Wow! How did it get to be 4:40???

I just been having so much tax fun I haven't have time to think. If you want to see exactly what I've been doing all day today and for several weeks before now, check out Bankrate.com's Tax Guide 2007.

Long-time readers know I spent 5½ years covering taxes for the online personal finance Web site. Now, from the comfort of my home here in Austin, I get to keep it up. What could be better than writing about taxes and getting paid for it? Writing about them some days while never changing out of my pajamas! Now you all know why I'll never have a Web cam on my site!

Honestly, though, I think this year's Guide is great and we're just getting started. I was working today on a story that's going up next week on some of the new tax laws that could affect your returns, for better or worse, this filing season.

On the good tax side, we have the phone tax credit (blogged most recently here), the resurrected extender deductions (finally! blogged most recently here) and the credits for energy efficient home improvements (blogged here and here) and hybrids (blogged many, many times here).

On the bad tax side, we have the potential filing problems Congress' delay in reviving the extenders caused, along with some likely higher taxes for U.S. workers abroad, as well as for parents who thought they were doing the smart thing by putting investment accounts in their kids' names. Never underestimate the power or probability that Capitol Hill will find a way to pull the tax-strategy rug right out from underneath you!

Anyway, I've revisited these areas and a few more in the upcoming Bankrate story. You can see it next Wednesday. Until then, you can check out the other stories up so far at the Guide by clicking here. More are in the works and by the time April 16 arrives, it'll be bursting at the seams with tax goodness! I've also got a link to the Guide over there in the left column under  my "selected writings." Makes me sound so literary, don't it?

But now my brain is a bit tax fried and my body a bit numb from sitting all day, so I'm taking a break. Maybe I'll take a walk. Or, more likely, maybe I'll just take a walk downstairs and get a snack!

Calling all Tax Carnivalistas: Before I go, I want to remind you that the first Tax Carnival of 2007 will be going up on Monday, Jan. 8. If you have something to share, please send it along via the Tax Carnival submission page by tomorrow evening. Thanks!