Making Tax Time a Pleasure

If you saw Margie Bergstrom walking down the street, you might assume she is an artist in her long skirts and funky jewelry. And if you had a conversation with her, she’d probably tell you about her latest sailing adventure or how much she adores Santorini.

But Margie’s not exactly an artist, although her clients think she makes their lives more beautiful. You see, Margie is a highly trained tax accountant who’s been making my life easier for twenty years.

When I  found her, Margie’s World Headquarters was the sun porch at her home in Minneapolis. I still remember arriving for my first appointment, being seated in the comfortable living room where I was served coffee and homemade cookies while I waited.

A couple of years later, Margie invited me to speak to a group of enrolled agents. After my talk, she told me that she was nervous to admit that she no longer would be working from home. Her business had gotten too large and she had moved into a roomy office space. 

About the same time, Margie’s husband quit his corporate job and became her first employee in the business. When I visited their new world headquarters, I was delighted to discover that she had brought along many of the comforts of home. 

There was still coffee and hot cider, although the cookies now came from a bakery. There wasn’t a financial magazine in sight, but travel and decorating magazines filled the rack providing a welcome distraction for numbers-weary visitors.

Like the Geek Squad, Margie understands that on the day you come to see her, you may not be thrilled about the purpose of your visit. She will do her best to comfort you.

One year I sat down in her office and announced that it hadn’t been a great year for me. I was feeling a little embarrassed. She broke into a big smile and said, “This is the best place to come when you’ve had a bad year.”

There was no question about whether or not I would continue using her services even after I moved to Las Vegas. Margie doesn’t just go out of her way to make her clients feel at ease, she also understands the special requirements of the self-employed. 

Deductions for Cirque du Soleil tickets or a trip to London? Of course. Margie has taken the time to figure out what I do and reminds me when I’ve overlooked a legitimate expense.

Since I spent the weekend working on my taxes, Margie has been on my mind. Taxes aren’t the new blog theme for the month, however. (Aren’t you relieved?)

We’re going to spend March thinking about habitats. Wikipedia defines habitat this way: A habitat (which is Latin for “it inhabits”) is an ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular species of animal, plant or other type of organism. It is the natural environment in which an organism lives, or the physical environment that surrounds (influences and is utilized by) a species population.

Are habitats different for the joyfully jobless? Can they impact our success? Contribute to our creativity? 

Of course, the answer is a resounding “yes” so we’ll be exploring that. But first I’ve got to go mail my taxes to Margie.