Shred It!

I prepared my taxes in February.  I sent them in at the end of March.  I have no explanation or excuse for the delay.  I will say though, that without being enrolled in class, my return is definitely not what it used to be and not as exciting to claim.  But money is money.  Now that it's over, I can shred all the supporting documents and focus on spring cleaning!

PocketSusan Advice:  Today's advice comes from Lisa Zaslow, an organizational expert, and the blog DailyWorth.

ANNUAL WEEDING After the end of the calendar year, many of the year’s papers can be pruned away:

	Tax-related records—Seven years is the magic number when it comes to holding on to supporting tax documents in case of an audit. Keep your tax returns, but shred records from 2003 and earlier, including: 1099s Bank statements Cancelled checks Charitable contribution records Credit card statements Mortgage interest statements Receipts for expenses Records of deductions taken W-2s By and large, this applies to small business owners as well. Before purging, call your accountant to discuss your particular needs.
	Pay stubs—Since your W-2 form summarizes all earnings for 2010, you can shred last year’s pay stubs and any lingering older ones.
	Interim investment statements—Shred all those 2010 monthly and quarterly statements now that you’ve gotten the annual summaries.
	Medical records—Consider tossing medical docs for minor matters that have been resolved and reimbursed. No need to keep every allergy prescription or test result.

Being Rich

I don't think that he was the first person to say it, but in a recent interview regarding his Broadway debut Chris Rock told an interviewer that being rich "isn't about having a lot of money, it's about having options."  How true that is.  I'm at a crossroads and trying to make some decisions about my future.  I wonder what I would do if money weren't a restraint?  Would more options make my decisions easier or more difficult?