Little known, often overlooked, IRS "Audit Techniques Guides"

The IRS issues Audit Technique Guides to its examiners to provide the auditors with information about your industry and potential issues on our tax return which can raise questions.  These guides are the equivalent of a "Cliff's Notes" summary of your industry.  

These guides are also useful to CPAs because they warn us of typical industry-specific areas of focus by the IRS. Knowing where the IRS is looking helps us with preventing problems, business planning, and for tax planning purposes. The IRS periodically updates the guides, providing us valuable information as the newly issued guides reveal potential target industries and industry-specific problem areas.  Newly issued guides reveal potential target industries and problem areas.

The following list shows the available guides that may be of interest to our clients:

  • Landscape design

  • Attorneys

  • Business consultants

  • Cash intensive business:

    • Bail bonds

    • Beauty shops

    • Car washes

    • Check cashing

    • Laundromats

    • Scrap metal

    • Convenience stores

  • Child care

  • Construction contrators

  • Farmers

  • Timber and logging (New 12/2012)

  • Reforestation

  • Non profit

  • Ministers

  • Auto dealerships

  • Partnerships

  • Retail

  • Veterinary

Let us know if you would like for one of our CPAs to perform a threat assessment for your industry or help you plan to make sure your records are adequate.  Peace of mind brought to you by Holden Moss CPAs.

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