Google has no map to display your road to audit hell. The IRS will give you a Texas two-step map. Step one: the IRS audits, up to six years. step two: taxpayer pays.
We will present to you a very elementary map. Traveling on your journey through and to audit hell, the taxpayer is presented with many forks in the road. In professional wrestling they have a match labeled I quit. The opponents loudly encourage each other to give up and utter the words “I quit”. The Internal Revenue Service employees the same technique except they encourage the family taxpayer to say the words “I’ll pay”.
The first step down the road to audit hell occurs the moment one receives the audit notice. The most important decision a taxpayer can make is what the next step forward will be. Reading the notice instantly brings up from your subconscious what is called the fight or flight syndrome. One has no choice upon receiving notification they must walk to the ring and engage in battle. Flight is not an option!
Take a deep breath. Either pick yourself up off the floor or sit down in a chair and decide who will lead your tax audit defense team. Hopefully preparations have been made for this moment. If they have then it is time to call your team to the post and send them down the track. The taxpayer’s goal should be a short conflict displaying great offense. Any weakness perceived by the service will just prolong your stay in tax audit hell. If you have chosen the correct leader, no coaching will be needed by you.
Once you have decided upon the leader, sit down with your family and inform them of your situation. Ask for their prayers and understanding as these audits have the potential to become one of the most stressful experiences anyone will have in their lifetime. Family support is critical to walking away without being financially toasted to a crisp.
Immediately meeting with your team leader, hopefully for the second time will begin the joint effort to finish planning your trip and stay in tax audit hell.
One last piece of advice, do not procrastinate.
