You’re being audited by the IRS, it appears. You’re wondering if you need help with this tax audit … craziness!! —That’s right, it could be a simple mistake, yours or theirs! Take a deep breath, relax, and read below to establish exactly what you’re dealing with. If you do face an IRS tax return audit you may be able to handle it yourself. But if the audit involves lots of money; or you own a business; you may want expert advice. In that case please call me at 352-317-5692 for a free phone consultation. I’m Jim Payne, CPA, an independent, highly-experienced tax representative. I live and work in Gainesville, Florida. I help people resolve IRS audits and deal with the IRS with the least amount of stress. If you do owe, I will help you settle the debt at the lowest cost, in a way that best suits your personal circumstances.
To start, how did you learn about this tax audit? A scary email or call?
All IRS Audit Notices Arrive Via US Mail
So you got an email, text or call notifying you of an IRS Audit?
Relax, it’s a scam. When the IRS notifies people that a tax return has been selected for audit, it’s always by regular USPS mail, per US News. Many times, however, people don’t even realize they’ve been audited. That’s because the IRS letter is not stamped ‘Audit’ in red like our image : ). It just asks for clarification and documents for an item on a filed return. Most audits are handled via correspondence. However, some taxpayers receive letters requesting a face-to-face IRS audit.
Should You Seek IRS Audit Help?
Let’s say you have that pesky IRS audit letter in hand. Should you go it alone, or get help? It depends upon the type of audit and the complexity of the issues. If you know the problem and are confident you can resolve it with the requested evidence by letter, that’s a reasonable choice! However, you also have the right to have a tax representative stand-in for you, whether the audit is via correspondence or face to face.
Face-to-Face IRS Audits
There are two types of face-to-face audits — office and field. Office audits are held at an IRS facility. In Gainesville, Florida, the IRS office is at 104 North Main Street. The solemn third-floor office contains a small chairless lobby and a larger main room with a security guard (apparently a precaution against irate taxpayers) where people wait to speak with an IRS agent. As of November 2019, this office had garnered 27 Google reviews and an average rating of 1.5 stars.
Field audits are held at your office or home. See Tax Rep Costs for fees to have me represent you in a federal tax audit. Field audits can be conducted in my office to avoid disruptions at your workplace or home. As an expert tax representative, I know what to say, and what not to say, to minimize the impact of the audit on your life and your wallet. With me speaking on your behalf, you also avoid having a civil matter turn into a criminal case because you said something an agent thinks is untrue.
To recap: Call me, Tax Representative Jim Payne, CPA, at 352-317-5692 for a free phone consultation when the audit issues are complex, involve large sums of money; if you are a business owner, especially if the audit has to do with payroll taxes, and /or if you have received a notice of an office or field audit.
An Audit Appeal May Improve Results
If an audit meeting does not go in your favor, you still have the right to appeal, whether your audit is face-to-face, through a representative or by correspondence. Many times, appeals will get you better results. Why is that? An IRS Appeals Officer has more authority to accept a deal than an IRS Revenue Officer—so pursuing an appeal may be well worth your time. If you have already responded to an audit notice and didn’t like the results, it’s not too late to get help. Just call me, Tax Representative Jim Payne, CPA, at 352-317-5692.