Tax Audits

Park Ridge, Cook County & Rosemont Tax Audit Attorney 

Hearing the words “tax audit” can instantly provoke a sense of stress and unease. If you have received notice of an IRS or state tax audit, do not wait to contact a qualified tax attorney. The sooner things are resolved, the more likely you are to prevent more serious problems down the road such as liens, property and asset seizures, and criminal tax prosecution.

At the Law Office of Thomas J. Hansen, we are here to represent your best interests in the midst of a tax audit. Whether it be the IRS or state agency, such as the Illinois Department of State Revenue, audit, Attorney Thomas Hansen will use his extensive background in tax law to help see you through the entire tax audit process.

What Happens in a Tax Audit?

An audit can come in several forms. It can be a written request for further documentation, referred to as a “correspondence audit” or a request for an in-person meeting, or an “office audit.” An office audit is the most serious kind of audit and IRS personnel will visit your place of business. Audits are meant to see if you can substantiate the claims you made on your tax return. You may have been randomly selected for an audit or been selected for an audit to specifically clear something up.

Do not go to the in-person meeting alone. Bring an experienced tax attorney with you. Familiarity with the process and an advocate by your side will make the experience less stressful and more manageable. People are often asked to provide more information and documentation that they are entitled to. The IRS may only request specific information. If you are going to provide information that you are not required to give, consult with your attorney first. These are often fishing expeditions meant to find more ways to increase your taxes.

In order to make the audit process easier, make sure you always keep all of the records you used to prepare your tax return for the past three years as this is required by law. Consult with a tax attorney in order to fully understand your rights during the audit process. Rights you have for both IRS and Illinois Department of Revenue tax audits include:

•  Right to be treated in a professional and courteous manner by IRS employees;
  
• Right to privacy and confidentiality about tax matters;
  
• Right to know why the IRS is asking for information, how the IRS will use it, and what will happen if the requested information is not provided;
  
• Right to representation; and
  
• Right to appeal disagreements, both within the IRS and before the courts.

If you have substantiated all items that were subject to review in the audit, then the audit will end with no changes. Sometimes, the IRS will propose changes to your tax returns and you may agree with these changes. It is also possible that the IRS will propose changes and you will disagree with the changes. If you disagree with the changes, consult your tax attorney regarding the tax appeal process.

Tax Audit Attorney Serving Cook County

With over 23 years working for the IRS, 13 years of which were in an appeals office, Attorney Thomas Hansen has the experience you need to successfully navigate the audit process. While at the IRS, Attorney Hansen’s job was to resolve issues before tax litigation. He has been able to resolve $100,000+ in disputes with the IRS in as little as 3 hours. That is the benefit of experience and a thorough understanding of tax procedure. Attorney Hansen will handle 1040, 1041, 1120, 706, 709, partnership returns, or any other type of tax return subject to an audit. Contact the Law Office of Thomas J. Hansen today for all of your tax needs.