There are few things that strike as much fear in the heart of the U.S. taxpayer as the IRS audit. A taxpayer will want to minimize the financial impact of the audit. In addition, they want to prevent the IRS from finding new items to audit.
While these goals are not easily achieved, an effective strategy can make the difference in dealing with the IRS audit. Having a Maryland tax attorney by your side with extensive IRS audit experience is also crucial.
The following are some effective strategies for successfully dealing with an IRS audit.
Have a Maryland Tax Attorney Guide You Through Your In-person Audit
It is advisable to have a Maryland tax attorney meet with your auditor on your behalf. The conduct of the taxpayer, or their representative, when face-to-face with the auditor is extremely important.
In addition to being professional and cordial, the taxpayer or representative should strive to be as brief as possible with their answers. While the responses must be truthful, it is not advisable to volunteer information. “Yes”, “no”, “I don’t know” and “I would need to research that” are all perfectly acceptable. And the taxpayer should definitely not provide any more documentation than is actually requested.
Many people under audit will tend to be anxious, since the process is adversarial and time-consuming. Under these circumstances, the taxpayer may make mistakes or be long-winded in their responses.
This is why having Maryland tax lawyer Kevin E. Thorn to represent you is highly advisable. Under a power of attorney, the attorney can even communicate directly with the auditor on your behalf.
Dealing with a Difficult Auditor? You Have Rights
If a particular auditor is being overly contentious or difficult, the taxpayer has options. The taxpayer can elevate complaints to the auditor’s manager, even going so far as to request a new auditor. Even if a new auditor is not appointed, the audit process will likely be less contentious afterward. And the taxpayer has the right to record the audit, which will also tend to limit auditor abuse.
The best way of avoiding unpleasant audit experiences is to have a highly-skilled Maryland tax attorney like Kevin E. Thorn handle it for you.
Challenging the Audit Results
The audit ends with the auditor providing his or her conclusions regarding tax liability. These conclusions are provided in an Examination Report, which is provided to the taxpayer.
The taxpayer or their attorney can initially challenge the auditor’s findings. If this is not successful, the taxpayer can appeal the audit results with the IRS Office of Appeals. If the IRS appeal is not successful, the taxpayer has the right to challenge the audit result in court. The most common court is the U.S. Tax Court, but litigation can be pursued in other federal courts as well.
Speak With a Maryland Tax Attorney at the Thorn Law Group About How to Beat Your IRS Audit
If you are a Maryland taxpayer under audit by the IRS, contact the Thorn Law Group immediately to consult with a Maryland tax lawyer about your taxpayer rights and options. Kevin E. Thorn, Managing Partner of the firm, is an experienced tax attorney who has helped clients with a variety of difficult audit situations. Contact Mr. Thorn at 240-235-5096, or by email at ket@thornlawgroup.com, to schedule a consultation.
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