St. Vincent de Paul Parish | Vincent's People - Issue: Q1, 2006

Issue: Q1, 2006 — Table of Contents:	› Home	› Spring Cleaning and Taxes	› Prayer and Healing
		› How Do You Do Lent?

Spring Cleaning and Taxes
By Bill Nelson

It is almost time for Spring, though based on how warm January was (only the 3rd time since 1880 the temperature was above average everyday of the month), maybe Summer is starting in March this year. Spring means two things in my household: Spring Cleaning and Taxes. Neither activity is much fun in my mind, but more of a necessary chore that must be done once a year. This year, our household is attempting to find the silver lining in both chores. At first thought, the only silver lining I could think of is at least I’m not spending the time in the dentist’s office getting a cavity filled without the assistance of an anesthetic. After some deeper thought, I realized that I needed solutions to these problems. The problem being that Spring cleaning led to the disposal of a good deal of garbage, such as the sweatshirt I wore to every high school football game (but not since), and taxes always led to me wonder "Where did all my money go last year?" Presented with these problems, my much better educated wife has thought of two solutions for this year. Solution #1 — What to do with all the Spring cleaning leftovers? This year when we clean the closets and cabinets, the first thing on our mind is "What can be donated?" I look in my closet and dresser, and see clothes I haven’t worn in a few years. If I haven’t worn them at this point, I may as well donate them to someone who needs them and who will wear them. Obviously, the holey college sweatshirt probably is no use to anyone, but the perfectly good sweater that Aunt Bunny gave me for Christmas 5 years ago will keep someone warm. Shoes, socks, pants, shirts, coats, hats, etc...any clothing item in good shape may be your castoff and someone else’s new fashion. In our Parish neighborhood, there are many worthy charities that accept clothes donations: Call the Parish and ask if there is currently a clothing drive of some sort going on. The St. Vincent de Paul Center has the Nearly New Shop - http://www.svdpc.org/contributions/index.html. The Salvation Army on Clybourn accepts clothing and household items (pots / pans, towels, furniture, etc...)	Solution #2 — Oh, how I hate those taxes... How the government determines the amount of taxes I should pay is a mystery to me. One year I get a refund, and the next year Uncle Sam wants more. This year, it looks like Uncle Sam is going to get an Easter present from our house. TurboTax is telling me that I can’t count our dog Rufus as a dependent, and I’m left to contemplate what other ways are available to reduce our taxes. Fr. Don was my answer. Every year about the end of January, we get a letter from the Parish stating we contributed $XXX to St. Vincent de Paul Parish the previous year. I like to think of it as a belated Christmas card. The letter thanks you and describes how the money is used to support the Parish and its programs. Reading it always makes me feel we helped the world, or at least our neighborhood, in a small way. Then following the saying "One good deed deserves another," I put that amount in TurboTax and watch the amount due to Uncle Sam fall. That gets me to thinking, if I cut one Venti, Double Whip, Double Shot, White Chocolate Mocha out of my diet each month, and put the money towards the Parish instead, what would that add up to? Let’s say my favorite Starbucks drink is $5, multiplied by 12 months, equals $60 a year. By adding that to our monthly Parish contribution, Uncle Sam will in return reduce our taxes by $18 (rough estimate). I can then spend that $18 towards my first few Mochas of next year (if I could only completely kick the habit). The meaning of the message is “While good is the feeling that your contribution assisted the Parish, Uncle Sam also gives you a pat on the back come tax time” — and who said Church and State are separated? So, think of what vice you have that can be trimmed back a little this year, and put it towards your Parish contributions or a donation instead. Enjoy your Spring.

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