Audit Representation

Most taxpayers share a common fear: the dreaded audit. An IRS agent may come into your home or business, demanding all manner of records and receipts from months and years past, and meticulously review all of your personal financial information with a fine toothed comb.

The IRS describes an audit as a review or examination of an organization’s or individual’s accounts and financial information to ensure information is being reported correctly, according to the tax laws, to verify the amount of tax reported is accurate. When faced with an audit, most taxpayers wonder if they made a mistake in order to get selected – this is a distinct possibility, since the IRS notes that they often select audits based on a document matching process, where a red flag arises when the information on documents such as W-2s and 1099s do not match. Other audits may arise on a purely random basis, where statistical information indicates that a review is required. Audits may also be requested for “related” reasons, where related taxpayers, such as business partners or investors, have been selected for an audit.

The IRS may conduct audits through the mail, or more notoriously through an in-person interview and review of the taxpayer’s records. This interview could be at an IRS office, or at the taxpayer’s home, place of business, or tax representative’s office. Prior to the audit the IRS will notify generally of what records will be needed.

Taxpayers have specific rights that must be respected during an audit. These rights include:

• A right to professional and courteous treatment by IRS employees
• A right to privacy and confidentiality about tax matters
• A right to know why the IRS is asking for information, how the IRS will use it, and what will happen if the requested information is not provided
• A right to representation
• A right to appeal disagreements, both within the IRS and before the courts.

The IRS treats their audit responsibilities very seriously, and there can be serious repercussions for mistakes or inaccuracies that arise through the audit process. Taxpayers facing audits are accordingly strongly advised to seek audit representation to ensure that the IRS conducts their duties in a way that comports with the taxpayer’s rights.

The knowledgeable tax attorneys at Yesner and Boss, P.L. have significant experience in successfully protecting taxpayer rights during audits, and we encourage taxpayers to contact us for a consultation to discuss audit representation. Serving Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Sarasota, New Tampa, and areas throughout Florida, Yesner and Boss, P.L. is committed to getting the best results possible for their clients.