End of year moves and non-moves
OK, today has improved even though I had to work from home. Our office is shut down this week, but when part of your job is supporting the sales staff and it is end of quarter and year… well, you’re bound to get a lot of requests. However, things are definitely looking up, due to a wonderful wife. For example, some words I love to hear when she walks in the door from the grocery store: “You like Full Sail, don’t you? I bought some for you.” Although I think she is trying to make up for her trip to Ikea yesterday.
After reviewing what could be done for end of year moves, I decided not to do much. I sold part of one stock holding, generating a small loss. I filed the last of my health flex plan receipts, which will zero out the 2005 balance. I lowered my 401K withholding percentage back to my normal amount (I had increased it when I hit the maximum FICA withholding). Not to mention several trips to Goodwill this week in our organization frenzy. I paid the half of property taxes that were due this year ($3,654), but decided to wait until the spring due date to pay the second half. That is it…nothing major, but getting things in order for next year.
My major disappointment is that TurboTax does not have the California state return software available yet. I’m trying not to get too excited about my estimated federal refund until I know where I stand with the state.
The term “earmark” has been around in English for over 400 years, coming from the practice of farmers making markings on their livestock’s ears in order to distinctively claim them as their own. But the second use, meaning to set aside for a particular purpose or special designation, has only been around since the late 1800’s. However, I have been particularly good at the latter meaning, making up for lost time I guess. Any tax refund, except for $1,000, will be used to pay down credit card debt. The cash will be kept as an emergency cash fund. What will be interesting to see is what will happen to my bonus (assuming I have one). Taxes eat up such a large portion of it. I think we have earmarked 125% of the remainder, unfortunately. There is so much we want to do around the house, but at this point we are waiting until we have cash in hand to do it. The first thing will be to pay the remaining property taxes. After that, well…I’ll have to post on that in February.
As far as non-moves, I’ve been able to watch a few enjoyable things on TV. My wife's Christmas gift to me was the “Firefly” series, which neither of us had seen. We are really enjoying it and are halfway through the episodes already. And if you ever thought you had it tough with politics at work or any other place, I have just the cure. AMC had “Anne of the Thousand Days” on the other night, with Richard Burton as Henry VIII and Genevieve Bujold as Anne Boleyn. Not the best telling of the story, but pleasing to listen to Burton and watch Bujold. And as luck would have it, another channel had “Elizabeth” on (with Kate Blanchett). This was a favorite of mine when it was released, and I’m anxious to re-watch it tonight to see if it still holds up. Suddenly the politics at work seems petty when watching the machinations of monarchs and their enemies.
After reviewing what could be done for end of year moves, I decided not to do much. I sold part of one stock holding, generating a small loss. I filed the last of my health flex plan receipts, which will zero out the 2005 balance. I lowered my 401K withholding percentage back to my normal amount (I had increased it when I hit the maximum FICA withholding). Not to mention several trips to Goodwill this week in our organization frenzy. I paid the half of property taxes that were due this year ($3,654), but decided to wait until the spring due date to pay the second half. That is it…nothing major, but getting things in order for next year.
My major disappointment is that TurboTax does not have the California state return software available yet. I’m trying not to get too excited about my estimated federal refund until I know where I stand with the state.
The term “earmark” has been around in English for over 400 years, coming from the practice of farmers making markings on their livestock’s ears in order to distinctively claim them as their own. But the second use, meaning to set aside for a particular purpose or special designation, has only been around since the late 1800’s. However, I have been particularly good at the latter meaning, making up for lost time I guess. Any tax refund, except for $1,000, will be used to pay down credit card debt. The cash will be kept as an emergency cash fund. What will be interesting to see is what will happen to my bonus (assuming I have one). Taxes eat up such a large portion of it. I think we have earmarked 125% of the remainder, unfortunately. There is so much we want to do around the house, but at this point we are waiting until we have cash in hand to do it. The first thing will be to pay the remaining property taxes. After that, well…I’ll have to post on that in February.
As far as non-moves, I’ve been able to watch a few enjoyable things on TV. My wife's Christmas gift to me was the “Firefly” series, which neither of us had seen. We are really enjoying it and are halfway through the episodes already. And if you ever thought you had it tough with politics at work or any other place, I have just the cure. AMC had “Anne of the Thousand Days” on the other night, with Richard Burton as Henry VIII and Genevieve Bujold as Anne Boleyn. Not the best telling of the story, but pleasing to listen to Burton and watch Bujold. And as luck would have it, another channel had “Elizabeth” on (with Kate Blanchett). This was a favorite of mine when it was released, and I’m anxious to re-watch it tonight to see if it still holds up. Suddenly the politics at work seems petty when watching the machinations of monarchs and their enemies.
posted by Dwight at
3:22 PM
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