Anyone else here audited by IRS this year?

[Smarmie Doofus]

Apropos of the post below... about getting the feeling that someone was looking over one's shoulder when posting here.

I was audited... first time ever. Quite possibly was coincidental, or possibly related to the sale of real estate during the year that for which I was audited. ( The sale, and the proceeds were not of interest to INS, but might have red-flagged my returned. I'm told this is how IRS operates.)

Still..... I'm not entirely sure.

[fudge stripe cookays]

1. How much...

did you claim under "Miscellaneous Expenses"? I know that is a complete red flag for audits because I used to work there.

Didn't work in any of the evil jobs; just a mail clerk, but I know that was one of the biggies. I feel for ya.

If anything bad happens, don't forget the OIC (Offer in Compromise) area. They can help you in cases of big bad nasty findings.

fsc

[FloridaPat]

3. Another red flag is home office expenses. Heard that from quite a

few accountants.

[Smarmie Doofus]

4. No more than usual. Only thing out of the ordinary...

was a sale of a house several years ago. I was audited for that year.

It's all settled now... at least for this year. They had, apparently a legit claim on some disbursements my employer made to me... involuntarily on my part, I might add... and for which the employer did not withhold sufficiently.

Wouldn't have been noticed unless it was fine-tooth combed. I certainnly never noticed it.

That's my question. Why now? Why me?

[OKNancy]

2. This will sound totally weird

But of all the government agencies, I've found the IRS to be the most willing to work with you.
They are fair if you are fair back. I found them really helpful.

[Smarmie Doofus]

5. I wouldn't disagree. But the agency has a documented...

history of being used by political disgustos ( see "Nixon, R.") as a means to punish good guys like me.

Although I have to admit I'm a pretty inconspicuous "good guy" for the most part.

[fudge stripe cookays]

6. They really can be.

But I worked in ACS for awhile (automated collection systems).

This is where your account goes when you have screwed up royally. You're sent letter after letter, and haven't responded, so they finally mean business, levy your bank account and put a lien on your house.

The taxpayer would get a letter with a 1-800 number to call, and we had a big call center with teams of operators who would take down all their information: their house payment or rent, car payment, and other bills they needed to make it.

Credit card bills were NOT allowed. Trips to Neiman Marcus and the nail salon? Disallowed. And you'd be amazed at how many people would call in and be completely pissed off that we would not allow the car payment on a brand spanking new Lexus or Mercedes. Why would you go buy such a luxurious car when you knew you had this huge tax bill that was due?

Well, I didn't know I owed this.

:eyes:

Sure, that's why all four of our letters were never returned as "Undeliverable."

[OKNancy]

7. LOL - well I always called first

before I knew I was going to have problems. One time I had to spend 5800.00 on a new air-conditioner for my business. Since it's a dance school, I HAD to have one in Oklahoma.
That wiped me out, so I couldn't pay my payroll taxes on time. I called them and they said I could have 120 extra days to pay. Also, one time ( I've been in business 31 years so shit happens) I royally screwed up and when I found out many months later, I called them. They were totally cool about it. Said to pay the tax, and there would be no problems.

[fudge stripe cookays]

8. Yikes!

Pirouettes and arabesques with no air conditioning?

The very thought gives me hives! :scared:

Glad they were cool about it.

[Greyhound]

9. Recent experience, or was it with Clinton's 'nice' IRS? n/t