"Am I disturbing you?" she asked.
"Oh, no no," I lied, hurriedly trying to find a spot to park, and failing.
"Could you fax me your Avis d'Impots for 2007, 2008 and your déclaration for 2009?" she said.
"I haven't done my impots for 2009 yet" said I, thinking that the deadline is coming up (Départements 20-49: June 17).
"Not to worry then, it's less important than the others" she said.
Which of course spurred me to do my tax form when I got home, timed at 15 minutes. My life is that simple.
Well, when you're a mere employee with nothing but pension alimentaire to add, it takes no time at all. The company you work for sends the tax office your earnings, your bank sends any interest on savings to be taxed, so all you have to do is add up the dosh your ex-h reluctantly sent, remind them that you're a SINGLE mother, not a co-habiting one (changes a LOT, that does!), sign it electronically, and Bob's yer uncle.
Oh, I also told them I sent some money to support Avaaz on a couple of projects because you can claim money you send to charities back. As it's a US organisation I'll be interested to see if they accept my claim.
It was a lot more complicated when I was married and it's lovely to feel it's all thrown off now I'm divorced. The complicated stuff was all his anyway. We had something like 5 different never-ending forms to fill in. It was a nightmare! It was also before the days of the electronic déclaration so I'd have to fill in all the forms twice and then, as we were usually cutting it reeeeeally fine, we'd have to jump in the car just before midnight and dash to the tax office.
More often than not there would be a load of other people there and the atmosphere was much like a party with happy folk who'd beat the deadline, desperate ones trying to make the deadline, and finally resigned/angry ones who'd just failed the deadline.
Tax time was incredibly stressful but now it's a matter of a couple of clicks and a polite thank you message when you're finished. And I certainly don't miss the party.
