Hello, last year I filed with an accountant and got a federal return of about $2,600. This year with TurboTax it is $4,200. Will this raise a red flag?

[PaulaM · Accepted solution]

The increase in the refund amount will not unduly raise any flags or cause added attention from the IRS by itself. It is not unusual for a taxpayer's refund amount to vary from year to year (sometimes by a great deal), depending on that year's particular circumstances.

Some returns are more likely to be audited than others (such as returns with a schedule C). The IRS randomly reviews a small percentage of returns regardless of audit risk. In addition, the IRS's focus on audit risk factors changes periodically and is not made public.

Review your return completely for accuracy/mistakes before filing. Be certain to retain supporting documentation and details for any expenses/deductions that you may have taken.