Audits

Tax Audit Advice

Imagine for a moment what is must be like to be an IRS auditor. Every day frightened taxpayers would come into your office with their shoeboxes full of receipts (or maybe no receipts at all) and sometimes bizarre stories. After a short while you would gain an almost intuitive sense of when you were hearing the truth and when you were being presented with something else. The whole process is improved when the taxpayer is organized and prepared.

When a taxpayer follows the tax law, operates a legitimate business with a profit motive and keeps proper records of his expenses any encounter with the IRS will be just business as usual. “MAKING TAX A GAME”does this by first explaining the IRS Audit Process, which begins with how the IRS determines which returns should be chosen and ends when there is a disagreement with the examiner and he gives the taxpayer his rights of appeal.

“MAKING TAX A GAME” provides additional guidance on items such as:

An explanation of why it is in the best interest of the taxpayer to be represented by an unemotional professional who knows the law and is experienced in the the audit Process
Explains why the success of your audit will largely be a function of the quality and completeness of your documentation and tax return preparation in addition to the quality of your representation at the audit.
“MAKING TAX A GAME” also provides the guidance and the filing system that can make a difference in your “quality and completeness”.

Let Us Help:

What Is the Tax Extension Date For Orange County Extended Filers?

 Quick Answer: For individual taxpayers, the federal deadline to file your extended tax return (Form 1040) is October 15. Or September 15, if you're waiting on a business Schedule K-1. Just remember that an extension grants extra time to file your paperwork,...

What Are the IRS Rules on Claiming Dependents After Divorce For Orange County Parents?

 Quick Answer:  The IRS automatically gives the dependent tax claim to the parent the child slept under the same roof with for at least 183 nights. A noncustodial parent can only claim the child if the custodial parent officially signs IRS Form 8332 to pass...

How Does the SALT Deduction Work For Orange County High Earners?

 Quick Answer: In 2026, the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction allows you to write off up to $40,400 on Schedule A, but a Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) over $505,000 triggers a 30% phaseout that reduces the cap down to a $10,000 floor. To legally...

How 529 Plans Are Taxed for Orange County Families

 Quick Answer: Contributions to a 529 plan are made with post-tax dollars, allowing your investment to compound shielded from federal and state capital gains taxes during the growth phase. Withdrawals are 100% tax-free when used for qualified education...

How Does the Lifetime Learning Credit Work for Orange County Students, Parents, and Professionals?

 Quick Answer: The Lifetime Learning Credit (LLC) is a non-refundable federal tax credit worth up to $2,000 per tax return. It’s calculated as 20% of the first $10,000 in qualifying higher education tuition and fees, with no limit on the number of tax years...

Should Orange County Homeowners Add A Name To A Deed?

 Quick Answer: While it’s mechanically simple to add a name to a deed, doing so during your lifetime is a financial mistake that triggers unexpected IRS gift tax reporting and destroys your child's future stepped-up basis tax shield. To safely bypass probate...

What Is the US Retirement Age Timeline for Orange County Retirees?

 Quick Answer: The official US Full Retirement Age is 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later, but true retirement is an 11-to-13-year financial timeline stretching from age 62 to age 73 or 75. Your specific birth year determines where you fall on this milestone...

Supporting Orange County Charities? How 2026 OBBBA Charitable Giving Contributions Work

 Quick Answer: Effective for the 2026 tax year, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) establishes a new universal deduction allowing non-itemizers to deduct up to $1,000 ($2,000 for married couples) for qualified cash donations directly from their income. And...

Calculating Crypto Taxes Simplified For Orange County Investors

 Quick Answer: Crypto taxes are calculated by subtracting your cost basis from your gross proceeds for each taxable sale, swap, or purchase made with cryptocurrency. The IRS treats crypto as property, so selling crypto, trading one token for another, or...

How the Secure 2.0 Act Changes Beneficiary IRS Tax Rules For Your Orange County Heirs

 Quick Answer: Under the SECURE 2.0 beneficiary IRA tax rules, most non-spouse heirs must fully liquidate an inherited IRA within 10 years, with many also facing mandatory annual required minimum distributions (RMDs) if you pass away after age 73. Because...

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Our schedule is very full, but if you call us at (866) 282-3127 or email us we'll give you two options to meet with us right away—in-office or virtually. We will NOT make dealing with a tax professional as painful as it's been in the past!