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New Member
posted Jun 7, 2019 3:39:29 PM

How do I know if my return is being audited

I don't understand pATH act

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1 Best answer
New Member
Jun 7, 2019 3:39:29 PM

That above "answer" answered nothing lol. If you are being audited you will get a letter in the mail from the IRS. they do not email or call, ever! Only notify by letter.

24 Replies
New Member
Jun 7, 2019 3:39:29 PM

That above "answer" answered nothing lol. If you are being audited you will get a letter in the mail from the IRS. they do not email or call, ever! Only notify by letter.

New Member
Jun 7, 2019 3:39:31 PM

What are the chances irs holds your return if your notified that your being audited? Or they are requesting documentation to prove you qualify for the EIC? 100%? I just received my state refund Thursday.

Level 15
Jun 7, 2019 3:39:33 PM

The "answer" addressed "I don't understand pATH act " that the poster seemed to be confused with.   Refunds being held because of the PATH act have nothing to do with being audited.

New Member
Jun 7, 2019 3:39:37 PM

They do hold your return if you are audited

Level 15
Jun 7, 2019 3:39:39 PM

Your return is what you file.  Your *refund* might be held for a verity of reasons, checking for fraud or ID fraud is one.  That is not an audit.  The initial tax return is very seldom  set aside for an actual audit, although the IRS does do random compliance audits selected totally at random.  The chanced of that are very low.

Errors, missing income, and other IRS checks usually just result in a letter (CP2000) from the IRS which is not an audit.  It would be very unusual for an actual audit of a tax return to take place sooner than a year after the filing date.

In no event would an audit take place before the due date of the tax return (April 18, 2017) since the return is not official or final until then and can be changed by the tax payer.

Level 15
Jun 7, 2019 3:39:40 PM

Also, Audits are almost always done in person.

See this IRS FAQ dealing with audits:
<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/irs-audits">https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/irs-audits</a>
It says small business but applies to individuals as well.

New Member
Jun 7, 2019 3:39:41 PM

Thanks for the information.
When you say in no event will an audit be initiated before 4/18/2017, is that law? Because i did get a letter saying im being audited for 2016. The letter stated that they need documentation for the EIC and head of household that i claimed in my 2017 return. I faxed them all the information requested the same day i got the notice. Additionally, I've already received my state refund. I thought that the PATH ACT law meant that the entire return will be held until Feb 15th.
Im confused now. Uhhh.

Level 15
Jun 7, 2019 3:39:42 PM

That should not be an audit, just a letter requesting more information so that your tax return can be processed.  

The reason for the refund delay in the PATH act is so the IRS can match W-2 information from the employer with the EIC on your return.  Since employers have until Jan 31 to send the W-2, in the past the IRS would blindly pay the EIC before they even had the W-2.   The PATH act give them the time to do that.  Perhaps they did not find your W-2 or your employer was late to sent it, so they sent you a letter so that they could verify your income.

The PATH act in only federal, not state.

New Member
Jun 7, 2019 3:39:44 PM

Ok. I see what your saying. So assuming, which i shouldn't do, they just needed to verify i claimed 2 dependents on my W2 and everything checks out, how long does something like this situation take? You sound very knowledgeable in this area. Weeks, months?

New Member
Jun 7, 2019 3:39:46 PM

The man that helped me in respect to the documentation i needed to send them, was from Block Advisers and he said what i sent them was rock solid and bullet proof, his exact words. He then said this will probably end sometime in JULY! Most likely he said i would get my refund the first week of July. I wanted to throw up when he said that to me.
But thanks again !

Level 15
Jun 7, 2019 3:39:47 PM

I really don't know -  the PATH act is new to everyone this year.  Only the IRS can answer that.

Level 15
Jun 7, 2019 3:39:49 PM

"Block Advisers"?? That sound like H&R Block, not the IRS.

New Member
Jun 7, 2019 3:39:50 PM

If you got  letter saying they need more documentation, they need more documentation. If you got a letter saying you are being audited, you are being audited. Two VERY different things. Audits may or may not be done in person. My sister was audit three years in a row thanks to divorce, moving from state to state, remarriage, more kids, moving again yadda yadda lol. she never was audited in person any of those three times. They hold your return until the audit is complete...all of it. State refund is separate from federal refund.

New Member
Jun 7, 2019 3:39:52 PM

If you say it can't be an audit then why does this letter say "we will notify you upon the completion of this audit".

New Member
Jun 7, 2019 3:39:53 PM

natashav2003,
When your sister was audited, how long did that process take? If you can remember? My letter does not have any names. In other words, it does not say that a specific audit agent is handling my account. In the upper right corner of the letter has a notice number. Its CP75.
As i have indicated in previous posts, they have requested documentation to support my claims of the EIC and head of household.
Specifically, the letter says,
We are holding the Earned Income Credit and or the Additional Child Tax Credit portions of your refund pending the results of the audit.
Be sure to respond within 30 days from the date of this notice or we will disallow the items being audited, and you may owe additional tax.

Someone in this thread said its not an audit but it sure does look and sound like one to me.
The headline of the notice says,
Supporting documentation requested.

New Member
Jun 7, 2019 3:39:55 PM

Oh geez, that is definitely an audit!  I dont know exactly how long on all of them but it was a couple months each. One i know she finally got in April and one was summer time already before she got it. I know you dont want to hear that but keep in mind that hers was rather complicated. She had to prove divorce and address change etc etc. All you have to prove is your credits so maybe it wont be such a lengthy process for you. Just remember to stay positive and relax. Give them what they need and it will work out. Nothing to be scared of. I know the waiting for your money sucks though :(

New Member
Jun 7, 2019 3:39:56 PM

Ok. I knew it. Damn. Really disappointed. But your right. The only thing to do is to stay positive. And i did give them everything they asked for and like i said, when i took my docs into a local tax branch and showed him the letter and showed him my documentation, he said it was rock solid and bullet proof. I gave the irs what they asked for and proved i was eligible for those credits. It just sucks having to play the waiting game now. But thanks for your help and guidance. I really appreciate it!

New Member
Jun 7, 2019 3:39:58 PM

Well at least i know i have everything they asked COVERED. I just hope its not going to be a long drawn out process.
According to the irs, once its in the hands of an agent, they make the determination relatively fast. But geez. What a kick to the guts!

New Member
Jun 7, 2019 3:39:59 PM

if you are being audited how long does it take to be notified

Level 15
Jun 7, 2019 3:40:01 PM

The IRS usually conducts an audit within 1 to 2 years after the filing date of the tax return.

New Member
Jun 7, 2019 3:40:03 PM

It took approximately a monnth to be notified that i was being audited last year. The only way you will get notified is by mail.

New Member
Jun 7, 2019 3:40:04 PM

So in other words i was notified by the irs that i was being audited approximately a month after i filed last year. You won't get any further information on the wheres my refund site. It will say still being processed. Hope this answers your question.

New Member
Jun 7, 2019 3:40:06 PM

My return was accepted on the 8th of February ,but I still haven't received my refund & the where's my refund still says that my refund is still being processed but I havent received anything in the mail. Does anybody have any ideas of what they think might be going on with my refund???

New Member
Jun 7, 2019 3:40:07 PM

Hi there. I would say this could be an audit and they may or may not as of yet sent you a document that says you are. Now i said could be. Im not a 100% certain. But you definitely should have received your money by now.
Call the Offset hotline number. You may have an Offset pending too. So call that number, then call the i r s directly and they can tell you what the status is on your return. I hope it works out for you.