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Your Rights in an IRS Audit.

You may either represent yourself or, with proper written authorization, have someone else represent you.

Your representative must be a person allowed to practice before the IRS, such as an attorney, certified public accountant, or enrolled agent. If you are in an interview and you ask to consult such a person, then we must stop and reschedule the interview in most cases.

You can have someone accompany you at an interview. You may make sound recordings of any meetings with our examination, appeal, or collection personnel, provided you tell us in writing 10 days before the meeting.

Generally, the IRS will deal directly with you or your duly authorized representative. However, the IRS may talk with other persons if we need information that you have been unable to provide, or to verify information we have received, this may include talking with your neighbors or your business personnel or your business partners.  If they do contact other persons, such as a neighbor, bank, employer, or employees, the IRS “generally need to tell them limited information, such as your name.” The law prohibits the IRS from disclosing any more information than is necessary to obtain or verify the information they are seeking, but by then your neighborhood or business reputation may already be damaged.

The IRS need to contact other persons may continue as long as there is activity in your case. In these cases, I always demand a list of any and all persons contacted to have knowledge of any damage that may have been done to you.

Remember, in many instances of an IRS examination, you will not have the right of the 5th Amendment.

You really do need your attorney. Call us for more information.