Taxes

The past few days have been crazy. Mid-April and we're getting blizzards that are leaving huge snow drifts. It's a winter wonderland over here. Everybody's got their snow blowers out, snow plows are patrolling the city. It's the second time this has happened in April, although the first round only lasted about a day, whereas this has been a few days. One day to the next, you don't know what season it's going to be.

Last time, I was supporting someone and it felt like we were literally fighting a blizzard. This time, I've had two people cancel on me because it's potentially dangerous to be outside.

When I did my Safe Management Recertification, my co-facilitator let me know that I'm the agency's "biggest paperwork headache. Apparently, of the hundreds of direct support people, I'm the only one who works both directly with them, and independently but using their system. Had no idea. I just chose to work with people using the agency if the agency found them, and I worked independently if I was the one who found them. Don't know why it's not more common.

I lost my Wal Mart Rewards Mastercard somewhat recently. It had $1000 worth of credit on it. Canceled the card that got lost and had it replaced. Now it's worth $2500. Don't know why they decided to give me another $1500.

Did my taxes recently. Last year, I came the closest I ever have to the poverty line. Just have to make $10,000 more and I'm officially lower-middle class! Only had to work three jobs, one of them being full time, to make that accomplishment. I'm a student again though, so yeah right.

I learned in Social Psychology that wealth only impacts happiness until you reach a certain income level. However, I'd still need to make three times as much as I did last year to reach that income level, so I think it's fair for me to keep seeking wealth.

Although to be fair I didn't work at the grouphome for a full year.

I made enough money last year that my tax return went from increasing to decreasing. I was using a $15 service from Turbotax. After putting in my first two T4 statements, I had a $3000 return, which is higher than I've ever received. Thought it would really burst up when I put my grouphome T4 through, which was my largest statement by far. Instead, it shrunk to $500.

For some reason, your return is much smaller if you're a student than otherwise. In years past, my return has gone from like, $1500 to $500 after stating I was a student. So this year, having only a $500 return, I was worried I'd be $1000 in the pit. But instead, after I stated I was a student, it raised to $800, Can't understand it.

Tax day is an emotional day, watching a number bounce up and down drastically with you having only a shaky understanding as to why. Feels like gambling.