IRS Audit FAQ

Questions:

• What are my chances of getting through an audit without owing additional taxes?
• I am being audited and the deadline for filing this year's return is fast approaching. Should I file?
• I am being audited and I haven't heard from the auditor for months. What can I do to get the audit over with?
• Do I have to let the IRS into my home?
• The auditor is impossible to get along with. What can I do?
• Can the IRS take my house?
• Can I make a deal with the IRS to pay less than my tax bill?
• Can I challenge the IRS if I get audited and don't agree with the result?
• How likely am I to get charged with criminal tax fraud?

Answer:

What are my chances of getting through an audit without owing additional taxes?

Fewer than 25% of audit victims make a clean getaway. The IRS audits half as many taxpayers today as five years ago, but the take per audit has increased. The IRS, thanks to its sophisticated computer selection process, audits only those returns in which adjustments are almost a certainty. Realize the odds are against you and focus on limiting the damage from an audit. For some guidance, see Top Ten Tips for Surviving an Audit.