Okay, this freaked me out. Any small business owners ever get a personal

[phylny]

visit from the local IRS office?

I wasn't home (duh, I was OUT WORKING!) when she "called" (came to my front door) and she left a card stapled to her business card telling me that I have to call her between certain hours on Thursday. Duh, I'll be out WORKING.

So, fellow paranoid minds, what the hell???

[WCGreen]

1. Take your accountant and or lawyer with you.......

Don't answer any questions until you have a chance to confer with counsel.....

[Lars39]

2. Wouldn't his claiming a home office change that a bit?

[phylny]

5. I don't claim office space (deduct it) because

I thought it'd be too much hassle.

[Lars39]

7. Good luck!

Hopefully it will be something verrrrry minor. :hug:

[WCGreen]

9. It shouldn't be if you can justify it......

I have found that as long as you can justify something, even if it is a bit, mind you I said bit, of a stretch, you should be fine....

[sweetheart]

3. Think about what they check

That your office is authentic, that there are certain assets
present as in the forms, that the space is dedicated to business,
that how many employees are present.

If you don't file your taxes with a CPA, its maybe time to look
in to that, as your accountant should be the buffer and the
first person you call when such circumstances arise.

[jody]

4. I wouldn't worry. Something on your return triggered a question or audit.

:hi:

[INdemo]

6. I there is an audit

You will be notified by certified mail,not by some agent knocking on your door. It just doesn't work like that.

[tsuki]

8. They could be asking about someone else either on your street

or a business associate.

[WCGreen]

10. That is very true.....

That may be the reason right there....

[alfredo]

12. It could be a scam. Call the local office to see if they send agents

on a cold call to homes.

[phylny]

13. My local office didn't answer, but the IRS in Cincinnati did verify

the person's name and ID, although she was baffled as to why someone would come to my door.

I'll let ya know! Sheesh....

[tsuki]

14. Please do. This is very strange. nt

[alfredo]

15. Don't lose any sleep over it.

Be well prepared, be friendly, not hostile. Be into it for the long haul. I fought for 2 years and won. They ended up owing me $47 dollars. I got that and a written apology.

After it was all over I got a letter from the IRS saying that I owed a penalty and interest on the money I was first charge of owing. I just referred that person to my original case worker, sent him a copy of the apology and I never heard from them again.

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

11. I've had such things happen with the state revenuers.

Basically they were either wasting their time to try to collect tiny amounts of sales tax, or they were wrong about my filing period.

They did take it seriously when I cc'ed their higher ups in my responses and noted that it cost them more to address this than they would ever collect.

:crazy:

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

16. My theory is that this is probably tied to the BRAND NEW policy

of outsourcing collection efforts to private contractors. I bet that some policies that are proscribed or forbidden to the civil service are free rein to the contractors. More of the government selling off their inherent duties at your expense and the expense of your civil liberties. We may not be harassed by the government, but we may be harassed by the paid private agents of the government.