermatologist for Psoriatic Arthritis, a Cardiologist for Chronic Venous Insufficiency, and now I'm being told one of my kidneys isn't functioning properly and I need to see a Nephrologist to confirm Chronic Kidney Disease. On the plus side, I'm still (slowly) losing weight, my cholesterol is good, and I'm not diabetic. However, my husband is now unemployed and I'm uninsured again. I know that it won't last long, but I'm trying to figure out how to cope with all the extra medical expenses without exhausting our savings and my anxiety is sky-high. We didn't have much to start with and after helping my daughter with funeral costs, it really dropped. I'm trying to be thankful that I found all of this out now at 40ish rather than becoming seriously ill at 60ish. I always jump to doom and gloom and it's difficult to stop the negative thoughts. Thankfully, I've learned a little from therapy lately. I may not always be able to change my thinking but I'm more aware of it now. Surprisingly, it helps. Now, if I can just keep it up... |
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but seems to be okay today. I worry about my poor circulation, scrub my toes with a soft bristle brush, watch discoloration come and go. I probably need new arteries or veins but hey... "Heathcare" USA (enough said?). I may be better off trying something here in Thailand. But still... wish I lived in a country that had adequate patient based healthcare. Thailand and Taiwan mostly do, but I can't access it. First world systems like Europe, Canada and Australia do, but again, I can't access it. 