IRS commissioner John Koskinen recently spoke at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center in Washington discussing the pressures placed on the IRS and its employees. Commissioner Koskinen noted the double impact of substantial IRS budget cuts combined with the heavy additional workloads placed on the agency by congress and two major programs that must be implemented by July 1. The result is an audit staff that is overworked and stressed to the limit.
Many people ask “Why should I care if my auditor is overworked and stressed to the limit?” The answer is much more significant than most taxpayers realize. IRS revenue officers (those who are responsible for audits and collecting taxes) wield powerful tools that they can impose at will including:
- Seizing Your Assets
- Levying Your Bank Accounts
- Placing Liens Against Your Business, Home and Assets
- Garnishing Your Wages
These are not powers to be taken lightly. Just as it wouldn’t be prudent to punch an angry bear in the face, it isn’t prudent to argue with or provoke an overworked and stressed out IRS revenue agent. However, it is important to have the skills and knowledge to take principled stands on what information they may request from you, and when and how to challenge their understanding of standard accounting principles and even their understanding and application of US tax law.
This is yet another reason why it is important to seek expert representation from an experienced tax attorney when you are faced with an audit. We provide the expertise in accounting, tax law as well as the attorney-client privilege to protect your interests, reduce your liabilities and achieve the best possible outcome in your audit.
If you have received a letter of notification from the IRS concerning an audit, call us for a free consultation at 866-631-3470. IRS auditors are overworked and stressed to their human limitations. Now more than ever, it is important to work with a proven tax attorney who can protect you from their fury and power, and diligently work to reduce any liability to which you are exposed.
