IRS Audit: How to be prepared

Filing state and federal tax returns is the responsibility that all people share. Most people will likely never hear from the IRS after they have filed their taxes. However, there are situations in which the IRS may need more information or may choose to complete a full audit. If you are being audited by the IRS, it is important that you are as prepared as possible. There are several things that you should do that could help you to prepare for your IRS audit.

Get Organized

One of the most important things that you need to do to get ready for an IRS tax audit is to get organized. Technically, the IRS will be able to go back up to seven years when they are completing an analysis of your tax situation. Because of this, you will want to have as far back records as possible. You should do your best to print all of your past tax returns and make sure that you have all of your relevant tax data including W2s, interest and brokerage statements, and evidence for any tax deductions that you have had.
Be Professional

When you’re going through an audit, it is easy to feel defensive and nervous about the process. However, the last thing that you want to do is act unprofessionally or emotionally. Instead, you need to remain calm and remain as professional as possible. You also want to make sure that you respond to any inquiries in a reasonable amount of time and treat everyone with respect. This will help to ensure the process goes smoothly.

Hire Legal Help

When you are looking to get ready for your IRS audit, you should also consider hiring a professional attorney. For those in the area, Atlanta tax attorneys can provide you with a variety of different services to help you prepare. The Atlanta tax attorneys, such as Cohen & Goodman Law can help you get organized and prepare a defense to any allegations set forth by the IRS. This can help to ensure that you receive the proper representations and know your rights.