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TaxGrrrl survives audit!

November 27, 2009

The TaxGrrrl, an excellent tax blogger, has been audited, and lives to tell the tale. She has some great advice, all worth reading, but I think this bit may be the best:

Be nice. I know, I know. But hear me out: your mother was right about this. A little bit of kindness can go a long way.
Yes, the system is adversarial. Nobody is excited about paying taxes. And the mission of the IRS is to collect taxes. So, there you go: problem from the start.

But taking the position that you won’t cooperate isn’t helpful. In fact, it’s just the opposite. Think about it… what kind of frame of mind are you in when someone is rude to you? Do you think, “how can I help this person?” or do you think, “how can I teach this person a lesson?” Right.

The agents have a job to do, whether you agree with their position on the issue or not. And in my line of work, it’s all too often that I don’t agree with their position. But it doesn’t help to be a drama queen – or worse, a martyr. It simply complicates an already unpleasant and awkward situation. Remember, neither one of you wants to be at that table. So be nice. The time will go much faster. And your mother will be proud of you.

If you make the agent hate you, do you really think she will take a pass on your iffy deduction?

Read the whole thing.

Tags: TaxGrrrl.