Tax Return Organizer Kit Giveaway
February 8, 2012
Filing your tax return is easier if your records are organized. When you fill out your 1040, you have to dig up all of your files from the previous year so you can enter in your income and your deductions.
Regardless of whether you go through tax software that prompts you for all the information, do your taxes by hand, or if you give all your information to your accountant – being organized still pays off at tax time.
Organizing Tax Documents
If you file your receipts and tax forms as you get them then it’s much easier to find them when it’s time to file your tax return.
There are multiple ways you can create a system to store your financial documents. It can be as simple as using manila folders and labeling them, or there are systems you can use that come with pre-set categories of documents. The one I’ve used is called HomeFile and it’s basically a set of laminated dividers with a top tab that tells you the category of document. On the front of each divider it lists all the potential documents that might fit into that category.
Whether you use a system or come up with your own, the main point is to figure out how you’re going to store your documents as they come in the mail throughout the course of the year.
Tax Kit Giveaway
The people from Office Depot understand the importance of organization. That’s obviously what they specialize in, helping you keep your paperwork and your office organized and categorized. They contacted me about sponsoring a tax kit giveaway on Money Smart Life and I agreed, who doesn’t want to be more organized right?
Here’s what’s in the tax kit:
- H&R Block At Home Basic Edition (Federal & State)
- Office Depot Reciept File Box
- Ativa Tax Calculator
- Ativa Flash Drive
If you want to get more organized this tax season you can enter this promotion by leaving a comment below with a good tax preparation tip or a story about how being organized/disorganized made it easier/more difficult when doing your taxes. You can also get an extra entry by subscribing to my email newsletter.
The tax kit giveaway will end on February 14, 2012, where a winner will be randomly selected. Once the winner is announced, I’ll need to have your address so Office Depot can mail you the organizers and the software, giving you plenty of time to get your taxes filed for 2011 and to start your organization system for 2012.
Thanks to Office Depot for sponsoring the giveaway, leave your comments below to enter.
All posts by Ben Edwards
Helpful info. Fortunate me I discovered your website accidentally, and I am stunned why this twist of fate didn’t came about in advance! I bookmarked it.
My best tip is to start early; waiting not only increases your stress level, but means you have to wait for your money, too.
I try to be organized about my taxes by filing everything into one spot, so I know exactly where to look for all the documentation. Of course, I don’t bother looking there until noon on April 15, so while I may be organized, I’m also a huge procrastinator. 🙂
I’d love this kit. One thing I have done that is sort of related to taxes is start teaching my sons early about money saving. My oldest at home sits down on a regular basis and does data entry for me. Putting all my checks and debits in the computer for both our personal and business has been an eye opener. I keep finding little notes in the memo section, like “crazy!” for our unemployment tax… or “another tax??” for workers comp. Its actually comical when I sit down to balance the checkbooks.
I purchase a clear, accordian file with color-coded tags. I just start piling all my receipts which relate to the years taxes in the folder. When tax time comes, all my receipts are together and filed. I simply add my completed tax return in the front of the file folder and file it away in my file cabinet–hopefully never to be seen again (i.e. audit) LOL!
I purchased Quicken in an effort to organize my tax information for my part-time home business. Unfortunately, I didn’t understand half of what the program can do for me and haven’t really used it. I am interested to find out what you use to keep yourself organized in time for tax season. Homefile? Is that something you invented yourself or something that you can purchase. I need something fast and easy to use b/c time is something I don’t have much of these days!
Thanks for the offer! Anything that makes life more organized is hugely attractive!
I have gotten into the habit of using a folder with all the paperwork from investments,banking we print out the w2 online for the military pay I start this in nov and I receive documents as late as april after I have sent out tax return stuff I normally have cpa do our taxes this will be first year doing them
Start pulling records and receipts together at the begining of the New Year. When the W-2s arrived fill in the forms. Send it in early and save on the stress. If you have to pay in you’ll have a couple of months before the deadline.
This giveaway will certainly help me organize my receipts and paperwork during the tax season. It would be nice to win!!!!
I’m also subscribed to your newsletter. Thanks!
I have a drawer in my home where I promptly place all tax related documentation throughout the year. Each year, I never have to search for my documentation because it’s right there in the drawer! 🙂
I hadn’t printed a personal copy of my tax return because I had the file on my hard drive. Well, my hard drive went bust on me in December and I was unable to retrieve anything from it after that. And because I never made a copy of it nor put the file in an email folder or flash drive, I will have to reinput the entire return if I should need a copy to apply for a mortgage, etc. That was my big mistake.
Organization is the Hardest part of tax preparation, regardless of whether you do it yourself or have it done for you. I would love to win this Organizer Kit.
Being organized helped me get my tax returns finished fast
As a recent graduate, I would file away all school receipts/tax related documents separately in an expanding file. Kept a tally of receipts on the outer envelope as I filed. Very convenient when tax season arrives.
I love giveaways like this, they make my inner geek start drooling!
My best tax tip is: to ask for expert advice if you need it. You could be missing out on lots of money if you don’t do a little research first. It could save thousands of dollars!
I try to save everything tax-related digitally in a single folder on my computer to make it easier. It’s much harder to try to remember what expenses I paid a year later and then go digging for receipts.
Taking the path of least resistance, I have always kept all my receipts in an envelope or two throughout the year and logged my tax deductible expenses in a spreadsheet.
At tax time, I double check by quickly going through the receipts that I have all the necessary receipts and also that I haven’t forgotten to log any by flipping through the pile. Because I usually don’t purchase so very much, that usually doesn’t take more than an hour, but it would be nice to have a better system next year.
I am so disorganized every year when it comes to filing taxes. Perhaps winning this kit will help me in this battle!
What a fantastic idea! I have a folder with tabs and pockets to help me organize.
As a part of my goal this past year to get better organized, I scanned/digitized all my prior year returns and tax documentation, so that if ever needed for future reference, the information is easily/more easily accessible.
My best tip is to start working on your taxes early so you have time to get your questions answered and don’t end up having to make a best guess just to get them done at the last minute.