farmdoc's blog post number 694

Journeys. It’s usual to measure their length in terms of distance. However in terms of my life journey, I can but measure its length in years – 62½ years. So far. And on this journey I’m conscious of – if not fixated by – milestones. As the years pass, the milestones seem closer together. Increasingly so. Additional to fixed annual festivals and public holidays, there are certain annual events whose timing’s unique to me. I’ve previously written about vehicle registration stickers [1]. Today another one occurred: I took my papers and calculations (pictured) for the 2008-9 tax year to my accountant, Michelle, in Ballarat. A lovely person and a conservative accountant, she’ll use them to prepare our tax returns with care and diligence. But I feel apprehensive: Did I make errors? Have I obeyed the tax laws? How much tax will I need to pay? Will the Australian Taxation Office [ATO] audit my accounts? One by one these questions will be answered in the next few months. Ever since I first became a taxpayer 40 years ago, all’s gone well. Every year. So chances are they’ll go well again this year. Certainly my aim’s not to fly under the ATO’s radar; but rather to be seen on its radar in a way it views me as normal aviation traffic. Time will tell.