Today involved a minor moment of panic, in which I was pretty sure I'd have to give up the dream before even having my first official meeting. In preparation for my HPAP* loan application meeting I've been gathering financial documents left and right, and experiencing a pretty significant rollercoaster of emotions when, for instance, I thought I was going to have to battle Corporate Hell to get one of my W-2s (it was a similar battle four years ago when I needed them for filing, and a lesson I should have learned then) but then realized that I could file my 2011 taxes before the meeting and not have to worry about my 2008s. That kind of thing.
As such, I went about filing my 2011 taxes for the above purpose, and all was going well until I realized that the free tax preparation software I was using was going to make me owe the FedGov well over what I'd allotted for the possibility. This didn't include DC taxes, and I've gotten used to owing them a penny or two every year (even when I was a full-time student - I'm still not sure how that one worked out). My prompt response, of course, was to hyperventilate and email my mother an indecipherable message about how the world was ending.
Then, after having a glass of water and thinking about it a little more, I opted to file using the paid version of the same software. And - seriously - I am now the proud recipient of a federal refund as well as my first-ever DC refund. Clearly there's something going on, but bones-to-dollars, I'm just thrilled all I have to do is pay a little to save a lot, as opposed to paying nothing to pay a WHOLE lot.
And, for status' sake, I'll report that 18 of the 29 boxes I need to check in preparation for this HPAP meeting are already checked. The rest require me to wait until the end of January and/or take forms to other people, so fingers remain completely crossed.
*I'll discuss HPAP at a later date - at great length, I'm sure, and repeatedly.
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