Prepare for Next Year's Taxes: Keep a Donation Record

Every year I am almost positive I have all my paperwork together to complete my tax forms, but I never do. I always miss something - thank goodness Joseph is so willing to run home for it! This year, I truly want to be more organized for my taxes in 2012.

To solve part of this problem, I decided to create a Donation Record Sheet. I always had receipts and slips of paper filed loosely away, but come tax time, I had to sort through the documents just to make sense of it. If you itemize your deductions, this is an easy way to keep track of both tangible and monetary goods.

As you donate, fill out the corresponding line on the record sheet and paperclip your receipt to the back. When tax season arrives, you can easily pull out the file and add up your totals.

Hope this little "invention" makes life a bit easier!

By the way, April 15th is almost here. If you haven't filed your taxes yet, why not think of some intentional ways to use your refund?