We will advise you of the audit's outcome and finalisation in writing, generally within seven days of making our decision. We will offer a final interview to discuss any penalties and interest charges if this is not included in the final position paper.
The quickest and easiest way to check the progress of your tax return is by using our self-help services. Online returns process within 2 weeks (14 days) while paper takes up to 10 weeks (50 business days).
The estimated time frame for receiving a refund after sending in audit documents is approximately 4-8 Weeks.
If we find evidence during a review that you have not met your obligations, we may decide to conduct an audit. We will tell you if we intend to do this. If we don't find any evidence that you may not be complying with your obligations, we will complete the review.
Audits are typically scheduled for three months from beginning to end, which includes four weeks of planning, four weeks of fieldwork and four weeks of compiling the audit report. The auditors are generally working on multiple projects in addition to your audit.
If there's one thing American taxpayers fear more than owing money to the IRS, it's being audited. But before you picture a mean, scary IRS agent busting into your home and questioning you till you break, you should know that in reality, most audits aren't actually a big deal.
The IRS usually starts these audits within a year after you file the return, and wraps them up within three to six months. But expect a delay if you don't provide complete information or if the auditor finds issues and wants to expand the audit into other areas or years.
What happens if you get audited and owe money? If you get audited by the IRS and owe money, you'll be notified of the additional tax that you're required to pay as well as any penalties and interest due. The correspondence that you receive from the IRS will mention a deadline by which you must pay.
Don't worry about dealing with the IRS in person
Most of the time, when the IRS starts a mail audit, the IRS will ask you to explain or verify something simple on your return, such as: Income you didn't report that the IRS knows about (like leaving off Form 1099 income)
Audits can be bad and can result in a significant tax bill. But remember – you shouldn't panic. There are different kinds of audits, some minor and some extensive, and they all follow a set of defined rules. If you know what to expect and follow a few best practices, your audit may turn out to be “not so bad.”
After the IRS Audit — What Happens Next? After the Internal Revenue Service audit has ended, the Taxpayer will usually receive an IRS Form 4549. *If the Audit did not end and the IRS Agent went “silent,” your case may be referred to the IRS Special Agents for a potential criminal investigation.
IRS audits individuals to verify if they accurately reported their taxes and, if they didn't, to determine if more taxes are owed. Audit trends vary by taxpayer income. In recent years, IRS audited taxpayers with incomes below $25,000 and those with incomes of $500,000 or more at higher-than-average rates.
If you get audited and don't have receipts or additional proofs? Well, the Internal Revenue Service may disallow your deductions for the expenses. This often leads to gross income deductions from the IRS before calculating your tax bracket.
Fines for misleading statements on your tax return range from $4,440 up to $13,320 for taxpayers who have shown “intentional disregard” by intentionally underpaying tax or over-claiming an entitlement.
If your return is under review it means that something is being checked and you may be contacted for further information.
The ATO can freeze your bank accounts
If the ATO freezes your bank accounts, your bank will block your account immediately and you will not be able to see it or deal with it at all.
Audit Rate
(Source: IRS Data Book, 2020.) Overall, the chance of being audited was 0.6%. This means only one out of every 166 returns was audited—the lowest audit rate since 2002.
A tax audit doesn't automatically mean you're in trouble. While it's true the IRS can audit people when they suspect they have done something wrong, that's often not the case. The IRS audits a portion of the taxpaying public every year. You can be selected purely as a matter of chance.
If your tax return is being audited by the IRS, there is a greater likelihood that the IRS finds errors in your return, which can result in hefty IRS audit penalties and interest. In more extreme cases, the penalties can cost you tens of thousands of dollars – or even result in jail time.
Here's what happens if you ignore the notice:
You'll have 90 days to file a petition with the U.S. Tax Court. If you still don't do anything, the IRS will end the audit and start collecting the taxes you owe. You'll also waive your appeal rights within the IRS.
You could face civil penalties.
Bigger understatements mean bigger consequences. In this case, the most common penalties are: Negligence penalty: 20% of the additional tax. Fraud penalty: 75% of the additional tax due to fraud.
What is the chance of being audited by the IRS? The overall audit rate is extremely low, less than 1% of all tax returns get examined within a year.
Overall, the chance of an individual's tax return being audited is currently only around 0.4%. However, the more you earn, the higher your chances. Naturally, the IRS has limited resources, so it concentrates on those returns likely to bring in the most additional dollars.