Have you ever been audited?
By Amber
@AmbiePam (120547)
United States
January 9, 2010 11:06am CST
Just in case someone is unfamiliar, an audit is an IRS examination of an individual or company's tax return to verify it's accuracy. A lot of the time the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) just pick people at random to audit. My sister and brother-in-law were audited a couple of weeks ago. My sister was really worried, as are most people who get audited. They didn't have anything to hide, it's just a nerve wracking experience, I'm sure. You have to have all your receipts, account statements...
Anyway, an auditor came to their home and it turns out they owe $200. Apparently they claimed something as a loss that they weren't allowed to, BUT the auditor found some things they COULD have declared that they missed. So they were relieved. My sister and her husband are doing well financially, so although $200 isn't fun to lose, they didn't have a problem paying it.
Have you ever been audited? And if so, would you mind telling us how it worked out?
5 people like this
10 responses
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
11 Jan 10
I know it was very weird.
For that year we got that fellers check and he got ours thats why they checked out hubby . HUbby was 23 at the time so he had a very new card had it about 5 years I think got it when he started working out in the public. They didnt give ya a SS card when you was born back then . I think I got mine when I was 17
1 person likes this
@cloudwatcher (6861)
• Australia
13 Jan 10
Our tax return was audited once many years ago. Since my oldest son is 48 it must have been more than 40 years ago. At that time, SOME chemist items were personal tax deductions. I kept an analysis book of all taxable income and tax deductions. The chemist bill was always listed in two columns: tax deduct/non tax deduct. That year, one item had been listed in the deductible column by mistake. The auditor excused it, saying that we had shown INTENT to do the right thing and commended us for our bookkeeping.
1 person likes this
@cloudwatcher (6861)
• Australia
13 Jan 10
Yes, sorry. In Australia we call a pharmacy a chemist.
1 person likes this
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
14 Jan 10
No I have never been audited but I have never been self employed and that is the only time People here get audited when they are self employed so I have never had that experience and I can well imagine that it is very nerve wrecking
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
15 Jan 10
Hi there Ambie, no we call them Police or Cop to the Bobby is just a myth and you will not hear many People call them that any more
Yes we call apartments Flat's and elevators are Lifts but posh People will call them Apartments and Elevators lol so as you can see I am not posh lol
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (120547)
• United States
15 Jan 10
Really? Only those who are self-employed? That is very interesting. I need to ask more questions about English speaking countries. We talk the same language, but everyone does everything so differently! Question: if I were in England and I walked up to a policeman, which is what we would call them here (or cop), would I be correct in saying he was a bobby? Or is it just a myth that those in Great Britain call their policemen bobbies. And you call apartments, flats, right? And an elevator is a lift?
1 person likes this
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
9 Jan 10
no, thank heavens i have never been. I would be a nervous reck just like your sister was. glad they turned out as well as they did.Do u know how many years they went back to audit them.I have receipts for years back & would like to throw some of them away.
@AmbiePam (120547)
• United States
9 Jan 10
I think they went back a year and a half. I heard on TV once from a tax professional, that one should keep receipts for five years before getting rid of them. It was one of those things they have on the news. Before tax time people would send the expert their questions, and one person asked how long they should keep records and receipts. And the tax expert said five years would be safe.
1 person likes this
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
9 Jan 10
Thanks ambie, i have heard 5 years to. If that's the case i have been retired 5 years in june so i should be able to get rid of a bunch. Have a good one.
1 person likes this
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
12 Jan 10
I have never been audited. The Australian taxation office does the same thing here; every now and again someone will be targeted and they will go through everything with a fine tooth comb which, as you say, is unnerving. My husband and I have nothing to hide but we don’t like the idea of an audit either. It is annoying finding out you have to pay some money back; it happened to us last tax return, we were counting on a refund but it turned out we owed $180!
1 person likes this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
9 Jan 10
Nope, "Becca Knocks on wood and sends up a little prayer."
And I am praying that I never due..from what I have heard they aren't fun. I don't have any family that has ever been audited before either. So it is only what I have seen/heard on television basically.
I am glad that it wasn't so bad for them. I know I wouldn't want to ever have to deal with that.
And I am praying that I never due..from what I have heard they aren't fun. I don't have any family that has ever been audited before either. So it is only what I have seen/heard on television basically. I am glad that it wasn't so bad for them. I know I wouldn't want to ever have to deal with that. 1 person likes this
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
10 Jan 10
Never been audited and pray I never have to. That's what makes me so nervous doing our own taxes even with a computer program it worries me til I see our refund deposited in our account.
I should say too my mom messed up on my taxes once and I had to repay back like $90 to the IRS, as my refund was too high. And I guess if I recall correctly they notified me in late summer months after I got & spent my refund.
1 person likes this
