Hasta La Ideas

Since tax time is a little less than a month away, I wanted to nudge everyone to get their papers filed if you haven’t already done so. Especially if the government owes you money, it’s good to get this chore marked off your to-do list earlier than later.

Be sure to check out “Three year end tasks to take the edge off tax time” for tips on keeping your paperwork orderly before you file. Then, once you’ve filed your taxes, I highly recommend using the FreedomFiler system to help you maintain an organized filing cabinet. (And, just so we’re clear, FreedomFiler did not pay us to write that — I’m a true fan and user of the system.) If your files are already in decent shape, check out “How to store your tax returns” for a few tax-time reminders.

If the entire process gives you a headache and makes you nauseated, be sure to read this tax filing and organizing advice from the personal finance professionals I read daily:

• Man vs. Debt: “Random Lessons Learned While Preparing Taxes This Season“
• The Simple Dollar: “Nine Simple Things to Do to Get Ready for Tax Season Right Now!“
• Wise Bread on Taxes: “Taxes“
• The Motley Fool: “Avoid Tax Filing Mistakes“
• And, my favorite article on the subject — Get Rich Slowly: “Last Minute Tax Tips“