Tags
2014, Banking, Common Sense, Customer Service, Finance, Insomnia, Retail, Tax Season, Uncle Sam
So, yes, yes … and YES. I have been busy, lazy, and maybe even hiding a bit! I could not sleep and this is what popped into my head! (Okay, so maybe work has been a bit crazy?!)
Now just when everyone is settling down from the rigor of a glorious Holiday season and quickly shuffling loved ones back to whatever realm they crawled out of…Then, BAM! Tax season is here!!!
If you are like me and work in the retail banking industry then you are probably already wishing we could press fast-forward to after April 15th!
For the rest of the world there is just a couple of categories you fall into:
A. You are the one who runs out and files your taxes in a nanosecond just to spend it in half that time because it was simply burning a hole in your pocket.
OR
B. You are the dreaded procrastinator who is going to wait till the last-minute to get your ducks straight simply because you are lazy or avoiding the inevitable?
Common Sense when calling your bank (or any customer service really):
- DO NOT wait till last-minute to all of a sudden need copies of your statements or checks from the last however many years and then call your bank screaming when they are not immediately available.
- DO check online for your institution as most let you order archived statements online and it is typically quicker or just as quick to do via the web. Welcome to a tech savvy world folks!
- REMEMBER to check if you should be receiving important tax documents from your financial institution such as for interest earned/paid on accounts, miscellaneous income from taxable promotions from rewards, etc., and so on.
- It is okay to ask questions if you are not sure why you received a tax document, BUT your bank is not a tax consultant and cannot offer you specific advice on how to file. You are on your own for that one to find help!
- Be Courteous and remember the person on the other end of the phone is a human being, working and paying bills at the end of the day just like you! (Screaming, Profanity, and any other uncivilized gestures are not going to get you what you need unless you are aiming for high-blood pressure or a migraine.)
*Disclaimer: This post in no way represents any particular institution nor am I giving any specific tax advice. This is just my insomnia-induced ramblings. 🙂