When the IRS questions a return
A letter about your return is a question, not a verdict
Most return questions arrive by mail. The agency says a figure doesn't match what someone else reported, or asks you to prove a deduction, a credit or an expense. Fewer are audits in person, at an office or at your business.
In every kind the first reply matters, because it frames the rest. We help you decide what to send, what to leave out and whether the agency is right, and where it isn't, we put the disagreement in writing.
Letter audits, office audits and field audits
Notices that say your return doesn't match what was reported
Gathering and organizing records for a response
Disagreeing with a result, up to the IRS appeals office
How a questioned return goes
- 01
Read the letter
We find the tax, the year and the date, and work out whether it's a routine mismatch or a full audit.
- 02
Gather the proof
Bank records, receipts, mileage logs, forms from payers. We say which matter and which don't.
- 03
Answer in writing
A reply with your records, sent by us, so the agency has less to ask you.
- 04
Disagree if it's wrong
If the result stands and you think it's wrong, we explain the appeal and what it would involve.
About letters and audits
Does a letter mean I'm being audited?
Not always. Many letters are routine: a figure the agency has doesn't match your return. We read it first and tell you which kind it is.
What records will you ask for?
Whatever supports the lines the agency is questioning: statements, receipts, invoices, logs. You don't need to gather everything before the first meeting.
Can I be audited for a return from several years ago?
The agency generally has a limited window to question a return, and it varies. Bring the letter and we'll see which year and which rule apply.
What if I think the agency is wrong?
You may be able to disagree and take it to the IRS appeals office. We explain the steps and the time limits, and what a result might cost you.
Bring the audit letter
We start with the notice number, the year and the date, then tell you what comes next.