Accounting Articles > Federal Income Tax:

Comprehensive tax return problems

I've had these referred to me in the past:

• Cases where The Internal Revenue Service or The Illinois Department of Revenue is auditing an Income Tax Return that's just plain wrong in so many areas, even the agent doesn't know where to start. Generally this occurs when a customer makes the mistake of trying to do their own accounting and tax work.
• Or the client tried to do the accounting work, and went to some bad excuse of a tax guy who actually accepted the clients work, and banged out a tax return that's just wrong.
• Of course my all time favorite is when you had a lousy accountant that didn't know what they were doing, and you didn't take the time to look at the return in the first place.

However it happened in the first place, what do we do now?

Unless you are public enemy number one, there's is generally some type of defense that will save you in some direction. But there are a couple of points that need to be made:

1. Don’t try to do this yourself. Your most basic right as a taxpayer is the right to representation. You need a mouthpiece. Many people think that if they hire an accountant to represent them, that the agent at the taxation service will automatically assume that they did something wrong, and that the agent will come after them even harder. WRONG. The Agent would much rather deal with a tax professional that knows the rules rather than an emotional taxpayer that wouldn't know a tax rule if it jumped up and bit them on the nose.
2. If you have either intentionally or accidentally excluded income from your return, or over deducted your expenses, then you need to call us today. Anyone who thinks that they won't get caught evading income tax is obviously misinformed.

The Standard Accounting Packages section of our website has several options for you. If you would simply like a second opinion on your case and a fresh perspective, we can do this for as little as $500, or represent you starting at $1,500. Please click on the appropriate box for more information. Don't try to do this yourself. As highly recommended CPA's and Enrolled Agents providing financial accounting and taxation services in the Chicagoland Area, we have the experience and knowledge necessary to help you through this difficult time. Audits that go poorly could cost ridiculous amounts of additional tax, interest, and penalty. Call or e-mail one of our specialists today.