It's an old but true cliche - there are only tow things in life that you can be certain of: death and taxes.  No matter where you go, no matter what you do, the tax man is lurking in the background.

Unfortunately taxes are a necessary part of life.  Government required them to functions and provide a vast array of public services, and if you fail to pay them the tax office in your country will get really cranky.  To give you some idea of how powerful they are, the FBI tried long and hard over many years to convict Al Capone for a range of crimes, but it was the US IRS that finally succeeded and was able to send him to prison him for income tax evasion.  Can you believe that!  For all his violent crimes he went to jail because he didn't pay his taxes. Clearly understanding your tax obligations is something we should all take seriously.

In most countries anyone who made an income must report that income to your local governments by completing an income tax return. Income tax returns are required in most countries whether or not income tax has been withheld. Failing to fill in a tax return can result in hefty fines. It is interesting to note that some countries are now looking at dispensing with that for the majority of tax payers.  There is currently a proposal to let the tax office do it for you based on your reported income and give you a $500 deduction straight up - can you believe that!

If you are doing your own tax return, and once your return is completed it can be filed in one of two ways: either by mail or electronically. No matter how simple or complicated your income tax return is these methods will work.

The average time to process an accurate tax return by mail is between six and eight weeks in many countries, although in Australia it can take as little as two weeks, especially if a registered tax agent completes the return on your behalf.

Before filing a paper return, please learn more about the advantages of using an e-file service for your income tax return. By electronically lodging your tax return and using direct deposit; you can receive your tax refund in as little as 10 days. Even if you do not choose the direct deposit option, you will usually receive your tax refund in half the time by electronic lodgement. 

Filing an income tax return is extremely important, and tax returns leave no room for mistake.  For that reason I prefer to have my returns done by a registered tax agent or accountant.