How Audit Tips Can Help Your IRS Problems

You have IRS issues if you get a notice from them. Don't panic if you receive one. With the following helpful advice you can breeze through your audit and leave some of your IRS issues behind:

• The notice will not go away if you dismiss it. The notice will ask you for a response within a specific amount of time (about 30 days). If you do not respond in time, your next correspondence from the IRS might be a bill.
• The items you need to take to the audit will be detailed in the notice.
• Get organized. Even if organization is not one of your priorities, it'll help if you organize the documents you need for the audit. The auditor will know that you're very well-organized. Include your adding machine tape to the required papers. This saves time.
• Request for missing documents immediately because it's your responsibility to provide these documents and it may take awhile.
• The documents requested should be the only ones you should bring to the audit. If questioned about documents that were not required, tell them that the information is not at hand.
• It'll help the outcome if you are calm, polite, and courteous through the audit.
• Present duplicates of the documents to the auditor. If you give your originals to the auditor and they're lost, there's nothing you won't be able to get them back. Ask the auditor to make copies for you. Don't leave the audit without the originals.
• Keep what you say at a bare minimum. If possible, only reply to questions with "yes" or "no". You provide the auditor a reason to demand more documentation if you supply unnecessary information. For example, you'll be indicating an increase on your income if you tell him that you've purchased a new car or home. You might be investigated further.
• Understand your rights.You have rights as a taxpayer. The best case scenario would be to settle things at your audit but when needed, know that the right to appeal is yours.

Darrin T. Mish is a Nationally recognized Attorney whose practice focuses on representing clients across the United States with IRS Problems. He is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbel and is a member of the American Society of IRS Problem Solvers and the Tax Freedom Institute. He has been honored by a listing in Martindale-Hubbel's Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers. His passion is providing IRS help to taxpayers with both individual and payroll tax problems. He teaches attorneys, CPAs and Enrolled Agents in the finer aspects of IRS representation all around the United States. He can be reached at his website at http://www.getIRShelp.com