Death and Taxes
They say only two things in life are certain: death and taxes. Here is my take on what these two items have in common.
One happens on the 15th of April every year. Mercifully we usually do not know when the other takes place. One requires a specific form be filed with the government every year. The other requires no forms at all. One requires that we keep all sorts of records in case we are called on to substantiate the information provided to the government. The other may involve medical records, death certificates, autopsy records, police records, and other interesting records, but the deceased is never called on to substantiate this information. Both are subject to examination. For one we call this an audit. For the other, we call it an autopsy. An autopsy is an “examination of a dead body to discover the cause of death.” An audit is “an examination of financial records” just because. Death brings an end to life. An audit at times makes one feel like ending his or her life. Death is often met with a celebration of the deceased’s life by the deceased’s family and friends. Audits rarely end with any celebration. And finally, one comes with a “Code” and interpreting “Regulations” approaching 30 or 40 thousand pages of 6 point type that are supposed to “explain,” but that just as often only serve to confuse. The other not so much as a pamphlet.
So what does this tell us? I haven’t a clue. Death and taxes appear to have very little in common. But I can tell you what I am learning. Live in the moment. It is all we have.
That said, this blog will be dedicated to exploring that above mentioned 30 or 40 thousand pages of 6 point type in all of its splendid ambiguity.
Oh, and don’t forget to breathe …
