Ever wish that, as a business owner, you knew exactly what would raise "red flags" at the IRS? Or how to make an IRS audit go as smoothly and painlessly as possible?
If you're in the right type of business, you can get that information, directly from the IRS!
Traditionally, IRS examiners have been responsible for auditing many types of businesses. An examiner might audit a grocery store one week and a construction company the next. A lot of the examiner's time was spent learning about the business.
To improve efficiency, the IRS launched the Market Segment Specialization Program (MSSP). Examiners now focus on specific types of businesses. To help the examiners understand each type of business, the agency has developed training guides, called "Audit Techniques Guides." The guides explain the standard practices for the business, and tell the examiners exactly where to look for potential problems. (For example, auto repair shops sometimes don't report the parts they have in stock as inventory.)
The IRS has developed Audit Techniques Guides for dozens of business types, ranging from pizza shops to major league sports franchises. In addition, there are guides that deal with specific business practices, such as executive compensation, shareholder loans, or stock based compensation.
You can download the guides directly from the IRS website. There are other sites that distribute the ATGs as well, and some of them seem to have guides, perhaps a little out of date, that don't appear on the IRS website. Simply search the web for IRS Audit Techniques Guides to find a list!
Bob Nicholson / WYGK Consulting provides business, technology and strategic consulting for small businesses, internet start-ups and entrepreneurs.
Visit http://www.wygk.com
Airbnb cleaning service Arlington Heights ..Adding Your First Additional Stream of IncomeMost new wealth builders... Read More
If your like many, you don't always understand what people... Read More
Beware of advertisements that claim to settle tax debts for... Read More
On June 3, 2005, the IRS released guidance on charitable... Read More
Does this scene sound familiar? It's April 7. You haven't... Read More
Taxpayers have two easy and convenient options for getting copies... Read More
Haven't done your taxes yet? No problem. Now there is... Read More
Just image, you are a small manufacturing company, business has... Read More
The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that it costs nearly... Read More
It's a moment every person dreads. You pick up the... Read More
As a gentleman was leaving my class recently, he wanted... Read More
An early distribution from an Individual Retirement Arrangement (IRA) or... Read More
If you have employees, you are responsible for paying a... Read More
Your days as an entrepreneur and businessperson are consumed with... Read More
"Deducting Meals and Entertainment"O.K. You've been working really hard on... Read More
Often people fall on hard times and stop paying on... Read More
Donating your used car to charity is a win-win situation;... Read More
With the massive losses caused by Katrina, the economy of... Read More
The powers of Congress, and the limitations set upon those... Read More
As a small business owner or self-employed person, one of... Read More
Background issues of access to recordsTo assess the records at... Read More
With gas prices at an all time high before Hurricane... Read More
April 15th looms in front of most people every year... Read More
Most people trying to make a crust online (or offline... Read More
As everyone in the U.S. knows, we have just passed... Read More
reliable maid service Winnetka ..As teachers and students head back to school following a... Read More
Statistics for IndividualsUnfortunately, the IRS increased its rate of auditing... Read More
Adding Your First Additional Stream of IncomeMost new wealth builders... Read More
Your days as an entrepreneur and businessperson are consumed with... Read More
An early distribution from an Individual Retirement Arrangement (IRA) or... Read More
Six Urban Myths ? Taxation"I am proud to be paying... Read More
OverviewIn the Pre-Budget Report of December 2003 the Chancellor Gordon... Read More
Choosing the right tax preparer for your business is a... Read More
We need real tax reform and we need it now.... Read More
Millions of people file tax return extensions every year. The... Read More
Background issues of access to recordsTo assess the records at... Read More
In the largest criminal tax case ever filed, KMPG has... Read More
Misconceptions, misinterpretations and just plain "untruths" are floating about income... Read More
NOTE: This is the first in a series of 5... Read More
Whether helping the kids with a down payment on their... Read More
As a small business owner or self-employed person, one of... Read More
Q: I was contacted by the city tax collector to... Read More
Haven't done your taxes yet? No problem. Now there is... Read More
QUESTION: I have been contacted by my local city... Read More
Recently, I stumbled across a concept that could change your... Read More
You've been feeling uneasy (perhaps even guilty) because you've failed... Read More
Reservists called to active duty and enlistees in the armed... Read More
The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that it costs nearly... Read More
As tax time approaches, many home-based business owners begin completing... Read More
As your business grows, you are going to need help.... Read More
Tax |