Mike,

Since your focus is on record-keeping for tax time, I'd recommend a tax ledger (notebook listing tax-related expenses) coupled with manilla envelopes or folders. For preparing your return, the details that you need are the amounts -- the actual papers/receipts/etc. would only need to be referenced in case of audit.

Unless you think you are highly likely to be audited, it seems like making a quick log entry would be less time intensive than the filing.

I think you are on the right track with the reconciliation of your receipts with statements. Since I've gone to downloading my transactions, I must admit that I've come to rely on getting the inforrmation into Quicken from the download instead of entering all the gas tickets, etc.

I'd love to hear how you are doing in another couple of months or so. Maybe put a note in your tickler to catch us up this summer?

Gena