Originally published March 8, 2001
by Adam Zurn

It's tax season with April 15 as the benchmark. That time of year when we balance the fiscal books measuring our gains as well as our losses. The point we use to measure the previous year against.

Every year we ask the same questions. Did I make more money this year? Do I owe less in taxes? Do I drive a better car? Do I have more designer clothes? Did my portfolio post a better return? These are the measurements and the standards used by the American Capitalist.

Simply put, we check to see if we have "more" than the year before? Answer yes, and we consider it a good year. We believe ourselves ahead of the game and living the American Dream. We measure our self-worth, for some unknown reason, by the strength of our financial bottom line. I assure you, money doesn't buy everything. That's why it's too bad there isn't a place on our tax returns to record life's intangible treasures.

Here are some friendly words of advice from the Wildman. First, doing your own tax return isn't worth the headache unless you're using the short form. Have a professional do it but be sure it is a CPA. A CPA can represent you in court if there's a problem.

Second, fill out "The 2000 Wildman Social Tax Return Form." It only takes a minute and won't cost you a thing. That should be a relief for us cash starved college students.

Get a pencil and a calculator and then fill out the form below (See Exercise). I'll wait while you finish.

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Exercise: The 2000 Wildman Social Tax Return Form

Record only those things that took place this past fiscal year. (Jan. 1, 2000 ­ Dec. 21, 2000)

1. Hours spend weekly with your children or loved ones: ________

2. Weekly phone calls home (exclude those asking for cash): ________

3. Life lessons learned from grandparents: ________

4. Times you did something no one else was willing to do: ________

5. Books read by the fire or outside in the sun: ________

6. Number of road trips taken (exclude those for beer or pizza): ________

7. Dates that occurred at sports bars (record this number as a negative): ________

8. Minutes spent daily thinking about a significant other: ________

9. Sundays you squandered lying in bed with someone: ________

10. Handwritten love letters (exclude e-mails): ________

11. Did you fall in love? (1,000 for yes/zero for no/negative 1,000 for losing it): ________

Add lines one through 11, record total on line 12.

12. Grand Total: ________
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Good, you're back. How did you do? The figure you placed on line 12 naturally begs the questions, "Are happy with this number?" Would you consider yourself finishing the year in the black or red? Could you have done better? If so, what distracted you from those things that should have been important?

The next time you are trying to decide what is important use this Wildman ruler: Will this matter six months from now? Better yet, will it matter ten years from now? Do I want memories of pursued material gain or moments of contentment? This year let's give re-balancing the fiscal book of our life a try.