TAX TIME 2009by Pamela Brewer, MSW, PH.D., LCSW-CSTRESS AND ANXIETY ABOUT MONEY IS HEIGHTENED AT TAX TIME.
LOWERING YOUR STRESS LEVELS ABOUT YOUR FINANCES IS GOOD FOR YOUR EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH
AS WELL AS THOSE AROUND YOU.
TAX
TIME IS USUALLY STRESSFUL FOR MUCH OF THE POPULATION. THE “TYPICAL”
TAX STRESS IS EXACERBATED THIS YEAR BY THE ECONOMY, THE “BAILOUTS” AND
THE SEEMING CONSISTENCY WITH WHICH SOME OF THE NEW ADMINISTRATION’S
STAFFING CHOICES APPEAR TO BE “TAX CHALLENGED”.
FOR YOU:NOW,
MORE THAN EVER IN RECENT HISTORY - YOU ARE NOT ALONE AS YOU TRY TO PUT
INTO A MANAGEABLE CONTEXT THE REALITY OF THE WORLD, THE ECONOMY,
POLITICIANS/ WOULD-BE POLITICIANS AND YOUR OWN TAX MATTERS.
REGARDLESS
OF YOUR INCOME LEVEL, YOU ARE NOT ALONE AND YOU ARE NOT A BAD PERSON
AND BECAUSE YOU HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR FINANCES.
IGNORING THE PROBLEM GROWS THE PROBLEM.
WHETHER
IT IS A LOOSE CHANGE IN A JAR OR $100.00 WEEKLY OR MORE - START YOUR
SAVINGS PLAN. EVEN IN THE SMALLEST OF WAYS, IT WILL HELP YOU BEGIN TO
KNOW THAT YOU CAN MAKE SOME CHOICES ABOUT YOUR MONEY.
THINK
ABOUT YOUR FINANCIAL PHILOSOPHY. IF YOU ARE IN A RELATIONSHIP, COMPARE
AND DISCUSS YOUR FINANCIAL PHILOSOPHY WITH YOUR PARTNER.
BE MINDFUL OF YOUR PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH IT IS CRITICAL TO ENGAGE IN REGULAR DE-STRESSING ACTIVITIES.
THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO TURN TO EXCESS ANYTHING AS A WAY OF COPING OR REDUCING STRESS.
FOR CHILDREN: IT IS NEVER TO EARLY TO TALK TO YOUR CHILD, IN AGE APPROPRIATE WAYS, ABOUT NUMBERS AND MONEY.
PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT LESSONS AND MESSAGES YOU ARE TEACHING YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT MONEY.
DO NOT COMMUNICATE YOUR FEARS/ANXIETY ABOUT MONEY TO YOUR CHILDREN.
DO NOT COMMUNICATE HOPELESSNESS/HELPLESSNESS TO YOUR CHILDREN OR YOURSELF.
YOU CAN COMMUNICATE YOUR CONCERN AND ATTENTION ABOUT FINANCES AND MONEY.
DO NOT OVER - INVOLVE YOUR CHILDREN IN YOUR FINANCES.
CHILDREN NEED TO LEARN THAT THEY HAVE CHOICES AND OPTIONS WITH MONEY.
FOR SENIORS: TALK ABOUT THE FEARS/ISSUES
TRY TO FIND OUT THE SPECIFICS
TALK WITH SOMEONE WHO WORKS WITH SENIORS AND IS KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT FINANCES.
BE
REALISTIC ABOUT HOW MUCH FINANCIAL HELP, IF ANY, YOU CAN OFFER.
IT
MAY BE THAT BY OFFERING FINANCIAL HELP, YOU COULD ACTUALLY LIMIT THEIR
ASSISTANCE OPTIONS ,
SO RESEARCH THE OPTIONS FULLY BEFORE MAKING A
COMMITMENT.