There's pork in the barrel.

It's tax season once again and in all my years as a taxpaying citizen of this country (meaning, 3 long years), I've never had to compute for my own tax. I always just let the company accountants do their jobs. I mean, that's what they're there for, right? These accountants, they slaved away their college years as students learning to do that shiz. Their parents spent their hard-earned money for these kids to know how to add up the numbers. Companies pay these people good money so they do their maths right. So I figure, I might as well let them do their thing.

Besides, I do math like Peter does it.

I wish I was kidding.

This year, because I had two employers for 2008, I had to file my own Income Tax Return (ITR) to consolidate the taxes withheld from both companies.
Because both these companies computed for my taxes separately, and deducted exemptions for the year separately, there was a discrepancy in the total amount that I had to pay the government. And because yesterday was the last day for filing ITRs, I had to pay the remaining amount in full on that day, leaving me a whole lot poorer and a whole lot unhappier. Burned a whole in my already burnt pocket, that one did. So yea, it'll be water for dinner for the next half a year or so. On the upside, I'll probably lose the extra pounds I've been wanting to lose.

Anyway, I prepared all the forms in the morning, and decided to give up my lunch break to file the papers and expected to be back a couple of hours in. But crawling through Makati lunch hour traffic and looking for parking near the BIR building took me about an hour and a half already. Waiting in line with all the last minute filers took longer and it was extremely agitating for everyone. It was a sweltering day, and strangers were in close quarters, all sweaty and antsy, having been required by the law to pay their hard earned money to the country. Tension was understandable and expected. While waiting in line, I met quite a few interesting people. The stereotypes amused me, so that's what my next blog entry will be about.

The trip took a good four hours of my day, longer than planned. I was tired and sweaty (and late for work) after it, but it was a pretty good experience, all in all. Now I don't have to depend solely on the accountants to do my taxes for me next year. I now know to compute how much pork to put in the barrel.