Tax Audit in Westminster, California

Find the right Tax Audit attorney in Westminster, CA

Tax Audit Lawyers in Westminster

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 Westminster, 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 made sure that your audit is indeed real, you can do a few things to get prepared for it. Most notably, you should collect all of the documents that the auditor has asked for, as well as any further documents and evidence that you think might help clear up any confusion about your tax return. You should bring these to the meeting with the auditor, and truthfully (to the best of your knowledge) answer all of the questions that the auditor asks.

Reasons For a Tax Audit in Westminster, California

Tax Audits in California can happen for a wide variety of various reasons.

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.

On the other hand, there are also certain reasons why the tax authorities in Westminster, California might want to conduct a tax audit. The most frequent reason for a tax audit is suspicion that a taxpayer has not reported all of the income they earned in a particular year. This suspicion often arises when a taxpayer buys a massive number of expensive luxury items, but only claims a small amount of income on their tax return. Obviously, the tax man will be extremely interested in learning where someone who is claiming a minimum-wage level income on their taxes got the money to buy a sports car.

Another frequent reason for tax audits in Westminster, California is when a taxpayer claims a large number of deductions. A deduction is just a legally-authorized subtraction from a person's taxable income. For example, charitable donations can be deducted from one's income in the full amount of the donation. Nonetheless, if a person claims a very large number of deductions, to the point that they claim little or no tax liability, the tax authorities are going to take a closer look.

How Can A Westminster, California Tax Lawyer Help?

If you experience an audit in Westminster, California, and believe that you have properly reported all of your income on your tax filings, it will probably go fine. And if there is anything wrong with your filings, it was likely the result of an honest mistake, and auditors are generally sensitive to this fact. In such cases, the penalty is normally light. It will probably be little more than a requirement that you pay back taxes and interest.

But, there are some tax audits that are far more confusing and serious than a tax return having a few more deductions than usual. If this is the situation you're in, you should contact a Westminster, California tax attorney as soon as possible, to help make sure that your tax audit goes smoothly.

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Life in Westminster

Westminster is located in Orange County in the state of California. It has a population of nearly 90,000 and was named after the Westminster Assembly of 1643. Originally, the city was named "Tri-City" because it was formed of three cities, Westminster, Midway City, and Barber City. Currently, Westminster California is an important hub for residence, employment, shopping, and arts/recreation.

The city of Westminster presents many opportunities for employment and business. Top employers in Westminster include Westminster School District, Southern California Edison, and Ito Farms. Many businesses are concentrated in Westminster's Bolsa area. The Westminster Mall is also a major source of revenue and retail for the city, as it contains over 180 different stores. For convenience, Westminster City Hall operates a separate branch called City Hall at the Mall.

Another site of interest in Westminster, California is the Westminster Rose Center. The Rose Center is a large, artistically designed building consisting of a banquet hall, a theater, and is often used for civic and cultural events. Westminster is also known for its beautiful outdoor parks, especially Liberty Park, which contains a well-frequented skate park.

Westminster lawyers provide many kinds of legal services for those needing advice or representation in court. Lawyers in Westminster, California often handle legal claims through the West Justice Center branch of the Superior Court of California, Orange County. The Justice Center is located in Westminster on 13th Street.

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