Tax time is a cause for stress and anxiety for so many people. When you also have an anxiety disorder, it can make those feelings 10x worse. A decade ago I would put off doing my taxes until the last possible moment and then I’d spend the next month in an anxious state because I was sure the IRS was going to show up and tell me that I did my taxes wrong, no matter how irrational I knew that was!
I thought I’d share some tips for anyone else battling tax time anxiety because….
Guess what I did yesterdaaaaaaay? And I can’t tell you what a relief it was. Up until the last few years, doing my taxes stressed me out. I’d wait until the last minute. From the time I got my W-2 until the time I made myself do them, I’d think about it — freak out —- get nauseous —— obsess over it for 24 hours —- avoid. avoid. avoid. And for weeeeeeks it would happen again, getting progressively worse while the deadline approached.
It’s been that way since I became an adult and once I started having to do the taxes for Blessing Manifesting, it just got so much worse. There’s more room to make mistakes, I always owe and that just makes my fancy money-anxiety go crazy, and I have to battle anxiety symptoms the whole time. So no fun.
But tax-time anxiety is super common, so you’re not alone!
Here are some tips on managing the anxiety!
❤️️ Don’t be afraid to have someone do your taxes for you or invest in a good program to help you!
🧡 Work on your taxes over a few days if you find it overwhelming.
💛 Get organized before you start, that way when you start it will be a quicker process.
💚 Schedule a day to do them and then stick to it.
💙 Have good background noise like music or a happy show.
💜 Take a break when you need one.
❤️️ Ask your partner or a family member to look it over for you.
🧡 If you panic and don’t get your taxes done in time, instead of ignoring it, file an extension.
💛 Plan an epic day of self-care when you’re done. You deserve someone to rub your feet while you eat ice cream.
I invested in Quickbooks which really really helped on a lot of levels and if you have your own business, I recommend it, and I started making myself face it. I do them early, on one of my days off, and I make sure that I celebrate after. It’s such a relief to get them over with instead of spending 2.5 months in varying states of anxiety.
Do you get tax-time anxiety, yes or no?
Also, don’t forget to check out my anxiety workbook!
Your tax list helps a lot. Taxes and filing are my dreaded to-do’s. Hate, hate, hate them! I am not at all financially savvy and have an accountant, but my family has a small business, so it is such a headache! I always put it off, file an extension, and work on it so slooooowwwllly. Well, this year I have made it a resolution to get taxes done (sent to the accountant) on time!