Receiving a letter from the Internal Revenue Service can be a pretty scary thing. Most of us, after all, look forward to getting the daily mail. It might be a ritual to look through your mail, looking for bills, looking for letters from grandpa or grandma, looking at interesting catalogs or publications, and even occasionally looking for checks or rebates. I know, that I for one, get really excited to see a rebate check, even if it’s just for $10!

A Letter from the IRS in Your SF Mailbox

IRS Audit DefenseHowever, when one looks into one’s San Francisco mailbox and sees a letter from the IRS, it can spark fear and dread in the heart of even the most law-abiding resident of this great Bay Area town. What have I done wrong? Am I going to owe a ton of money? Is this going to be an enormous hassle? Will the IRS agent be routed difficult?

Panic and fear are often the first response, even if you have really nothing to worry about.

Let’s face it, the IRS is a government agency and their job is to enforce the tax laws of the United States of America. Everything these days is computerized, and their computers look for discrepancies of any type in returns, as well as randomly select taxpayers for audits. It’s akin to being pulled over on the side of the road for a routine traffic stop. Maybe you have done little or nothing wrong, but the police officer is just doing his or her job. Nothing emotional, just his or her job

Tips if You Have Received an IRS Letter

If you have received a letter from the IRS, however, here are some tips. First and foremost, don’t panic. Most of the time an audit is really not that big of a deal, and especially if you are one of our long-term clients, your records are in good shape. Second, do not put it off! Pretending it will go away is not a good strategy. Contact us or another accounting firm in San Francisco, preferably one that is an expert in IRS audit defense.

Our CPAs and accountants have sat down many times across the table from IRS agents, and that experience has made us comfortable in defending our clients during an IRS audit engagement. The reality is that the IRS agent knows the tax laws, and you need someone on your side who knows the tax laws as well.

It is not so much a confrontation, as a dialogue between two experts. It is not something that we would advise a taxpayer to do by his or herself. Expert advice is worth it, because, let’s face it, the tax laws of the United States are very, very complicated!

Letter from the IRS? Call us!

In sum, if you have received an IRS audit letter in San Francisco, or nearby communities in the San Francisco bay area, reach out to us for a consultation. We can overview your situation, and as experts in the area of working with the Internal Revenue Service, we can help you put your best and most honest foot forward.

Now, go back to your mailbox, and look for those rebates! You’ve probably got a few dollars coming from Cosco or Home Depot and it’s a time to go shopping!