Overtaxed

Before this day started, I was ready for it to end. The run up to the holidays is always hard, not because of holiday prep, but because of stinking government deadlines.

The short version: the university files an informational tax return with both the federal government and the state. If you file a copy of the federal return along with the state return, you get to do a shorter, easier state return. The immoveable state filing deadline for us is December 31st.

Since the IRS revised the federal form, we have to have it reviewed by the Board of Trustees, which they do at their May meeting. Thus, the federal return is extended as far as it can go, until May 15th (why yes, the first two weeks of May are a bit hectic in my world).

So, no doing the short state form for us.

My boss is reviewing the completed (long) state form now. He always, every year, comes to me with questions that are already answered in the stack of back up (cross referenced, made as plain and readable as possible and attached to the form in the order in which the referenced items appear) attached to the return.

We've gotten to the point in our working relationship where I think he comes in to ask the questions not because he doesn't understand or thinks something is wrong, but because he has (in his exact words from five minutes ago) blown past that information on the backup. Faster for me to point it out than for him to read it.

Sigh.

I'm tired. The return isn't difficult, though the state agency that receives it changed up a few questions for this year. It's a bit of stress, especially trying to arrange two signatures, which this year must be notarized. That moves the deadline back even further (did I mention the university closes down completely from 12/24 - 1/1? yeah...) as I have to contact the Office of the President to find out when he will be available to sign the form.

I whine, but I am very, very thankful to be gainfully employed.

I just wish I could take a nap at work.