Taxes–even Robin Hood isn’t spared

Paying taxes as a writer is a hassle (all those expenses and mileage to keep track of)and also really painful. Taxes don’t get taken out of royalty statements, advances, or school visit payments, so there’s always a big chunk to pay at the end of the year.

Never fun. When you have to pay the check, it becomes real money not just numbers on a paycheck.

Luckily my husband, Techno Bob, patiently pours over the tax code–which by the way is so thick it could be used as a step stool. Also it’s written in legalize a language about as coherent as computer code.

But at least the good folks at the IRS have a sense of humor. I mean they had to be joking when they defined income to report.

They wrote–and this is a direct quote: “If you steal property, you must report its fair market value in your income in the year you steal it unless in the same year, you return it to its rightful owner.”

Do you suppose a lot of criminals are going, “Oh, Dang I guess I have to report those stolen cars after all . . .”

Sorry Robin Hood, but you owe a lot of taxes.