This past week I was thinking about taxes. Taxes bring out the best and worst parts of us. No other time of the year are we more challenged than now. So I decided to write down some journaling ideas for tax time.

1st Journaling Prompt:
Are you prepared? As April 15th fast approaches are you caught off guard or ready, able and willing? You may want to explore this question in your journaling writing. On a scale of 1-10, how organized are you? Is your tax information in one easily found place or is it scattered in many different places?

2nd Journaling Prompt:
Are you anxious? Does April 15th bring out all your anxieties or are you calm and confident? Do you anticipate a refund? Or do you think you will have to pay? What are your feelings, thoughts and opinions about taxes? Examine your moods when tax questions and deadlines approach.

3rd Journaling Prompt:
Do you have your taxes done? Have you begun? Do you do your own taxes or do you hire someone to do it for you?

4th Journaling Prompt:
Are you able to pay? Do you have to pay state and federal taxes or do you live in a state that does not have state income tax?

5th Journaling Prompt:
Is April 15th celebrated? Some throw tax parties and some just go try to forget the day ever happened. Do you do anything different or special on April 15th? If so what do you do and how do you do it?

6th Journaling Prompt:
Are you honest? Touchy subject and very personal. Ona a scale of 1-10 what would your honesty rating be? What part of your taxes did you fudge a little on? Or does your accountant or bookkeeper keep you above board? Journal today about honesty. There is a slogan that state: Integrity is in what you do when no one is looking!

7th Journaling Prompt:
Have you ever been audited by the IRS? Spend some time considering what it was like to be audited. If you have never been audited, then spend some time writing about what you image it would be like.

8th Journaling Prompt:
How do you file? Are you a 1040ez, 1040A, 1040B, etc. form filer or an electronic filer? Do you keep hardcopies of your tax returns or are then just saved on your computer? How many years of tax returns do you keep, and why? Have you every amended a tax return? These are questions that show the type of person you are. What do the answers to these questions say about you?

9th Journaling Prompt:
Are you expecting a refund? If yes, what will you spend it on?

10th Journaling Prompt:
Do you use an accountant/bookkeeper or do your own tax returns? If you use an accountant/bookkeeper, why? Or why do you do you own?

11th Journaling Prompt:
Do you file an extension? Many are in the habit of just filing an extension. Are you an extension filer? If yes, why. If no, why do you believe many do file extensions?

12th Journaling Prompt:
Are there past years not filed? Do you have any years that have not been filed yet? If yes, are you planning on filing this year? If no, what would you advise those who have not filed past years?

13th Journaling Prompt:
How do you store your receipts? Receipts end up everywhere! They can be found in drawers, pockets, purses, cars, envelopes, etc. How do you organize your receipts?

14th Journaling Prompt:
What type of deductions do you have? There are many different types of deductions. Do you have any? Journal about your deductions ~ what they are, how they help your taxes and how you found out about them.

15th Journaling Prompt:
Are you ready? I am confident that you are. Journal today about finishing a project. You finished your tax return. How did it feel?

Tax time is never fun, even if you are prepared. Receiving the refund is great fun, unless you spend it on bills! My suggestion is relax, be honest and patiently wait for the bottom line. . .