The Algorithmic Matchmaker
Most IRS scrutiny is not personal.
The IRS uses automated systems to compare the income on your return with W-2s, 1099s, and other forms reported by employers, banks, and clients. One of the easiest ways to attract attention is simply having numbers that do not match.
Before filing, make sure every income…
The Ostrich Mistake
Seeing an IRS envelope in the mail can make your stomach drop.
The natural reaction is to toss it in a drawer and hope it disappears. That is the ostrich mistake: hiding your head in the sand while the problem gets worse.
An unread IRS letter is not harmless.
It is a…
The IRS Has a Stopwatch
The IRS absolutely operates on a clock. For audits and collections, there are real deadlines, and when those deadlines expire, the IRS can lose its power to act. But here is the catch: if you never file, the clock usually never starts.
The Audit Clock (The Rules of 3 and…