Caesar and Me: Part 3

The detail is most likely boring as a blog. Yet, I feel obligated to provide it as part of my transparency policy. The story so far: To find out if I owe 2 local taxes, I visited the township tax collector. She said they don’t collect those taxes anymore, the county does. Then I thought maybe our tax preparer figured local taxes when she did our Fed., & State taxes, so I tried to read the CD she gave us with all our tax stuff on. CD wouldn’t open. Next, I emailed this message to our tax preparer: Hi, Tax preparer: Several years ago, as a business owner, I had to pay Township Occupational Privilege Tax and Twp Mercantile Tax Return. Did those get paid this year? Sincerely, Me My tax preparer replied, my thoughts in red are just between you and me, dear blog readers: Dear You: “We did not prepare the mercantile or the LST returns. (One assumes LST is the new name for Occupational tax.) They would be due for a biz located in that township. (That’s why I’m askin’! I have a biz.) We recommend on a sole prop to pay the LST at the beginning of the year the full $52 so you don’t have to file rest of the year. (Thanks for telling me that . . . now in June. I’m not a sole proprietor, my biz is an LLC.) We can do the mercantile for you, we just need the original form that County Tax Bureau supplies. (So I gotta get the form?) Sincerely, Tax Preparer I wrote: Hi, Tax Preparer: Thanks for checking. I think I’ll visit County Tax Bureau and see if they can give me the forms. (I found LST form, formerly Occupational I presume, on their website, but not Mercantile.) It would have been nice if these tax forms had been prepared when all of our other taxes were done. Apparently it’s up to me to to be proactive and get the LST & Mercantile forms, as none were sent to me. . . or is there something I’m not understanding? Sincerely, Me  My tax preparer responded: Dear You: If you are registered as a business and required to file, then trust me County Tax Bureau would send them to you.   If they aren’t sending you the forms, we don’t actively pursue to have you file/pay the taxes.  Also, many clients prepare them.   However, Sarah can make a call on Monday to confirm if you have to file.  If you do then we can have them send us the form directly and go from there.    IF you are responsible, we can add you to our list to prepare at tax time.   Please advise if you want us to pursue at no cost to you.   Thank you and have a great weekend. I replied: I would love it for Sarah to call. That would clear my mind of this. Thank you so much. (You sensed my frustration.) Sincerely, Me That night, my husband asked, “What’s new?” “I’m trying to find out if I owe more taxes,” I said. “Why? Don’t poke a sleeping dog.” Dear God in heaven, Forgive me for feeling like a victim and getting snarky with my tax preparer. Thank  you for the fact that I have money to be taxed and can afford a tax preparer. Please help me be open to your guidance when relating to others. In the name of Jesus, Amen.