IT’S that time of the year when we have to file our tax returns. Yes, even if you are standing for election, or simply attending ceramah every night, April 30 is still the deadline, or May 15 if you do e-filing.

On Friday, I went to the Inland Revenue Department office in Damansara Perdana to file my returns. It took me 10 minutes to get everything done.

My son was with me, filing for the first time, and he took an even shorter time since it was pretty straightforward for him.

“I really feel like a citizen now,” he quipped. “And when I vote for the first time on May 5, I will feel even more so.”

The right to vote is a fundamental right and I am a believer that if we desire to have our say, we must first establish our right to say it. And if you are also a taxpayer, your voice can be loud and clear.

One of the first things I did when I turned 21 was to register as a voter. And I have voted in every election since.

When I was courting my better half, one of the first questions I asked her – which is probably not a very smart thing to do over a ro­­mantic candlelight dinner – was whe­­­­ther she was a registered voter.

She looked at me and, with a smile on her face, nodded. I am glad that my two sons did not need to be prompted to register when they turned 21.

Back to more tax-ing matters; although I can file from the comfort of home, I usually head to the tax office and use their computers because I am assured of a team of officers there who are ready to lend a hand when I am not sure of something.

I still get the feeling that I am paying more than I should and if I were to engage a tax consultant, I would be able to reduce my tax liability significantly.

Still, I have to be thankful that I am paid enough to have to pay taxes. There are still many people, some of whom I know, who struggle to make ends meet.

They may not have to pay taxes but they have to worry about where the next meal comes from and how they will manage if unexpected events happen that require additional expenses.

I suppose I am not the best person to talk about money management. I am responsible in many aspects but I have been told, often enough, by well-meaning friends, that I am not making my money work for me.

It doesn’t make sense to me to quibble over every ringgit and sen. Why do we want to spend so much time managing money when we can be content with what we are blessed with?

A dear friend was sharing with me about friends who still bring her to tears when they tell her about her husband, who passed away a year ago.

The legacy he left behind was not in monetary terms. He is remembered for his generosity of spirit, his yeoman services and his willingness to give unconditional time to the people in his life. How does one put a price to something like this?

So, even in this tax season, don’t be too worked up over financial matters. Be thankful that you have a roof over your head, a job, and three square meals on your table. And count your blessings, name them one by one.

> Deputy executive editor Soo Ewe Jin (ewejin@thestar.com.my) notices that the people who work at the tax department are the most smiley government servants around. Must be a strategy to make paying tax a little less painful, he feels.

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