I like the government ... when they give ME money!

It's tax time! If you haven't done yours, and you have all the info you need, why haven't you done them?

I like tax season. I always get a refund! In school, it was because I deducted my tuition, bringing my income "below" the poverty line, so I got the taxes back. Now, it's because I invest in RSPs (tax protected investments) and donate to charities, so I can deduct those contributions. Then my income comes down, and I get money back!

I don't mind income taxes because I appreciate that the money from income taxes goes to support so many necessary programs, particularly healthcare. Any country with universal healthcare will have higher taxes than those without healthcare, but I personally think it's a fair trade-off. No matter what treatment I need, no matter how expensive, it's covered. Higher income brackets pay more, which isn't "fair" if you're healthy, but it ensures those with less money are still able to access necessary treatments. (Unless you need oral chemo, in which case you're on your own until you're over 65, but I've talked about that before and am trying to campaign to improve the situation.)

But even though I don't mind taxes, I don't exactly like them. So when I do smart things like invest for retirement or give money to charity, I keep the receipts so I can deduct the money. Then I get some of the money back. Yay, money back! So, in a week or two or three, the government will mail me a cheque. And it's always fun getting money in the mail. (It only happens once a year - the rest of the year, my mail is filled with bills.)

P.S. I don't do my taxes. My dad is accountant, so he does them. But a few years ago, he started to use one of those tax computer programs. He says it's great - you just enter the information and it does it all for you. You don't need an accountant if you have this program. He highly recommends anyone using this computer program. You can put several claims on one program, so share the cost with friends/family.