It’s That Time of Year: Let’s Get our Taxes On!


This post is sponsored by H&R Block. Opinions are my own.

 It’s That Time of Year! Let’s Get our Taxes On!

2018 came in with a bang and if you’re anything like me, you’ve heard yourself say, “Wait, it’s March already?”. I know I’ve been doing that a lot lately and as much as I hate to admit it, this is a sure sign of aging! As the kids head back to school after March break, something that I’ve been avoiding needs to get done – my dreaded taxes! Similar to cleaning the house and doing laundry, taxes can’t be avoided. They are just one of those adult responsibilities we can’t dismiss or put on the back burner.

The world of taxes can be confusing and with the rules changing so often, it’s hard to stay up to date and ensure that you’re getting everything that you’re owed. This is where working with a professional can be helpful.  H&R Block has been in the tax business for more than 50 years and with more than 50 million tax returns under their belt. Leaving the ins and outs in their care can give you peace of mind!

Since I married 9 years ago, my husband had taken over the duty of filing our taxes and I was glad to get rid of that task. However, legally, I am required to know exactly what I am submitting to ensure that it’s all accurate. Throughout our marriage, we’ve got into a routine of dividing and conquering when it comes to our household tasks and chores. We have become experts in our respective responsibilities.

For example, on a near daily basis I hear that I don’t load the dishwasher properly (he’s totally right, I don’t!) and so that is largely my husband’s responsibility. Meanwhile, I nag him about only knowing how to make one dish on the rare occasion I need him to make dinner (hey, it’s better than ordering pizza, again!). When it came to our taxes, I felt the same way. He did it all and did it properly, but I wondered if perhaps he was leaving money on the table, simply because keeping up with changes in the tax code isn’t a part of his routine.

The thought of enlisting H&R Block’s Free Second Look review became tempting and so we pursued the expert advice of the H&R Block team.

I went in to meet with an H&R Block advisor and took advantage of their Easy Drop-Off service. It was all very convenient! I filled out a couple forms that I found online and then dropped them off at an office near our place. Technically speaking, I could have dropped the forms off and an expert would have followed up with me but I decided to go in and meet with my agent to see and understand the real benefits of getting H&R Block to do my taxes vs. having my husband do it for me. Within my ten-minute chat with the expert, I learned that we had missed something BIG!

Last year we went traveling for 5 months and rented out our primary home, which is something we have never done. Apparently, we were supposed to report this to the government and because we didn’t (and we’re claiming the rental income) we could have been on the line for a substantial fee. We were advised on next steps and how we could correct our error but the key takeaway is that I was right! we were clearly misinformed and would have filed our taxes incorrectly. I have a sneaky feeling that no matter what your situation is, you might have a few things you could learn by meeting with an H&R Block agent!

As a masalamommas reader, you can receive 20% for yourself and your partner when filing in-store with H&R Block.

Click here to get your discount.

Patrick, the H&R Block expert, took the paperwork off my hands and now all I have to do is go off and enjoy our upcoming vacation while he deals with all the numbers for me. That was easy! Upon my return, I’ll connect with him and confirm that everything is on track and accurate before submitting my taxes. As a small business owner, I did have to ensure that my invoices and receipts were properly tracked in our accounting software, but overall, this process took much less time than it would have otherwise taken me.

balancing parenting needs

As a busy mom juggling work, family and life, it’s easy to rely on someone else to take care of things I don’t have the capacity to do well. If you’re someone who has one income stream, I think sitting down with an expert will be beneficial. However, if you prefer, you can do everything online and it’s a more economical option as well. Filing your taxes online is free if you’ve got a simple tax return on your hands and even if you don’t, it’s an easy process. The H&R Block Online Tax Software makes it very easy for individuals to file their taxes and it has everything built in so you still benefit from the expertise of the agents.

If you’re just thinking about starting your filing process, I think you’ll benefit from exploring the many tax tips available for Canadians. I was surprised to learn quite a few things by spending 10 minutes reading through the many articles. From dependents to moving expenses, there’s savings to be had, if you know what to look for!

 


©masalamommas and masalamommas.com, 2016-2017. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to masalamommas.com and Masalamommas online magazine with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

(Visited 418 times, 1 visits today)



There are no comments

Add yours

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.