If you work as a freelancer, you run the risk of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) conducting a tax audit. A tax audit is a thorough check of your tax information, which includes, but is not limited to, your return, and your taxable income.
In addition, the IRS has the power to check anything that ensures that you accurately disclosed all of your income and self-employment deductions.
In this post, we will discuss tax audits, including what they are, how they operate, and how to prevent them.
What is a Tax Audit?
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The IRS examines your tax return during a tax audit to make sure you accurately disclosed your income and deductions. To confirm the correctness of your tax return, the IRS may ask for extra paperwork during an audit, such as receipts and bank statements. If they discover mistakes or irregularities in your tax return, the IRS may impose additional taxes, fines, and interest. You can use a 1099 tax calculator to find the accurate amount.
Various Types of Tax Audits
Correspondence, office, and field audits are the three different types of tax audits. The least intrusive type is a correspondence audit, in which the IRS sends letters requesting additional information or explanation. Additional paperwork and in-person inquiries will be requested of you. An IRS agent will look through your records, interview you, and perhaps even interview your customers or staff.
How to Prevent a Tax Audit?
There is no perfect way to avoid a tax audit, but there are steps you can take to reduce your chances of being audited. These include maintaining accurate records, being truthful on your tax return, filing your taxes on time, not claiming too many deductions, and using caution when making deductions that are regularly audited.
What to Do If You Are Audited?
The IRS will provide you with thorough instructions on what to do next. Some tips include reacting quickly, gathering all necessary records, consulting with a tax expert, and being considerate and helpful when meeting with an IRS official.
Record Keeping
Maintaining precise records of all income and expenses is one of the most crucial actions you can take to avoid an audit. Keeping your records organized and accessible is also a smart idea. Consider adopting a software or app to keep your records accessible and structured.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is critical for independent contractors to understand tax audits, how they operate, and how to prevent them. By keeping thorough records, accurately reporting all deductions and revenue, submitting your tax return on time, and exercising caution when taking deductions that are regularly scrutinized, you can lower your chances of an audit while ensuring that your tax return is correct and in compliance with IRS rules.
