Photographers, artists, poets: show us COPIES.
Do not worry, I am not publishing in the style of anyone, especially not J.R.Rowling or that 50 Shades of something woman. I am publishing in the style of my favourite author/blogger and photographer – ME. It was just a coincidence that I had a photo of the window of a book shop in Bern. It was the time when the last Harry Potter book appeared and they had an advertising campaign in the window.
Today I am a little late with my remarkable, never-to-be-forgotten wonder blog, but that has its reasons. Sometimes things happen in the course of your life that cannot be postponed or put on one side. They have to be done, and if you do not know how to do it, then ask Mr. Swiss (in my case). It is time for the annual filling out of the income tax form in Switzerland. I do not know how this is done in other countries and I cannot remember my dad sitting and pouring over complicated forms telling his financial life history once a year in my homeland of Great Britain.
I suppose Switzerland is a financial nation. It seems we live from the flight capital that migrates into the country through devious channels, but the capital that is in the country, earned by its diligent hard-working citizens, has to be taxed. This is not an easy thing and up to now in my 45 years of Swiss married life I have managed to disappear when the tax form is being filled out, after all I am married to a finance genius (he is Swiss). It is expected from every Swiss citizen that they can complete these forms independently. It seems the rich and wealthy can engage a financial institute to do the work, but the John Doe’s of Switzerland have to do it themselves.
It has been decided that I should be able to fill out a simple tax form (according to Mr. Swiss). There are certain rules connected to this work. You collect all documents with financial details to avoid searching and losing time. This is very good in theory, but in practice? The forms are available online (thank goodness), although you cannot send them per e-mail. You have to print them and send them with original signatures when the final judgement day arrives, sometime in March I think. This afternoon was my first lesson, accompanied by some colourful language I managed 1-2 pages of information. There are about 200 pages to go (not really but it appears to me). I was sitting in the pole position at the computer and Mr. Swiss was giving instructions as my feeble mind only learns by doing. I got the hang of it and now know what to fill in and where, but are still not sure of the whys and wherefores. I am sure in five years I will be able to do it on my own.
My appointment with my chief accountant was around 4 o’clock in the afternoon so I had time to clean a few windows and empty the vacuum cleaner before we began. Emptying the vacuum cleaner is not as easy as it sounds. It is one of those modern Dyson type things, so it has to be completed outside on the porch, otherwise you could get a touch of silicosis from the dust.
It is now early evening and I am sitting at my computer and typing my blog. I cannot disappoint by followers with an blogless day, now can I, although I was tempted to answer this blog with a “No”. Of course, if anyone would like to flatter me by copying my unique, wonderful, memorable style of blog I do not mind – just let me have your e-mail address that I can supply the financial details of my bank account.
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I am so glad that all my taxes are paid via my employer using the PAYE system. I remember, years ago, when I had my own business, doing the tax returns was the one thing I really hated.
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