Whatever you do, don’t send cash. I know, I know—cash is king. But if you mail a wad of $20 bills across the country, you’re basically asking the postal service to adopt your money. Use a check, money order, or digital payment. Let the government deal with digital transfers; that’s literally their whole job.
Also, keep a copy of everything. Save your confirmation number from online payments, take a photo of your check, or write down the date you called. Trust me, if the IRS ever says, “We didn’t get it,” you’ll be the hero who whips out proof like a detective on a TV show. “Aha! Confirmation number 12345! You’re welcome, Your Honor.”
And remember: paying taxes is basically proof you had income. That’s kind of a win. You earned money! You existed! You contributed to the pothole fund! Celebrate that. Maybe not with a parade, but with a small sigh of relief—and maybe that Slurpee.
