Two Things In Life Are Inevitable...

...death and taxes.

As much as it pains me, I'll take the taxes well before the death part.

I spent two and a half hours with the tax man getting my 2011 filings done. He's a volunteer with AARP* and they do them for free. This is the fourth year I've used their services.

Of course, it began one tax year after the 2007 audit for the state of Arizona I'm going through now, so they can't help me. I've all but given up on that. I'm going to throw myself at the mercy of the auditor, send in the meager bits of documentation I've collected to date and pay what they come up with.

Which brings me back to this year.

I owe AZ taxes again. Just a small amount. But I'll get a refund from the IRS. Just enough to pay my 2007 and 2011 AZ taxes. So I guess it's a wash.

Nothing lost. Nothing gained. It would just be nice to come out ahead once in a while, ya know?

*American Ass'n of Retired People