Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Preparing for an IRS Audit

by Hubert Miles

Everybody is fearful of the possibility that some day they will get a letter from the Internal Revenue Service that they are going to be audited. What should you do now? How should you handle this situation?

While many people are fearful once they realize that the IRS will be asking to see their accounting files and expense reports, the fact of the matter is that the best advice you can get is to stay calm and gather the information that you need. You ought to be thorough and as precise as you can and not worry yourself about the situation.

Rather than waiting to another day, why not go ahead and take a few moments to determine how you should continue. The first step will be to call the IRS office and ask the representative if they can tell you what information the auditor is wanting and when they need it by. This simple phone call may provide you with very useful information about your case and what you need to do from here.

Also keep in mind not to blame the person on the other line. It's not their fault and they are just doing their job. It's also not your fault either and as long as you were honest and be forthright with the auditor, everything should be ok.

If you discover that you will need some additional time don't be afraid to ask for an extension. In many circumstances the auditor will grant this extra time, particularly if you have been honest with the auditor and have not been difficult to work with. But if you wait to call until the last minute, you run the risk of not getting an extension and having no time to come up with the information needed. Just explain your situation to them and why you need the additional time to get the information together.

In Closing

It is important to note that many of the audits done by the IRS are simply for minor errors such as adding or subtracting wrong. Other common errors are omitting information, incorrect social security numbers, writing a number on a wrong line, or using the wrong form. So don't let fear consume you. Be positive about the situation and be honest with the auditor. Generally you can just fix the mistake and that will be the end of it. Remember they are human too.

About the Author:

Hubert Miles is a free lance writer and webmaster for several financial websites. For more information on Personal Finance Advice and Money Articles.

Get all the information and photos:: http://coringa.info/finance/preparing-for-an-irs-audit

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