Tampa IRS Audit Defense Attorney

Respected IRS Audit Defense Lawyer in Tampa, FL

Facing an IRS Audit in Tampa?

An envelope from the IRS changes how you sleep. You start wondering how far back the IRS will look. Will it find a mistake you didn’t even know you made? Will a bill come that you cannot pay?

Those questions deserve real answers, not guesses.

Angie Smith founded TaxSmith, LLC after working in the tax industry for several years. We know the stress you are under, and we want to help. All of our clients have direct access to their skilled Tampa IRS audit defense attorney and can reach her directly when they have a question.

Tell us what the IRS sent you and we will walk through exactly what it means and what comes next.

IRS Audit Situations We Handle

As a Tampa IRS tax attorney, TaxSmith represents individuals and business owners across the Tampa Bay area through every stage of an audit, including:

• Correspondence audits: the letter that asks for documents to support a specific item on your return, such as a deduction or credit.
• Office audits: an in-person meeting at an IRS office to review your return in more detail.
• Field audits: a broader review, often held at your home or business, that can cover several tax years and multiple issues at once.
• Payroll and business tax audits: examinations of a company’s employment tax filings, deposits, and worker classifications.
• Audit reconsideration: challenging an audit result you believe the IRS calculated incorrectly.

What an IRS Audit Can Cost You

An IRS audit can reach back further than most people expect. Under 26 U.S.C. § 6501, the IRS generally has three years from your filing date to assess more tax. That window stretches to six years if the IRS believes you left off more than 25% of your income, and there is no time limit at all if fraud is involved.

An audit that goes wrong does not end with a letter. It can mean additional tax on top of what you already paid, interest that keeps growing while your file sits open, and a 20% penalty added to the balance. Having someone review your records before you respond may keep those numbers as low as they can be.

Responding to an IRS Audit Notice in Tampa

Most Tampa audits start with one of two letters. A CP2000 notice flags a mismatch between your return and information the IRS already has on file. For example, a CP2000 could be triggered by a 1099 that does not match what you reported. A Letter 2205 opens a full examination and lists a quick deadline to respond or schedule a meeting.

If your audit calls for a face-to-face meeting, the IRS handles those appointments through its Taxpayer Assistance Center at 3848 W. Columbus Drive in Tampa. We prepare clients for what to expect there and can attend with you, or handle the entire audit by mail and phone if you would rather not go in person at all.

Missing the deadline on either letter narrows your options fast, so the moment you have a notice in hand is the moment to have it reviewed. Then, you can plan your next steps.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does it cost to have TaxSmith review my IRS audit?

A: TaxSmith offers a free initial consultation to review your notice and walk through what it means before you spend a dollar. Fees after that depend on the type of audit. A straightforward correspondence audit costs less to resolve than a multi-year field audit involving a business. We will tell you the fee structure before you decide to move forward, not after.

Q: How long does an IRS audit take to resolve?

A: A correspondence audit questioning a single item on your return, like a missing 1099, often resolves within a few months once you submit the right documentation. A field audit covering several years or a full business return takes longer, sometimes a year or more, especially if the IRS proposes changes you want to appeal instead of accept.

Q: Can my CPA handle my audit instead of a tax attorney?

A: A CPA can help you gather records and explain how the numbers were calculated, and that is valuable. What a CPA cannot do is act as your lawyer. Many CPAs step back if the IRS refers your case for a fraud investigation. We can negotiate directly with your auditor and keep what you tell us protected by Tamps state tax attorney-client privilege.

Q: What happens if I miss the deadline on my audit notice?

A: If you let the deadline on your notice pass without responding, the IRS is allowed to finalize its proposed changes using only the information already in its file, which is rarely in your favor. Once that assessment is final, reversing it means filing an appeal or an amended return instead of simply answering a letter, which takes longer and costs more.

Q: Do I have to pay everything I owe right away if the audit finds I owe more tax?

A: No. If the audit results in a balance you cannot pay in full, options like an installment agreement, an offer in compromise, or currently not collectible status can spread out or reduce what you owe based on your finances. Which option fits depends on your income, assets, and how much you owe, so we review that with you once the audit is final.

Q: Does every IRS audit end with the taxpayer owing more money?

A: No. An audit can end three ways: the IRS proposes additional tax, the IRS makes no change to your return at all, or, less often, the IRS finds you overpaid and owes you a refund. Which outcome you get depends on what the audit was actually looking at and how well your records support what you filed.

Talk to TaxSmith About Your Tampa IRS Audit

An audit notice comes with a real deadline, and that deadline does not wait for you to feel ready. Contact TaxSmith today and tell us what the IRS sent. We will review it with you, explain exactly what is at stake, and build a plan before that deadline arrives, not after.

Serving Tampa and Hillsborough County, Florida

An IRS Revenue Officer investigation or audit can put personal finances and business operations under significant pressure. Revenue Officers may pursue delinquent tax accounts directly, while an audit can require taxpayers to substantiate income, deductions, credits, and other information reported on a return. TaxSmith LLC helps individuals and businesses throughout Tampa respond to IRS scrutiny with informed legal guidance and a strategy suited to the specific tax controversy.

The firm represents taxpayers in Revenue Officer matters, IRS audits, collection disputes, Trust Fund Recovery Penalty cases, penalty abatement requests, Offers in Compromise, installment agreements, and other federal tax matters. Depending on the dispute, representation may involve IRS examination or collection personnel, the IRS Independent Office of Appeals, the Taxpayer Advocate Service, or the United States Tax Court. TaxSmith LLC helps clients understand IRS demands, organize supporting documentation, and evaluate available options for challenging or resolving disputed liabilities.

TaxSmith LLC serves taxpayers throughout Downtown Tampa, Westshore, Hyde Park, Ybor City, New Tampa, and surrounding Hillsborough County communities connected by Interstate 275, Interstate 4, and the Selmon Expressway. Whether you are dealing directly with a Revenue Officer or preparing for an IRS audit, experienced tax counsel can make the difference between facing federal tax enforcement without a strategy and pursuing an organized response designed to protect your financial interests.

Helping Taxpayers Throughout Tampa

Tampa’s economy includes healthcare, finance, hospitality, construction, professional services, and a substantial small-business community. TaxSmith LLC helps individuals and businesses throughout Tampa and Hillsborough County navigate IRS audits, collection activity, and other federal tax problems with clear legal guidance.

Tampa, FL IRS Audit Defense Law Additional Resources:

• What Triggers an IRS Audit?
• IRS Tax Audit Process
• Why Your Business Was Flagged for a Tax Audit