Well, it’s December 24th as I type this … though, given the holidays, I’m not sure that we’ll be posting this to our Mobile Tax Expert Blog until later. Hopefully what I have to say won’t already feel dated by the time you receive it!

Because I’ve put together something that is special to me around the holidays, and I’d like to share it with you.

Especially as it looks like we very well might fall off this dreaded “fiscal cliff”. And yes, by the time you get this, I could be proven wrong.

But if it does happen, the Tax Policy Center says that combined taxes in 2013 will increase by more than $500 billion affecting nearly 90 percent of Americans and, of course, many here in the Mobile area.

Perhaps $500 billion is too big of a number for us to truly grasp. So TPC analysts have broken it down for us by income levels. Which gets us to a more acceptable (at least from the standpoint of having a better idea of the dollars involved) average tax bill increase of $3,446.

Every tax bracket will see an increase. From the top to the bottom.

Now … all that said, the very good news is that you have someone who can help you minimize that burden for you (ahem: 251-633-4070).

And, it also makes the following — something which I find helpful this time of year — even more important, in my opinion …

A Mobile Tax Preparer Shares A Real-World Holiday Prayer
“God, help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children.

“Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can’t make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.

“Remind us, Lord, that the scary-looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day (who really ought to get a job!) is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares …

“Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will be the last year that they go shopping together.

“Father, remind us each day that, of all the gifts you give us, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those we hold dear. Open our hearts not to just those who are close to us, but to all humanity. Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy and love. ”

Amen.

Best to you. May your season be truly bright.