Spiritual Tools to Tackle Doing Your Taxes
“. . . protect us from all anxiety” (Embolism, Liturgy of the Eucharist).
Grateful to Pay Taxes?
Have you heard someone say, “We should be grateful that we owe taxes, because it means we have an income”?
Kudos for that attitude of gratitude, but that is one cheerful bridge too far. That said, there are reasons to be grateful, which include having spiritual tools such as prayer and a knowledgeable community.
Often when taxes are discussed, we hear the passage, “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God,” Jesus’ response when the Pharisees tested him (Mark 12:17). However, I find the line “protect us from all anxiety,” prayed during the Embolism in the Liturgy of the Eucharist, to be better suited for our reflection when the subject of taxes comes up.
What Does Our Faith Practice Have to Do With Taxes?
Federal income tax. State income tax. Self-employment tax. Payroll tax. Property tax. Sales tax. Deductions. Credits. Annual deadlines. Quarterly deadlines.
Feeling anxious yet?
One of the many pearls of wisdom our faith shares with us is that prayer is a tool to combat the anxiety brought on by our day-to-day work and life activities. As we sit at our desk surrounded by file folders bursting with bank statements, receipts, invoices, mileage logs, Form 1099s (concerning information such as what was paid to an independent contractor), Schedule K-1 (concerning information pertaining to partnerships), haggard-looking checkbooks, and — of course — Form 1040s (individual/married income tax return), we can start by taking a deep breath and praying. In our prayer, we can ask for:
Patience with ourselves, as some of us struggle to keep organized.
Open and effective communication with our spouse and business partners.
Confidence that we will make it through financial challenges.
Clarity about our strengths and weaknesses.
Knowledge of ways to help us better run our business and home.
Since prayer is taking action in that it aligns our mind with the will of God, we can use this tool to help us reduce anxiety, even when working on taxes. Then, we can be more productive and carry out our ministry.
In addition, many of us have benefitted from turning to faith formation websites, Bible commentaries, and a spiritual adviser to help us better understand our faith. We can also do the same to better understand taxes. Since the words on IRS forms can seem like a foreign language, we can benefit from reviewing online resources, including the IRS website as well as the assistance of a fellow parishioner, family member, or friend who is an experienced CPA. We all have to slog through filing taxes, so it’s likely that someone knows someone who “speaks the language.”
With the help of these resources and the support of our faith community, we need not struggle alone when we do not understand something.
We Have the Tools
It is noteworthy that the Bible expresses the negative impact anxiety has on us: “Worry weighs down the heart, but a kind word gives it joy” (Proverbs 12:25). When it comes to taxes, when we remain prepared with the tools of prayer and community support, we can reduce the anxiety that this obligation has on our professional and personal lives. And that is something to be grateful for.
Linda A. Burrows is an attorney specializing in trust and estate law in southern California. She is currently pursuing a masters in tax law at Georgetown. Linda is the founder of Soul Soda, a non-profit with the mission of refreshing faith in those, particularly Catholics, who are feeling disconnected from their religious roots. She is a wife and mother of three teens. Linda’s Confirmation name was that of St. Gabriel the Archangel.