As soon as you receive an IRS audit letter, you should contact us to arrange a meeting. We will explain what you should expect during the IRS audit process; from you receiving the Notice, all the way through the audit process, and to appeals, if needed.
First we will need a copy of the audit notice to see what the issues are. Then we will need to prepare an IRS Power of Attorney Form and get you to sign it, in order for us to be able to represent you in audit. Things rarely go well when a taxpayer deals directly with an IRS agent during an audit.
It is essential that we insert ourselves between you and the IRS in order to facilitate clear communication and prevent misunderstandings.
Upon reviewing the Notice, we will discuss any areas of concern and determine a strategy and course of action to work on the audit. Next, we drill down on the facts, so that we can correlate the issues with what was reported on the tax return and determine what support there is for your position.
The strategy for the rest of the audit will depend very much on the types of issues involved, the strength of your position and the overall facts and evidence. Getting a good settlement takes preparation. It is important to understand the evidence and to separate the strong issues from the weak issues.
Next, it is important for us to be as prepared as possible when dealing with the auditor. The auditor is more likely to accept our position if it appears simple and well organized. We will need to get all records and documents that we request from you, so that we can begin building support for your case.
During the process, we will also try to look at the case from the IRS’ perspective, so that we can better address the government’s concerns, and understand what is really motivating the agent. We will try to be as objective as possible, so that we can know what the government’s bottom line might be. Yet at the same time, we will focus on those issues that are strongest for you. Of course, our intent is to convince the auditor to see the case from your perspective as well, so that we can get the best possible result for you.