In preparing for today’s post, I am reminded of the old saying, “There are two things that we cannot escape: death and taxes”. Everybody is quick to talk about how the government is taxing them to the poor house. However, very few people are quick to talk about how they are preparing for their own death.

In the past month, I have read in various consumer advocate publications, each one had some very interesting points about saving money. Especially just disposal of your body, after you are dead, will cost as little as $800. The traditional funeral cost can reach $15,000. However, the average funeral runs in the $6,000 range.

Remember the old saying, about death and taxes. This is the time of the year where some people talk like it is a near death experience. Maybe that is why some people wait until the very last minute and mail out their income tax filing just before midnight on April 15th.

Over the years I have struggled with doing my yearly obligation. I have set down with a W2 form, a couple of 1099′s, a calculator, and a pile of tax forms.  One year, I took a box full of receipts and invoices into my accountant and set it on his desk. A week later I went back with my checkbook in hand. There I wrote him a heft check, along with a small one to the federal government and a modest one to the state government.