Tax Audit in Burbank, California

Find the right Tax Audit attorney in Burbank, CA

Tax Audit Lawyers in Burbank

A "tax audit" in California is the process by which the appropriate tax authorities (either the IRS, at the federal level, or its state equivalent) investigate a tax filing in more detail than they do for ordinary filings, normally because there appears to be a discrepancy, or some other suspicious item, in somebody's tax returns. However, the IRS (and state tax authorities) sometimes do rounds of unexpected audits, where they audit taxpayers at random, without necessarily suspecting them of any wrongdoing.

The process of a Burbank, California tax audit is normally pretty straightforward. If and when you are faced with a tax audit, you'll receive a letter from the IRS, or its state equivalent, telling you that you're being audited. Nonetheless, you should not assume that this letter is authentic, because con artists will sometimes send fake audit letters to squeeze money out of innocent taxpayers. You should obtain independent confirmation of the letter's authenticity by searching the Internet for the name of the government agency in question, and contact them for more information.

Once you have confirmed that your audit is authentic, you will be obligated to meet the auditor at an agreed-upon time and place. The auditor will normally inform you about what documents and other proof you need to take to the meeting. At the meeting, they will ask you a long series of questions about your taxes, to clear up the thing they're uncertain about.

Reasons For a Tax Audit in Burbank, California

There are various reasons why the federal government, or the government of California may want to audit a taxpayer.

As mentioned above, an audit can happen simply because a person was chosen for an audit at random. If you are randomly chosen for a tax audit, and you have been straightforward and diligent in gathering your tax documents, it will probably be a quick, painless process, and you likely don't have anything to worry about.

Nonetheless if the IRS or other tax agency suspects actual wrongdoing by a Burbank, California taxpayer, that's a different matter. There are various different reasons why a government might determine to audit a taxpayer. The most frequent one is suspicion that they have underreported their income. If a taxpayer buys a massive number of expensive luxury items, but reports little or no income on their tax returns, the government will definitely want to discover where the money to buy all those things came from, and why it hasn't been declared as taxable income.

If you claim such a massive number of deductions that your tax liability is unusually low, you may well be subject to an audit in Burbank, California. A deduction is an allowable reduction in your taxable income, requiring you to pay taxes on a smaller portion of your income. Particular business expenses and charitable donations are frequent sources of tax deductions. However, some people add invalid deductions to their tax returns to reduce their tax burden. If the IRS is suspicious about your deductions, you should make sure you have relevant documentation to back them up.

How Can A Burbank, California Tax Lawyer Help?

If you find yourself being audited in Burbank, California, and are sure that you have done everything right in preparing your taxes, then the audit will likely be over rapidly, with no penalties imposed. In cases like this, if anything is found to be wrong with your tax return, it is likely the result of an honest mistake, and the auditor will be aware of this, and will likely give you an opportunity to correct your mistake, without suffering any penalties, with the possible exception of being made to pay interest on any back taxes you owe.

However, there are times when an audit is conducted to investigate far more significant issues. If you find yourself facing allegations from the IRS of serious wrongdoing, and believe yourself to be innocent, you should obtain the advice of a Burbank, California tax attorney immediately.

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Life in Burbank

Burbank, California is known as the "Media Capital of the World". It is only a few miles away from Hollywood and is home to the headquarters for many entertainment and media companies. Burbank has a population of about 104,000 and was named after David Burbank, an entrepreneur. Many famous movie and film celebrities have resided in Burbank.

Burbank's economic and social life is supported primarily by the entertainment industry. Companies that have headquarters or major productions studios in the city include: Warner Music Group, Warner Bros. Entertainment, The Walt Disney Company, Nickelodeon, ABC, NBC Universal, and Cartoon Network Studios. Burbank is considered to be a nucleus for the Southern California entertainment and media industry.

Burbank has one of the most famous downtown districts in the country. In fact, the city of Burbank has often been referred to as "Beautiful Downtown Burbank". Downtown Burbank features a diverse mix of fine dining, high-end shopping, and entertainment attractions. Burbank Mall is a popular shopping destination for visitors to the area. Several other similar shopping centers can be found throughout Burbank.

Lawyers in Burbank, California often assist their clients at the Burbank Courthouse. The Courthouse handles a very broad range of legal claims. Burbank lawyers are available to advise those who need legal advice or assistance.

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