It is that time of year again. If you haven’t already filed, it’s time to rummage through the kitchen junk drawer, shoeboxes, or your car’s glove compartment to find those 1099s, W-2s, and old receipts. Mine are probably mixed in with some other really important documents like coupons that expired two months ago, three postcards reminding me that it is time to change the oil in my car, and a 2023 calendar from my alma mater.
Then we have to make an appointment with a tax professional to help sort out this mess of papers. Or you can really play with fire and try to fill out the tax forms yourself. Actually, I think it is a good idea to fill out our own taxes from time to time. That way, we know exactly how much we are paying. We also get an idea of where our money is going. And maybe you can figure out a few more deductions to take for next year.
When I was a kid, each spring my brothers and I would gather around the dinner table with our father as he helped us fill out our taxes. I had to account to the government the vast fortune I made detasselling corn and delivering newspapers.
Pencils, forms, scratch paper and calculators littered the table as Dad gave us precise instructions on how to fill out each form. This was in the days before you could file electronically. What fee did I have to pay for this free financial and tax advice? Dad required each of us to give a couple of bucks to the Indiana Nongame Wildlife Fund.
Believe it or not, these are fond memories for me. Such are the childhood recollections of the son of a small business owner. I have contributed to the Indiana Nongame Wildlife fund every time I have filed a tax return in Indiana. I urge you to consider helping the fund this year.
You can contribute to the Indiana Nongame Wildlife Fund whenever you choose, but there is a place on the Indiana tax form to make a donation from your tax refund.
What does the Indiana Nongame and Wildlife Fund do? They support the conservation and protect the habitat of over 750 different kinds of animals in Indiana. This includes salamanders, badgers, freshwater mussels and owls. Over the last 40 years, the program has some amazing success stories, such as increasing the number of falcons in Indiana. They have also helped repopulate the state with bald eagles, the very symbol of our nation.
And the fund does not receive state tax dollars. It relies on donations. I guess wild animals aren’t very good at lobbying. I don’t remember seeing salamanders and falcons taking legislators to lunches or testifying about bills the last time I was at the Statehouse.
I don’t like sending money to the government more than anyone else does. And like everyone else, I’m frustrated by government waste and handouts to immense, profitable corporations that pay no taxes at all. But I also know we have to pay in order to have nice things. I am glad to pay for those who keep us safe. I want to contribute to teachers’ salaries and good roads. I am happy to know that some of my money goes for veterans’ benefits.
I want Indiana to have a vibrant and healthy environment. I want to see bees and butterflies dancing in the fields. I want to hear the calls of birds as they fly through the air or gaze upon a heron as it lingers in a pond. Our survival depends on it. By contributing to the fund, I get to take some ownership of where my money goes by sending it to a cause in which I believe.
If you treasure wildlife in Indiana, the fund is a great way to help. And your money can go even further. For every $5 donated to the fund, Indiana receives $9 in matching funds from federal programs.
Filling out your taxes isn’t a fun time, especially if you owe. But if you can spare a few dollars for Indiana wildlife, you can make April 15 a day you can feel good about. Indiana will be a healthier and more beautiful place to live because of you.
Aaron Miller is one of The Republic’s community columnists and all opinions expressed are those of the writer. He has a doctorate in history and is an associate professor of history at Ivy Tech Community College-Columbus. Send comments to [email protected].
