Taxes

As the saying goes, there are only two sure things: death and taxes. I finally took care of one on Tuesday. Yes, I finally finished at noon on Tuesday. I had to sit myself down and not give myself permission to leave the house until I was done. At noon, the magic moment arrived. Next year, I am going to buy an electronic programme to complete my taxes; enough completing tax returns by hand and hoping that I get it right. The language of these forms is unbelievably convoluted. On Tuesday, I happened to speak to someone I know who was celebrating her 93rd birthday and she had finally given up on completing her own taxes, the ridiculous percentages (you know them the .1116 percent-what is that? ) had done her in. It was time for relatives to help. I met someone I know from my local bank while walking to the post office to mail the returns and she agreed that the tax forms are not user friendly, she had just finished her parents' forms by hand because the programme that she had purchased did not allow for more than a certain number of multiple uses.
I was pleased with myself that I had met the deadline because one year,at 11 p.m. I actually walked through a major mall looking for the post office that was open until mid-night and at that hour there people sitting on benches in the mall still working on their taxes.
What I do find puzzling about this process is that if I am late filing and sending my payment, I will be penalized daily but Revenue Canada can take its time processing my taxes and send me a refund in maybe two months.
All I can say now that I am finished and recovered, I am a happy person- yes I get a refund but only because I did extra payments last year. Now, I can get back to writing and the things I enjoy with a clear conscience.