Yup – today is tax day. Some people will be up late and running to the post office before midnight so their tax return can be postmarked with today’s date on it. It was a yearly ritual in my house, I knew I’d be sleeping in the car. The main post office that stayed open at that time was 45 minutes away. Of course, I swore never to do that when I got older. So, I hand my paperwork off to a professional. And, I dropped off the prepared taxes this morning – there wasn’t even anyone in line.

But, whether you do your taxes yourself, or have someone else prepare them it’s helpful to have some information already organized. If you have a craft business, as I learned this year, you need to make sure that you have everything inventoried.  I promptly started a new spread sheet that included the supply cost, wholesale cost and retail cost of each item I make. In fact, my sister gave me a book called, Craft Inc. Business Planner by Meg Mateo Ilasco. It is a great tool, especially if you are like me and other artists that don’t like paperwork. But it is important and essential. It also has great information on all facets of your business, even ones you might not even know about yet.

Good luck to any of you who have not yet finished your taxes, I’m off to work on another new project.