During the weeks and months leading to tax season, people go into a frenzy of preparing the necessary documents. It is common to see people hurrying up, trying to beat the deadline while lugging important files and documents around. You can avoid the stress and tension associated with filing your taxes if you have a plan on how to organize the necessary documents way ahead of the tax season. This way, you can have more time for other things that matter - and not just get caught up in the craziness that the season seems to bring out of most people.

• Step 1: Make an organized filing system, where your files and documents can be segregated accordingly. This would make it easier for you to arrange the papers necessary for specific purposes, and would make tax preparation a lot easier when the time comes for it to be done.
• Step 2: Create three file folders, namely Receipts/Records, Income and Deductions. As soon as you get documents through the mail, make sure that you immediately place them in the corresponding file/folder. Do not leave this task to a later date - you will have more difficulty sorting through a pile of mail, and then deciding which file it should go to.
• Step 3: Your Receipts/Records file folder should contain important receipts and other records that you may need for tax preparation. These items can be used for itemized deductions, and can include moving expense receipts, those for work clothing, etc.
• Step 4: The Income folder should have your W2 form. A lot of people will only have a single W2 form; however, you can also get a W2 form for any contractual, freelance of part-time jobs you may have. Tax documents should also be included in this folder for those who are self-employed.
• Step 5: The Deductions folder can include documents about the donations you made to charitable institutions, tax preparation fees, mortgage interest, student loan interest and a whole lot more.

If you have the presence of mind to file your documents way ahead of the tax season, you will realize that life would be much simpler this way. There is no need to get harassed with tax preparation; with enough foresight, you may even say that filing your taxes is a breeze!