• When am I reasonably safe from an IRS audit?

    From Toller@21:1/5 to All on Wed Dec 8 15:30:12 2021
    I am sure I did my 2020 taxes properly, but there are a couple issues the IRS might want a better explanation of. While I am confident I can do that, I obviously don't want to.

    At what point can I sleep better knowing it probably isn't going to happen?

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  • From Rick@21:1/5 to All on Wed Dec 8 20:27:10 2021
    "Toller" wrote in message news:926ac9eb-6773-4479-97bc-efbe9d7e6d95n@googlegroups.com...

    I am sure I did my 2020 taxes properly, but there are a couple issues the
    IRS might want a better explanation of. While I am confident I can do
    that, I obviously don't want to.

    At what point can I sleep better knowing it probably isn't going to happen?


    Well if you committed fraud or, more precisely, the IRS believes you
    committed fraud, I don't think there is any limit on when they can audit
    you. So you'll never sleep better in that case.

    But if you did the return honestly and there are just one or two minor
    issues that won't have major impacts, then I would say three years from the
    due date of the return, which I guess would be April 2024 assuming you
    didn't file an extension. If you think there is an issue that could impact income in a big way (more than 25% of income misstated), then probably six years from same.

    https://www.americanbar.org/groups/business_law/publications/blt/2017/08/06_wood/


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  • From Toller@21:1/5 to Rick on Thu Dec 9 01:50:43 2021
    On Wednesday, December 8, 2021 at 8:29:48 PM UTC-5, Rick wrote:
    "Toller" wrote in message
    news:926ac9eb-6773-4479...@googlegroups.com...

    I am sure I did my 2020 taxes properly, but there are a couple issues the >IRS might want a better explanation of. While I am confident I can do
    that, I obviously don't want to.

    At what point can I sleep better knowing it probably isn't going to happen?

    Well if you committed fraud or, more precisely, the IRS believes you committed fraud, I don't think there is any limit on when they can audit
    you. So you'll never sleep better in that case.

    But if you did the return honestly and there are just one or two minor
    issues that won't have major impacts, then I would say three years from the due date of the return, which I guess would be April 2024 assuming you
    didn't file an extension. If you think there is an issue that could impact income in a big way (more than 25% of income misstated), then probably six years from same.

    I am sure I did it properly, so no fraud and not more than 10% of my income...

    I am familiar with the legal time limits involved... I meant more as a practical matter. I presume it goes through their computer and kicks out anything suspicious, which they might follow up on. And if that hasn't happened by XXX, it isn't likely to.
    I am wondering what date XXX might be.
    But perhaps I just don't understand the process.

    I only had an issue once. NYS took exception to my deductions. I sent them 150 pages of receipts and never heard back from them.

    --
    << ------------------------------------------------------- >>
    << The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, >>
    << nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties >>
    << that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. >>
    << >>
    << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts >>
    << to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy >>
    << are at www.asktax.org. >>
    << Copyright (2011) - All rights reserved. >>
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  • From Rick@21:1/5 to All on Thu Dec 9 11:48:42 2021
    "Toller" wrote in message news:93c03e97-0b93-4a2d-a8f6-a2c06b1b4a65n@googlegroups.com...

    On Wednesday, December 8, 2021 at 8:29:48 PM UTC-5, Rick wrote:
    "Toller" wrote in message
    news:926ac9eb-6773-4479...@googlegroups.com...

    I am sure I did my 2020 taxes properly, but there are a couple issues
    the
    IRS might want a better explanation of. While I am confident I can do
    that, I obviously don't want to.

    At what point can I sleep better knowing it probably isn't going to
    happen?

    Well if you committed fraud or, more precisely, the IRS believes you
    committed fraud, I don't think there is any limit on when they can audit
    you. So you'll never sleep better in that case.

    But if you did the return honestly and there are just one or two minor
    issues that won't have major impacts, then I would say three years from
    the
    due date of the return, which I guess would be April 2024 assuming you
    didn't file an extension. If you think there is an issue that could
    impact
    income in a big way (more than 25% of income misstated), then probably
    six
    years from same.

    I am sure I did it properly, so no fraud and not more than 10% of my >income...

    I am familiar with the legal time limits involved... I meant more as a >practical matter. I presume it goes through their computer and kicks out >anything suspicious, which they might follow up on. And if that hasn't >happened by XXX, it isn't likely to. I am wondering what date XXX might
    be.
    But perhaps I just don't understand the process.

    I only had an issue once. NYS took exception to my deductions. I sent
    them 150 pages of receipts and never heard back from them.


    When I have had inquiries from the IRS about a return, it usually happened within a year or two of the filing date. The one time I actually had an
    audit, that was also within two years of filing date.

    But in the Covid world with all the cutbacks and people working from home, etc., the IRS has really been later than usual in registering returns. In
    my case, although I filed my 2020 return on time, it didn't show up on their website as processed until literally into 2021. I think you probably need
    to give it the full three years before you can stop worrying.
    --

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    << ------------------------------------------------------- >>
    << The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, >>
    << nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties >>
    << that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. >>
    << >>
    << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts >>
    << to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy >>
    << are at www.asktax.org. >>
    << Copyright (2011) - All rights reserved. >>
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  • From Maria Ku@21:1/5 to All on Thu Dec 9 14:56:39 2021
    State may have different statutes of limitation from the Fed.

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    << The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, >>
    << nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties >>
    << that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. >>
    << >>
    << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts >>
    << to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy >>
    << are at www.asktax.org. >>
    << Copyright (2011) - All rights reserved. >>
    << ------------------------------------------------------- >>

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