Tax Audit Legal Help

Facts about Tax Office Auditors

The IRS conducts audits for a wide variety of reasons. Audits are performed when someone forgets to sign a tax return, or when the government suspects fraud. Tax auditors are IRS employees who conduct the audits and inspect your return. It's important that you are informed of your rights so that you don't give tax auditors the upper hand.

 Your best bet is to have a tax attorney represent you throughout this tough process. There are typically three types of audits the IRS and its tax auditors have at their disposal. Correspondence audits are for minor mistakes like forgetting to sign your return. Office audits require you to go to an IRS office at a specific date with your information. A field audit means the auditor comes to your home or business. The IRS usually uses the field audit for complicated business returns.

Before meeting with any tax office auditor, be sure to read the IRS's letter. This will tell you what documents you will need. Organize all your documents and receipts. Remember, it's safer to hire a qualified tax audit lawyer to help you. A lawyer will know how to answer, and when not to answer the tax office auditor's questions.

Sometimes, tax office auditors can be hard to get along with. Their pay and morale is low. Most of the time they deal with untruthful citizens. Try clearing the air and if that doesn't work, ask to speak with their manager. The manager is often able to smooth things out.

If you do not want to accept the tax office auditor's report, you can always file an appeal. An expert tax audit lawyer can help you file a protest letter, and handle the meeting with the appeals officer. As a last line of defense, you may also choose to file a petition in the United States Tax Court.

The benefits of appeals:

Appeals are often successful in reducing liability, Collection of your tax bill is delayed, The Appeals Offfice wants to settle to keep you out of Tax Court.