Tax Audit Defense™ Highlights Top 5 Audit Triggers for Taxpayers
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) September 12, 2013 -- More often than not, people get audited because their returns are flagged for further examination. With the IRS’s heavy reliance on computer technology, and with the proliferation recently of fraud laden claims for certain low income tax credits, more returns than ever are “triggering” an audit notice with the reason for it pretty simple: the income, expenses or credit deductions the IRS has doesn’t add up. National full-service tax audit representation company, Tax Audit Defense provides the top five IRS audit triggers to help educate taxpayers about being under an IRS/State audit.
Tax Audit Defense represents both individual and businesses through their pre-paid membership audit protection plans, representing clients before the Examination Division of the IRS and state income agencies. The company staffs qualified licensed professionals for all federal, state and U.S. territorial tax jurisdictions. The owners of the company have been doing this since 1998.
Michael Rozbruch, Certified Tax Resolution Specialist, and co-Founder of Tax Audit Defense believes that an emphasis on tax compliance goes a long way toward avoiding audit triggers. “You never want to knowingly give the IRS a reason to further “examine” your tax returns in the first place” says Rozbruch. “That’s why understanding some of the top audit triggers is such an important part of audit prevention.” Still, Rozbruch believes that individuals or small businesses who are under audit or concerned about being audited in the future will want to consult a tax audit professional to discuss their tax options. “One of the options taxpayers should consider” states Rozbruch “should be a pre-paid audit membership plan that provides audit protection before the IRS contacts them.”
Rozbruch suggests taxpayers understand some of the top five audit triggers as shown in the infographic and that they make sure any claims can be legitimately backed up with proof:
1. Claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit (EIC) - Taxpayers must meet stringent age, earned income, and qualifying dependent criteria to claim the Earned Income Tax Credit. If any the taxpayer’s information doesn’t “fit-in” to the IRS’s formula, they can expect to receive an Audit Notice.
2. Claiming Head of Household – Taxpayers taking the Head of Household deduction will want to consider these very important questions: What makes you “unmarried”? What does a closely-related dependent mean? Have you correctly performed the “Support” and “Residency” tests? Have you paid more than half of the cost to maintain a home for myself and my qualifier? Miscalculations and incorrect answers can almost guarantee the taxpayer receives an Audit Notice.
3. IRS Computer Scoring - Some returns are selected for audit on the basis of computer scoring called the Discriminant Function System (DIF). This score rates the potential for change based on the IRS’s experience with similar returns. Note: A high “DIF” score means a higher chance of audit because the IRS believes it can collect more from this taxpayer.
4. Income Discrepancies – any differences in information the IRS receives from employers through W-2s and1099s and what taxpayers report on their taxes can trigger an audit.
5. Missing Information – A tax return that is missing a signature(s), date, Social Security number(s), and filing status results in the IRS sending the return back and raises the potential of an audit. It also delays an expected refund.
For more expert tax audit tips, tax news and other financial issues facing American taxpayers, visit Tax Audit Defense Tax Matters blog at http://www.taxdefensematters.com
About Tax Audit Defense™ (TAD)
Tax Audit Defense, is a full service tax audit representation company that sells and services pre-paid audit protection membership plans. If you require immediate assistance we can help too. To find out more about how Tax Audit Defense can help, visit http://www.TaxAuditDefense.com or call (800) 410-2425.
Darla Bea Smith, Tax Audit Defense™, https://www.taxauditdefense.com/, +1 805-895-3400, [email protected]
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