Oh Boo Hoo Raph

These next few months will be some of the most challenging months of my life. I have a wedding to pull off & I still have some work remaining with the immigration office to help my fiancee officially welcomed into the U.S. Her visa is really close to being officially approved but there remains a few tiny hurdles to cross.

Financially, I have tax season coming up where practically 30% of last year's earnings will be gouged away from me. I've heard that a self-employed single person has the hardest time with taxes... I don't doubt it. Luckily I've sheltered away 30% of my earnings last year precisely to pay off taxes this year...but somehow a part of me was hoping I'd hear that Uncle Sam would be good to me and tell me that money was mine to keep free and clear (that would have made great wedding fund money). As it stands, I'll probably be paying an extra few thousand dollars in FICA taxes and maybe another grand or two for my accountant. AUWE! I can't win.

Yeah, that's a very "cup half empty" way of looking at it. I know I can only have tax money taken away from me only if I made money in the first place. But it's hard looking at a huge check I may have to write and feel that it's a compliment. I'll try, but the Chinese in me can't help but feel like I'm being ripped off.

I know people have a million ways to shelter their money in 401Ks and SEP plans and such. I need to be more attentive to that. That's such a pain though...it's hard enough earning the money in the first place much less worry about what's the best way to keep it.

Guess I'll just keep my ears open & hope for a random act of kindness from a rich philanderer who can just give me a million bucks. Imagine how much taxes I'll have THEN. Bastards.