She has risen.

I'm pretty sure that it's inappropriate to compare working on tax returns to the entombment of Christ but I feel like I have spent three days in a virtual catacomb and now that I am finished I feel quite enlivened! Unfortunately, during these three days I have certainly not embodied many Christlike attributes (i.e.- patience, charity) thus causing my family to suffer; although, I was at least honest in my preparation.

I actually enjoy the process if I can carve out a good chunk of solitude (a chunk that doesn't interrupt my sleep of course) and I probably make it more complicated than it needs to be but even without my compulsion to check figures and check again, legally we are required to submit multiple state returns in addition to the compulsory fed edition. Three states this year. Ben is domiciled in one, I had income in another and we reside and he works in yet another. Tax prep software and online services don't help much with the multi-residency issues so I have to do them by hand if we don't want to end up paying in triplicate. I look forward to next year when we move to and become residents of a state with no income tax.

I also don't trust these online sites with their varying questioning so I always use more than one until I can get two to match up with the most favorable results. There are so many ways to do your taxes and be correct (joint, seperate, non-resident, resident, part year, military) and I very much enjoy the challenge of finding the right combination that yields the highest return (or least payout). I am NOT a numbers person, but I speak fluent money.

So I feel triumphant, with documentation safely stored away in case the IRS needs proof that we actually did donate (under partial duress known as tithing, but done happily) what looks to be 30% of our taxable income this year (not as impressive an amount as it might sound) thanks to the sale of our condo. And just in time for me to throw some candy in a basket and call myself the Easter Bunny.