The hope every Connecticut resident has when filing taxes is that they will not hear anything but good news from the Internal Revenue Service. However, months or even years down the line, there are an unfortunate few who receive letters stating they have been selected for tax audits. Audit is a word that can strike fear into anyone’s heart. Not to worry, though; when it happens, taxpayers are protected by the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.
Every single taxpayer is guaranteed certain rights when they find themselves having to deal with the IRS. Only a few of those rights will be addressed here. The first is the right to information about one’s case. The IRS cannot keep taxpayers in the dark about why they are being audited. People have a right to know why they were chosen for an audit, what the procedures for the audit process are and what is going on with their case.
The second right that will be discussed is the right to challenge. Once an audit decision has been reached and the party in question notified, he or she has the right to challenge the IRS findings. One can do this by submitting further documentation to help his or her case.
The third right that will be discussed is the right to appeal. If the IRS stands behind its decision after completing the audit process and that decision is not in one’s favor, it may be possible to appeal the decision. Those who wish to appeal must do so in the required timeline.
Finally, the last right that will be discussed in the right to retain legal counsel. Going up against the IRS can be intimidating. Connecticut residents who are facing tax audits do not have to go through it alone. An experienced tax attorney can be with them every step of the way, fighting for a favorable outcome.