Lovely Girl   +  Tips & Tricks

Obviously, this week's open thread is most applicable to freelancers based in the United States. But since taxes are due next Monday, April 18 (due to a little known Washington, DC holiday), I'm betting it's on many people's minds. Like last year, I hired a CPA to help me figure out quarterly estimated taxes, sort through all my deductions, and nudge me to contribute to my SEP-IRA (the retirement plan I use since I don't have an employer to offer a 403(b) or 401(k)). And like last year, boy, was I grateful for his help! He caught a teeny tiny paperwork error that could have gotten me flagged for penalties or worse, an audit. With his help, I got my return signed, sealed, and mailed last week. Although I'm filing electronically, he instructed me to mail checks for the extra tax I owe and for first quarter estimates. What about you? Did you DIY your taxes? File them back in February? Or are you still sweating it out?If you need last-minute tax tips, check out my interview with Brigitte A. Thompson, author of Bookkeeping Basics for Freelance Writers and owner of Datamaster Accounting Services, LLC.