The end of a taxing effort

Yep...my taxes are done. Well, at least the part where you organize everything and fill out extensive online forms so that a professional can actually complete the return.

We have the services of an accounting firm, courtesy of Z's employer. Our taxes are complex, mainly due to our return to Canada from the US over the past year and a half. We have to file two returns, one for each country, and there are complexities that are beyond two mathematicians (Z and me) to handle.

On top of this, we neglected to update our address with our US mortgage company (for example), forgetting that they would need to send us a statement of mortgage interest for the year. Multiply that by 5 and I had to make a lot of calls.

Bottom line: the electronic files are submitted, the envelope of information slips is ready to courier to Vancouver, and the form disclosing all our Canadian bank and retirement accounts is ready to mail to the IRS (because, you understand, they need to know all this.)

This is the earliest we've had all this done in years, and I'm feeling pretty proud of it all. Taxes are one of those things that hang over your shoulders and play with your head until they're actually done. And being the domestic goddess that I am, I get to do it all!! Me! And my computer!