First thing’s first. If you’re audited by the IRS, you will be notified you by mail with an official letterhead. The agency constantly warns folks to be cautious of calls, texts and emails from individuals claiming to be IRS professionals that are demanding money for unpaid taxes. These are scams and you should simply ignore them or hang up.
But if you are legitimately audited, there’s no need to panic. While getting audited is never fun, it doesn’t have to be an awful experience if you seek out the proper audit representation.
It is always best to hire a tax professional to represent you in audit cases because auditors are trained to ask you questions that put you on the spot to get answers that won’t necessarily work in your favor. A seasoned tax pro will handle your audit with your best interest in mind and not give auditors any extra idle conversation to build their case with.
But whether you hire a tax professional or not to represent you throughout your audit, there are still some important steps you can take to help you during this process.
Get Organized: Before an audit, be sure to gather all the records, receipts and documentation you have prepared for the tax return that is being audited.
Keep it Focused: Only provide the documentation you need to support the tax items that are being discussed. No need to give the auditor more information to work with than they’re asking for. Also, only answer the questions that are asked to you by the auditor and respond honestly and briefly. If you’re unsure of an answer, tell the auditor that you’ll make note of it and get back to them with the correct answer as soon as possible.
Make Copies: Give an auditor copies of official documents, not the original ones. Also be sure to make a list of all the documents you’re submitting.
If you live in Oklahoma and are in need of a Tulsa tax attorney, reach out to the experts at Polston Tax Resolution & Accounting for the very best audit representation.
