I got my W2 the other day (making $5000 less in taxable income than I thought – OH YEAH!) and now I’ve got to get around to finding forms and filling them in. I like to start out by doing an estimate (over estimating all income and underestimating all deductions thereby freaking myself out) and then I make a list of all the documents I need to get actual results. Then as those come in I place them randomly around the house so that I can’t find them until April. I might modify the practice this year so that they are all in one place but that the place is secret so that I still can’t find it till April.
The worry of never finding what I need and having to file an extension gives me a little thrill.