If you’ve been selected for audit, the IRS will notify you via letter or phone followed by a letter—but never by email. When you receive the letter, this is the best time to contact a tax expert at True Resolve Tax to receive tax audit help.
Often, the first conversation with an auditor is the most important and most revealing into what the audit will be dealing with. It also sets the timeline for the entire audit. An audit may be conducted by mail or through an in-person interview at an IRS office or taxpayer home, place of business, or tax professional’s office. At this time, the IRS will tell you what records are needed.
While the IRS is fairly tight-lipped about its auditing procedures, it is true that audits have risen in the last few years. If you are facing an audit now, there are important steps you must take to be properly prepared so don’t be afraid to seek tax audit help. Plus, there are things you can do ahead of time to safeguard yourself or your business against a possible audit and be prepared in the event an audit does occur.
Knowing Your Rights During a Tax Audit
It’s important to know your rights when it comes to an audit by the IRS, including:
- A right to professional and courteous treatment by IRS employees
- A right to privacy and confidentiality about tax matters
- A right to know why the IRS is asking for information, how the IRS will use it and what will happen if the requested information is not provided
- A right to representation, by oneself or an authorized representative such as an IRS Enrolled Agent or Tax Attorney
- A right to appeal disagreements, both within the IRS and before the courts
Not knowing your rights in an audit can result in a completely different outcome. For instance, an audit is geared toward specific items on a tax return, and ensuring that the scope of the audit does not illegally go outside of that scope is very important.
An IRS auditor may also tell you things that are not completely true such as that you can’t claim a deduction without a receipt or canceled check or even that you have no right to challenge the auditor’s decision. Knowing when to invoke your rights and when to sit back and listen in an audit can make all the difference in the outcome.
We’ll Provide Tax Audit Help And Navigate the Process with You
At True Resolve, we have the experience and expertise necessary to safely navigate you through the audit process and to help you avoid an unnecessary audit. Don’t try and tackle complex tax issues on your own. The more mistakes you make the greater your chances of triggering notice by the IRS.