Perception Versus Reality

We’ve all seen those perception versus reality memes – ‘What You Think I Do’ followed by ‘What I Actually Do’.

Have you ever wondered what your CPA does in the “off-season”?  (Please say yes…..)

I’m sure everyone imagines a huge confetti toss at midnight on April 15, followed by the sound of roller bags heading to the airport for an eight-month vacation.

Not so fast.

First, accountants would never toss confetti!  Can you imagine a stray piece getting caught in an air conditioner duct or light fixture that was j.u.s.t out of reach???  It would drive us nuts until we were able to find a way to clean it up and get on with life. So, no confetti is tossed.

Beyond that I can only speak for myself.  My life seems to be divided into four distinct seasons: Tax Season, Vacation Season, Summer Season, and Pre-Season.

For me, Tax Season is long weeks with 100% focus on work, and I love it! I somehow manage to get my son to/from school and his extra-curricular activities, and make time for emergency medical/dental appointments if needed.  Other than that, everything is either taken care of before season, or postponed until after season.  

So, after my end-of-season cleaning, filing, and organizing binge, there are routine medical/dental appointments that have been put off, and a much-needed hair appointment.  Then, finally, it is Vacation Season!  

This year’s vacation was more of an adventure than originally planned. My son had an unexpected opportunity in Colorado at the beginning of June, and he’s not old enough to travel alone (IMO).  I saw it as an opportunity for me to have some fun, so I tagged along for ten days. After ONE day home to unpack and repack, I was off to Alaska for two weeks with my husband.  It was an amazing trip filled with hiking, photography, exploring, and more photography.  By the time I returned home, it was July and time to get into some sort of summer routine.

My Summer Season is always a mix of work, fun, and laziness with my family.  There are the off-season tax issues that materialize – extensions, IRS notices, sales tax returns, bookkeeping questions, and amended tax returns. Those keep me busy, but there are intertwined with much fun.  As most of you know, I devote a ridiculous amount of time to photography in the off-season, so my summer is riddled with day trips and photo outings with friends, as well as solo wanderings around the county with my BFF, Nikon. If it takes longer than usual for me to respond, it’s usually because I am off on a photo adventure of some sort.  

And that brings us to today…..Summer (fun) Season is winding down and I’ll soon be rolling into the Pre-Season, which officially begins when my son returns to school.  

This is the time when I start to regain focus and begin to prepare for the upcoming season.  In addition to the 56 hours of continuing education required each year, I’m always on the lookout for the latest and greatest ways to make tax season more enjoyable for my clients (or perhaps ‘less icky’ would be a better phrasing).  

In addition to continuing education, there are websites to refine, insurance and licenses to renew, social media accounts to revitalize, and blog posts to write…………………and with this post, I’ve begun my pre-season activities!  Looking forward to seeing you all during ‘the season’!!