A trip to Taxland

As a general rule, I avoid the tax-paying process. I am blessed to have a husband who actually enjoys organizing all of the papers and crunching the numbers. During this expatriation, we have had a tax prep company supplied for us by his company for the US and for France. It hasn't really lightened the load though as we receive a nice, thick packet about this time every year from the US company. My dear, number-loving husband spends hours organizing all of the information, collating the necessary papers, crunching numbers to be sure that he agrees with the answers sent by the US company, and pulling his hair out. I try to keep the kids occupied.

This year is a little different for several reasons, but the two biggies involve 1)the fact that we are moving right about the time that the US taxes are due, and 2) the fact that my husband will be in an intensive training program for the whole month of March (prime tax prep time). As a result, I am trying to be a bit more involved this year. I am hoping that this will make things a little easier for him.

Today was my first foray into the tax packet. I worked on THE CALENDAR. This all important document is literally one sheet of paper with a calendar for one year on it. We have to mark every single day on the calendar. We have 5 choices for marking the days:
1. Day worked in US in resident state
2. Day worked in US in non-resident state
3. Day not worked but in US
4. day worked but outside the US
5. day not worked but outside the US

I am once again so grateful that my husband is a very organized man. I was able to pull up his PalmPilot on the computer and figure out just about everyday of the year. Now I hope that I am able to help more in an effort to ease my husband's load. Guess I am feeling a little more confident in the whole tax prep situation. Hope I'm not wrong!