Youthful Optimism

As recently as three years ago I was ready to take on the problem of tax complexity with a vengeance. Oh, the beauty of youthful optimism.

After frustrations and disappointments, I like to think I've come to a place of acceptance. What is the motto for AA? "God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed,...courage to change the things which should be changed,...and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other."

The monster of a tax code (Obama's words, not mine) is not going to get simple any time soon. And I can't change that. So where am I focusing my efforts now? On helping clients navigate the system as it is, mess that it is. On helping teach staff how to be an effective tax practitioner. Basically, I'm working where I believe I can make a difference.

Not sure whether that includes blogging here or not, as there are so many outstanding tax bloggers already covering the world of tax. I follow their blogs, and thoroughly enjoy doing so. Dan Meyer, for example, gives a nice brief synopsis of the last minute tax extender bill making its way through Congress. These extender bills are most definitely a symptom of the problem of a Congress than can't make real tax simplification a priority.

Perhaps there will be some real simplification after the election, whichever way it goes, and I'll be able to post a "hallelujah" post. Hey, a girl can dream.