Squaring Off Against the IRS: Know Your Rights

Receiving a letter from the Internal Revenue Service regarding back taxes owed is a nerve-wracking experience. After all, the IRS has a reputation for not messing around. This is why you should report to the nearest IRS office and schedule a meeting with an IRS auditor ASAP.

Meeting with an IRS auditor can feel eerily similar to being interrogated at a police station. Fortunately, you also have a set of rights that protect you from making your situation worse. These rights include:

Right to an Attorney

You have the right to have a tax attorney of your choice be present during the meeting. In fact, you can let your attorney do all the talking. This way, you do not have to deal with the scare tactics that an IRS auditor may try to use to pressure you to pay back taxes in full immediately.

Right to Stay at Home

If you don’t do very well in high-pressure situations, you have the right to skip attending the meeting the IRS auditor entirely—just make sure you inform the IRS that your tax attorney will be representing you. Additionally, you will want to keep your phone next to you in case your tax attorney feels that you must speak to the auditor. This is an act of good will on your part, which helps make the auditor realize that you are willing to cooperate at all times.