Yesterday I was talking about the various ways you might prepare your tax return with the goal of filing on time. I was working on several files for taxpayers yesterday and it occurred to me that the most significant factor in helping make this process easier (for all concerned) is being organized. This isn’t just at tax time when you conduct a search and rescue mission to find all the important documents that you have been sent but throughout the year. The first goal is to put these documents in a place where they can be found easily. Usually this is the drawer or envelope/file folder where the previous return is resting in peace. Start a 2012 envelope right now and start accumulating the paper. Someone came into my office yesterday and asked if they could use a desk to sort out their charitable donation slips and medical receipts. Two hours later schedules had been prepared. It might have been easier to add to these schedules throughout the year and I am sure that accuracy would have been enhanced. If you are taking your return to a tax preparer make sure that your summaries are accurate – a simple adding tape would help. Your tax preparer wants you to do this!! We provide organizers for our clients to make sure that we get your information. Come and see us and we can show you how to make this process less time consuming and more rewarding.