Every year, no matter what else happens in your life, you will have to file your taxes with the federal government and the state government where you reside to verify that you have paid your income taxes in full. Some people may have to pay additional taxes, while...
Tax Audits
IRS criticized for not fully implementing new audit system
In 2016, the IRS announced that it would change the way it conducts corporate audits. Instead of examining a company's entire tax return, it would simply examine any transactions it deemed to be risky in nature. The hope was that this would help to complete these...
Factors that may determine the timeline for an audit
Generally speaking, the IRS can audit tax returns sent in by Georgia residents and others for three years. However, there are scenarios in which the government could have twice as much time to inquire about a return. If someone commits an especially egregious...
It is easier for the IRS to target poor people
Georgia residents may be interested to learn that the IRS has been targeting lower income taxpayers with audits. Part of the reason why the IRS uses this strategy is because they say it is easier and something that they can accomplish using less skilled employees....
IRS mails settlement offers to participants in tax scheme
In the past, individuals who participated in micro-insurance transactions were likely audited by the IRS. The tax agency has listed the scheme as one of its "Dirty Dozen" tax scams, and it has been talking about the practice for many years now. It says that there are...
IRS tax audits can be daunting
While it's true that most Georgia residents do not look forward to the yearly ritual of filing and paying taxes, at least there's some satisfaction, and perhaps a degree of relief, when it's over and done for the year. However, for those who receive the dreaded audit...
IRS letters aren’t necessarily audit notices
Georgia residents and taxpayers throughout the country could receive notices from the IRS at any point during the year. In many cases, it is merely the government reaching out to notify a taxpayer about an adjustment made to his or her return. Taxpayers have the...
Common audits caused by investment income
There are a variety of reasons why the IRS may decide to audit a Georgia resident's tax return. However, most audits are triggered because something on a return seems unusual based on the income a person has reported. For instance, if a real estate investor writes off...
The IRS is increasing ‘hobby loss” audits
One of the benefits of owning a business is the ability to take deductions for expenses that are legitimately used in an effort to produce income. Some Georgia businesses end up in the red where expenses exceed income for the particular tax period. If this occurs...
Fewer top earners are being audited by the IRS
According to ProPublica, taxpayers in Georgia who make less than $20,000 a year may face the same chance of being audited as those in the 1% of top earners. In many cases, low-income individuals face audits because they claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The...