Tax Time at Autumn Sun Alpacas -- and Your Alpaca Farm, Of Course.

It is tax time again. The time of year you find out if you owe or get money back. They say that if you planned right, with the proper withholding, you will come close to even -- not owing and not getting any money.

I know that is likely true but probably not as easy to do as it sounds. Besides, I always like getting a little back from government, even if I know that meant I gave them too much throughout the year. It feels a little like winning the lottery, just not millions and not really money "given to me."

I always wonder if I am doing all that I can to maximize my return, at the same time I worry that I might of done something wrong. Drawing the attention of the IRS is like attracting the 'eye of Morder' from the Lord of the Rings series.

Therefore, I found it interesting when Etsy included a link to their tax tips page in their latest newsletter. I clicked on the link to take a look around their post, and it seems like there is some good info. Here is the link to their site: Etsy JJMFinace Tax Tips.

Though all their own links in this article redirect to the actual IRS site, I wondered if this article really fully encompassed the IRS information. So I went directly to the IRS site to peruse the official information.

Interestingly, the IRS site was not set up in a question / answer format, but in more of a marketing one with catchy titles for each section, like "Top 10 Reasons.... In reality I'm not really sure which site is more appropriate or easier to use. Of course, I have that link here for you to look at and see for yourself: IRS Tax Tips for 2010.

However, if you have alpaca / farm specific questions, then these sources may not provide any obvious answers to help you at all. I have found that when I Google on "alpaca tax question" a few farms consistently come up with their advice and information. Now, as we all know, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) rules as the public opinion indicator of quality sites -- a little bit 'tongue in cheek' there.

I usually peruse around the top search listings for these alpaca farms with their tax postings / forums. I would highly recommend that you look at a few sites to cross-check the information, and maybe even compare back to the IRS site itself whenever possible.

But, of course, the only really safe way to get your answers is to see a tax specialist/lawyer. Hmm, not right there with seeing the dentist for a root canal but along those lines for me.... It is never something to be eagerly anticipated, but sometimes it needs to be done for your own good.

So, here's wishing you the best of luck in your tax return, maybe you will "win" something this year!