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FILE THE STUPID THING!

April 10, 2006

Most tax practitioners have had some version of this conversation:

Client: I got a notice from IRS. What did you do wrong?

Practitioner: What does the notice say?

Client: I think it says I didn't file my taxes.

Practitioner: Well, did you?

Client: Well, I gave you all my stuff.

Practitioner: And I sent the return to you. Did you get it?

Client: I have an envelope from you right here.

Practitioner: What's in it?

Client: Well, a bunch of paper, and some envelopes.

Practitioner: And what do the envelopes say?

Client: Here's one addressed to "Internal Revenue Service Center." What's that for?

Returns don't file themselves. If you aren't filing electronically, get your return mailed. It's always a good idea to take paper returns to the post office and spend the extra money to send it "Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested."

If you want to file electronically, be sure to return the e-file authorization to the preparer right away. Even if you owe, the practitioner can arrange for the withdrawal from your account to wait until April 17, so holding onto the authorization doesn't keep the money in your account any longer; it just increases the chances that you'll forget to file.

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