Few terms are more dreaded than that of an audit. The ultimate boogeyman of tax season, only about .5 percent of all taxes get audited every year. If your personal taxes do get audited, though, it's good to keep a few basic facts in mind.
More than One Type of Audit
While most people refer to audits as if they're a single type of process, the truth is that there are three types of audits. The most common, the mail audit, usually just requires you to mail more paperwork to the IRS.
The next, the in-office audit, will require you to go to an IRS office to meet with an auditor so that he or she can go over your returns in person. The final, the field audit, is incredibly in-depth and also quite unlikely to happen when dealing with an individual's taxes.
An Audit Doesn't Mean Punishment
Though an audit certainly sounds scary, it's not a punishment. Audits occur for many reasons but getting audited doesn't automatically mean that you've done something wrong.
There might have been a big income change from year to year that's sent up a flag at the IRS or you might just have the kind of complicated taxes that bear more investigation It's entirely possible to walk away from an audit without having to pay extra money or suffer any other sort of penalties.
Take it Seriously
Though it is not necessary to panic just because you are being audited, you must take the process seriously. Mail from the IRS absolutely cannot be ignored and you should comply with any requests from the agency as expediently as possible.
If you are having an issue gathering paperwork or you run into some other problem, you should communicate with your IRS contact as quickly as you can so that they know that you're still doing your best to comply.
Work with Professionals
Finally, it's vital to work with professionals like those at Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh PLLC and other offices. These individuals have not only been through the process of audits before, but they're experts at helping you to navigate through any difficulties that you might encounter along the way.
Working with a seasoned tax professional is not only the best way to make sure that you don't have to worry about being audited, but also to make it through an audit unscathed.
Don't panic if you get audited. Make sure that you get professional help and that you comply with any orders from the IRS. This may be the first step in a long process so be prepared for a longer journey than you might expect.
Don't panic if you get audited. Make sure that you get professional help and that you comply with any orders from the IRS. This may be the first step in a long process so be prepared for a longer journey than you might expect.
