It's Okay to OUtsource

​Hey, I’m Taylor Vogel and this is Now That I’m Not Your Teacher. [cue music] Each week we’ll explore an aspect of adulting that you might have missed in school. Since I used to be a teacher, I’ll structure it in ways that are proven to help you retain information. But since I’m not your teacher anymore, I can approach it in a way that’s honest and sometimes inappropriate for a classroom.
In this week’s unit, we’re gently acknowledging that tax time will be approaching soon and preparing accordingly. In today’s episode, I’ll give a little grace to those of you who don’t want to do taxes yourself and we’ll explore the value of outsourcing the things we hate doing.
For years and years, I thought, “If I can bake cakes that are worthy of Pinterest, I will be beloved by many.” So, I kept trying and trying. And failing and failing. I would get stressed about them being perfect, I would leave out an ingredient, or not allow them to cool properly before frosting and boom, the whole thing was melted. Sticky, messy, unattractive carbs. I heard someone mention something about outsourcing their laundry because they hated doing it, and I realized I hated baking cakes. Cookies were great, but cakes were not my jam. So, I decided that I should follow suit and outsource baking cakes. I found a bakery that I loved, and went there for my few and far between cake needs. I now spend less time doing something I hate doing, and don’t have to store a bunch of cake making stuff that I would have used no more than twice a year. Easy.
If you’ve been panicking at the mere mention of taxes this week, it might be in your best interest to outsource it. You’ll still have to gather your forms and have some conversations about your life. But it might be that the best thing for your peace of mind and you know, your avoidance of being audited, is to have someone whose literal job is to do taxes. They’ll charge a fee, so research and ask around for best rates and someone you can trust. But I want to encourage you to find a way to budget for an accountant every year if you get a sinking pit in your stomach when tax season rolls around. That way, you know the expense won’t be as much of a blow.
I know people who have sworn by how easy hiring out your taxes is, and while I personally haven’t done it yet, I’m considering it this year knowing that my taxes might be a little bit more complicated. For me, the security of something done well by someone who’s more of an expert than I am is a better use of time and mental capacity when you’re questioning if you can.
So, please know—it’s okay to outsource. Make sure you’re working with someone you trust, of course, and start looking for that person now if it’s your first time working with someone else. But you don’t have to do it all yourself, and that’s good to hear sometimes.
Have you ever hired someone to file your taxes for you? Let us know on Instagram @nowthatimnotyourteacher.