Monday 18 April 2016

It's that time of year again.

The beginning of April each year means just one thing to small businesses like ours on the farm.   It means that it is the Financial Year End.   Yes, I know that I should carefully number every receipt as the year goes by and match it up with the same number in the ledger.   But I am afraid I just file them all, which then leads to a lot of boring, direful, and time-consuming work.   That is what I have been doing on and off for the last two days.

I try to get the farmer interested, so that when/if I pop my clogs he is able to take over the book-keeping.   His answer to that is to say that he will just put everything into a shoe box and take it round for the Accountant to sort out.

As to the Vat return (the quarter ends on April 30th) then he says he would take that round too for her to sort out.  My warnings of exorbitant bills for all this financial activity fall on deaf ears.

But today, don't ask me why, I just felt in the mood for adding up and  zoomed through the ledger with ease and got it all to balance.   Then I ruled it off with a flourish and inked in my pencilled figures.   I can't tell you what a good feeling that has given me.  Now on to numbering all the receipts to match the ledger entries - a doddle after all those figures.

I have to report that one swallow has become three swallows today and as the weather is in a getting warmer mood for the beginning of this week, then they should settle in happily.   But I hope they seek out a warm, sheltered spot as Arctic weather, with scattered snow showers, is forecast from Friday onwards.

The farmer is more or less back to his old self today and has finished his 'muck spreading'.   Tomorrow is going to be the day for collecting all the debris which has fallen from the trees during the winter months.  It is already raked into heaps but really does need removing before the summer cattle take over or they will spread it around again.

Well - back to receipt numbering - not the most exciting of jobs but not all that taxing on the brain for an evening task.

20 comments:

Midlife Roadtripper said...

I do our taxes and accounting. Just sent those off the other day. So glad that task is done for another year. And, yes, would be so much easier if I kept the records better during the year rather than just shoving them all into a box.

Sue in Suffolk said...

I've started our self-employment short return forms and will finish after I get this months bank statement.Very handy not earning much!

potty said...

The Tax forms have arrived here in France and need to be done before May. They are trying hard to get people to 'do it on-line'. But I don't feel confident enough to do that and have yet to find out the approved average conversion between pounds and euros for the last Tax year to 31stDecember. We have very simple lives and it's really easy to fill the form in, but you would think that it were a State Secret what the conversion rate is.

Heather said...

Well done for getting the books up to date - I wouldn't know where to start.
Glad the farmer is out and about and working again, he must be glad too. I wish the weather would settle down a bit, even if it only meant more even temperatures. Maybe next month?

Joanne Noragon said...

I used to do the books for my sister's business. When she decided I might not outlive her, she demanded to be taught. I told her just to give it over to our accountant, but she wouldn't hear of it. She learned very well. However, when it's time to file the sales taxes I find her in front of me asking for help, one more time.

Simon Douglas Thompson said...

I could never be self employed, sheesh I'd make such a mess of all that stuff

Terry and Linda said...

Terry does all our taxes...thank HEAVENS!!!

Linda

the veg artist said...

Husband and I split the accounting but both of us find that we have to be in the mood for it. Some days it flows easily but on others, well, it's almost better to not even start. And I even have some training!

Dawn said...

I hate book keeping and paper work and only do it when I have to, it always feels good when its done out of the way :-)

Gerry Snape said...

I'm guilty of leaving the returns to the potter...mum was an accountant and I remember thinking that it was such a boring thing to do...but the potter loves it!...different courses and all that I think. Cold over here as well...roll on sunshine!

Mac n' Janet said...

We have to pay quarterly taxes and then on April 15th (this year the 18th) we file for the whole year. This is when all the pages and pages of figures have to be filled in, by Mac, and hopefully we get some of what we paid in back. I'm so glad he does it. He explains it to me and I smile and say yes and just like your husband, if I ever get stuck with it I'll take it to an accountant.

Wilma said...

Well done, Weaver! You must have a well deserved felling of accomplishment and satisfaction. We usually wind up filing for an extension of the deadline for US income tax because it takes such a long time for us to get the forms since we live out the country. We still have to calculate our estimated taxes and make any payment, but we just can't manage to get official statements before the deadline. Double the work, but I guess that is the price we pay to live in paradise!

angryparsnip said...

Even though my taxes are due on the 15 my taxes never get done till september/november.
It is very complicated. But I do have to pay quarterly taxes. I have people who take care of all this and I just write the check.
Thank Goodness.

cheers, parsnip

The Furry Gnome said...

A lot of muck spreading around here too, nice country smells when I drive around the countryside.

Cro Magnon said...

My neighbours all seem to use their computers, and enter stuff as it comes. At tax return time they just press 'print'. We have 3 Swallows too.

thelma said...

I don't do tax, but our swallows haven't arrived yet, so am a little worried. Just wondered if putting up new guttering at the church last year has scared them off....

Maria said...

Every year, swallows returned to build their nests in a small shopping center arcades near our home. The shopkeepers put white empty shoe boxes under the nests so that the mess does not fall on the clients' heads. The boxes have pretty name tags written on them "Villa Felice" , "Romeo e Giulietta", B&B Vola", "Bonney & Clyde".
Greetings Maria x

Frances said...

Like you, I also have to find the mood in order to work on my tax forms. I do a draft version in pencil, then let those forms rest for a while, like kneaded bread dough, and then go back for another look, ink in the forms and mail them off with the additional tax payment that is usually required. Some folks rejoice at receiving a tax refund, but I prefer not to loan money to the government.

I'm glad the Farmer is getting back to his routines.

xo

The Broad said...

My husband does all the taxes -- thank God. I can't make any sense of how the British tax man works! If he goes first I am finding an accountant. I have to say, Weaver, I am very impressed by your ability. I am lucky just to be able to keep my bank accounts straight!

Tim Norton said...

Taxes always give me a big headache. I think it is more the stress of doing them than actually doing them. I do not know if that makes any sense at all. I am just so terrified that I will do them wrong and then I will get in a lot of trouble with someone or get fined or something.

Tim Norton @ Perfect Accounting Service