<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gammaman/5355588988/" target="_blank"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-5145" title="5355588988_5015b3408e" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/5355588988_5015b3408e-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="199" /></a>I'm not a fan of April 15th.

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I was self-employed up until 2 years ago, and every year I wisely turned my spreadsheets and documents over to an accountant to make the whole tax preparation process as palatable as possible.

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For the past two years, I really don't need an accountant.  Tax filing should be simple for me because of TurboTax.

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TurboTax is supposed to make life and taxes easy.

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Not for me.  I  had "issues".  I kept my "issues" a secret.  I feared that I was the biggest dufus on the planet.  Isn't this software supposed to be turn-key?  Isn't it supposed to do all the work for you?  Accurately?

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Not so, quoth Becky Jo one day at the water cooler.

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(We weren't really at the water cooler -- we were at Becky Jo's desk -- but I've always wanted to say that now that I work in Corporate America.)

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Becky Jo told me her TurboTax horror story, and the Masterful Accountant who came to her family's financial rescue.  The IRS now owes her a big fat Refund.

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I took the Masterful Accountant's name and number, and I saved it for a rainy day.  Perhaps next January or February.  I was almost finished with my TurboTax.

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And then on Day 198 -- horrors of horrors -- TurboTax made a calculation that smelled very fishy.  Very fishy indeed.

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An accountant friend and my Dad sniffed the putrescence as well.

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I immediately stopped the madness and filed an extension with Masterful Accountant.

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Soul-Scintillation #1:  I am due a small refund on state taxes.  As a former self-employed lass, I am not used to refunds.  WooHoooo!!!!!

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Soul-Scintillation #2:  I cannot tell you how FREEING it is to turn this chore over to a number cruncher who knows what he's doing for around $100.

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As God is my witness, I will never torture myself with filing my taxes again!

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