Remember when I wrote about our tax plan not going as planned in this post? Yeah… that $12,000 reminder was a hard way to learn that even the best spreadsheets can’t fix a system that’s a little off.
For those who missed that one and don’t want to click on the link above: we took a risk last year and changed our withholdings about 2/3 of the way through the year (the idea being that we had already paid enough taxes for the year up to that point). Ultimately, it didn’t work out EXACTLY how we planned. While we likely ended up paying less overall, the tax bill was unexpected and a hard pill to swallow.
Since then, we’ve been taking steps to make sure it doesn’t happen again. We’re meeting more frequently with our tax strategist and having them actually check our work (like being back in school, but with more grown-up math). They have even adjusted the level of support we’re getting. We’ll be starting a new program next month that’s a better fit for where we are now.
It’s humbling, but honestly, kind of a relief. What I’ve realized is that some systems can’t be “set it and forget it.” Even the best ones need maintenance, flexibility, and occasional course correction. That earlier post was about one plan that didn’t work. This one’s about how we’re getting better at catching mistakes sooner and adjusting before it becomes a bigger mess.
On the Road to Realty, progress doesn’t always look like a perfect plan. Sometimes it just means fixing the system and keeping on.