There’s one day each year that causes me immense angst, almost as much as having to endure those singing Jardiance diabetes commercials. Consequently, I’m inclined to make myself a lemon drop to dull the pain. Or better yet, a martini, sans the olives. I don’t want anything in my glass taking up valuable vodka space when it’s really needed. And I really need it every April 15th.

If you live in America, you know exactly what I’m talking about: TAX DAY. Now don’t get me wrong; I’m not complaining about paying my taxes. I’m perfectly happy to pay what I owe. Well, maybe that’s going a bit too far. Let’s just say I pay what I owe. It’s figuring out what I owe that’s the issue.

For this I blame my CPA, or should I say the woman who WAS my CPA. Each year, well before April 15th, she sent me a folder with a list of questions about that year’s finances. I sent it back, she did her magic, I subsequently paid her then said, “See ya next year!” But there was no next year because she actually had the audacity to retire a couple years ago.

Since it was close to filing time, in desperation I went to H&R Block. Hey, what do I know? I figured a CPA is a CPA. Big mistake. You should know I’m dumb as a rock when it comes to knowing anything about finances. My ex handled all that because numbers and I don’t see eye to eye. My vision blurs and I feel queasy just looking at Forms 1040 and 540.

Without my longtime CPA, I felt like a bird without wings. I was stuck not knowing where to go. So last year I went to Stan at a local H&R office. He calculated I’d be getting money back on both State and Federal. Awesome…except Stan the man was mistaken. I owed in both cases. But did I learn my lesson?

This year I put taxes out of my mind until mid February. Yet another big mistake. Not having arranged to get a new CPA, I stupidly tried a different person at a different H&R Block. Kevin was a retired CPA and seemed to know his stuff (as if I could tell). But I felt relieved when I handed over my packet of tax stuff and practically skipped out of there whistling.

When I hadn’t heard from Kevin by the end of March, I emailed him at work but didn’t hear back. A couple more days passed. I called H&R but it went to voicemail. I figured they were swamped so I left a message. But on April 15th, after another email and phone call went unanswered, I headed over there a little panicked.

That’s when I learned Kevin had quit, yet nobody bothered to contact me. Audrey, the woman who broke the news, assured me she’d locate my tax return. Except she couldn’t find it. Suddenly, I felt that familiar angst. Eventually, it was found in a cabinet containing tax returns supposedly belonging to a different H&R office.

Since she had another client waiting and because my return wasn’t complete, Audrey said they’d file an extension for $99. I gave them my taxes 2 months prior! I said, “No way” and left, this time definitely not skipping or whistling. I ended up filing the extension electronically that night with just minutes to spare before the deadline.

Here’s what I learned from this: Yes, I’m idiot. (I think we have established that.) But I have rectified my mistakes and have already found a new CPA for next year. And more importantly, he’s NOT with H&R Block.