I still think of her as our accountant.
She and Jim were friends of Jay's parents, absolutely first rate people.
When you start a business, you need a good accountant, someone who understands small business and can explain things in very basic terms. You need someone who does not talk over your head, who will explain things like what form you need to fill out with the payroll deposits and what bank you can take it to. Plus federal and state are a thing and both have to be kept straight.
It really helps.
One morning back in 2002 I called her and said I'd been awake all night. We can't pay these estimated taxes. The payroll taxes are all fine, but these estimateds. People haven't paid us yet, and we're falling in the gap. What do we need to do?
She said, "Valarie. Do not lose one more second of sleep. This happens all the time. The IRS will set you up with a payment plan, and do not worry anymore. Not one more moment of that."
Psshht. We ended up sending them in the next quarter, and it was all fine. She was right.
One year we got our taxes back to sign and send, and we owed practically nothing, which was great, but as I looked them over thought these numbers don't look right, don't even recognize these numbers.
I called her, and as we picked through it, she had misread my handwriting. A 9 looked like a 5 or the other way around. She ran the program again and we owed the usual obnoxious amount.
Jay howled. He ranted a bit.
Finally I said, "Are you seriously mad because I know what's going on with our money?"
No.
"Do you really think this is an nefarious plot hatched by Gladys and me?"
No.
Okay, rant away. I'm with ya.
Love forever, Val
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