Getting audited sucks, there’s no denying that, but IRS audits are something that many people can prepare for. Being prepared when that tax audit arrives in the mail starts with making sure you read your IRS letter carefully, and whatever you do, always respond in a timely manner. Brushing off that IRS letter can result in further legal action. Preparing to fight an IRS audit takes a little bit of research, patience and IRS audit help.
More often than not, the IRS is auditing you for a specific reason, but pay attention to what you’re being audited for. Is it a specific year? Are there specific items on the return that have piqued the IRS’ interest? Most audits aren’t trying to dig into everything on your tax return, but rather want to review specific items that are listed on their letter.
Being audited by the IRS can cause people severe stress. In times like this, getting IRS audit help from tax attorneys in Orange County or tax attorneys in Beverly Hills can help you. These tax attorneys can help with all correspondence when it comes to dealing with an auditor and gathering your documents and statements. Professional assistance for IRS audit help is a great option when dealing with the IRS.
After you’ve identified what the IRS’ reason for auditing you is, the first thing you need to do is grab the copy of your tax return for the year you’re being audited. This again comes down to being organized to begin with. If you don’t have a designated place that holds all your tax return paperwork, look online where you’ve submitted tax returns or contact your tax preparer for these documents. IRS letters are generally very specific in what they’re looking for, so in these instances, grabbing what they want is your first move. Whether it’s your itemized deductions, charitable contributions or more, you should retrieve and organize your documents.
Get your hands on all the documents you need to verify your itemized deductions and locate any and all receipts you have for these deductions. Examiners will want to see all the information and documents you have, so having them organized from the get go will save you, them and your profession help a lot of time. Retrieve copies from your bank, bank statements, credit card statements for anything that might help your situation. Make sure the documents and statements you’re retrieving are sufficient proof for tax deductions as not all credit card statements are enough proof.
Once you’ve retrieved all your corresponding documents, add them up! It should come as no surprise but your receipts and your return should add up right. Assembling your receipts by type or organizing by contributions, taxes etc is a good idea. Getting yourself an adding machine to document the math will also immensely help. Again, if you’re not handling all of this on your own, having your IRS audit help verify all the information can save you a lot of time and hassle. Spreadsheets and verifying numbers helps the auditor time to verify your information and documents. It’s usually in this step if you realize that something’s not quite adding up right. Find out what items are missing or what doesn’t add up correctly with that’s listed on your return. Contact any and all companies that can help fill in the blanks. Proof of payment can be of some help in these situations as well, even if you can’t quite verify what you’ve paid for.
If you don’t want to approach the IRS alone, having IRS tax audit help can immensely help your situation. Many taxpayers prefer to have professional assistance or representation as attorneys in Beverly Hills or Orange county have prior experience in dealing with the IRS and know how to approach the situation. Having professional tax attorneys evaluate your situation and make sure your documents are prepared properly. When you receive a letter from the IRS, it’s best not to panic. Once you’ve decided if you’re going to use professional tax or IRS audit help, respond to the IRS in a timely manner. In addition to having plenty of information available online, consulting a tax professional will definitely help you, whether you’re being audited for something small or a large sum of money.
