Hi. I'm Becky, and I work for the IRS.
As a business taxpayer, you may wonder what the IRS looks for when auditing a tax return within your particular industry.
Well, the IRS has developed Audit Techniques Guides. We call them ATGs.
These help our employees during audits by providing insight into issues and accounting methods unique to specific industries.
But while ATGs are designed to provide guidance for IRS employees, they're also useful to small-business owners and tax professionals who prepare returns.
ATGs explain industry-specific examination techniques and include common, as well as unique, industry issues, business practices, and terminology.
Guidance is also provided on the examination of income, interview techniques, and evaluation of evidence.
One example is the Cash Intensive Business ATG.
It contains information related to businesses that have substantial cash transactions.
Those types of businesses include bail bonds offices, beauty shops, car washes, check cashing establishments, coin operated amusements, Laundromats, scrap metal dealers, and some convenience stores.
But that is only one ATG example. There are several ATGs for other industries, too.
We continually work to update existing ATGs, retire those that are not needed, and create new ones as new industries develop.
As a result, ATGs are a great resource for all and a great place for a small-business owner to look who wants to do the right thing when it comes to business taxes.
Even if you have a tax professional handling your taxes, you need to know your tax responsibilities.
For more information on Audit Techniques Guides, check out IRS.gov.
Just enter "ATG" in the search box.
BECKY: Hi. I'm Becky,
and I work for the IRS.
As a business taxpayer,
you may wonder
what the IRS looks for
when auditing a tax return
within your particular industry.
Well, the IRS has developed
Audit Techniques Guides.
We call them ATGs.
These help our employees
during audits
by providing insight into issues
and accounting methods
unique to specific industries.
But while ATGs are designed
to provide guidance
for IRS employees,
they're also useful
to small-business owners
and tax professionals
who prepare returns.
ATGs explain industry-specific
examination techniques
and include common, as well as
unique, industry issues,
business practices,
and terminology.
Guidance is also provided
on the examination of income,
interview techniques,
and evaluation of evidence.
One example is
the Cash Intensive Business ATG.
It contains information
related to businesses
that have substantial
cash transactions.
Those types of businesses
include bail bonds offices,
beauty shops, car washes,
check cashing establishments,
coin operated amusements,
laundromats,
scrap metal dealers,
and some convenience stores.
But that is
only one ATG example.
There are several ATGs
for other industries, too.
We continually work
to update existing ATGs,
retire those
that are not needed,
and create new ones
as new industries develop.
As a result, ATGs are
a great resource for all
and a great place for
a small-business owner to look
who wants to do the right thing
when it comes to business taxes.
Even if you have
a tax professional
handling your taxes,
you need to know
your tax responsibilities.
For more information
on Audit Techniques Guides,
check out IRS.gov.
Just enter "ATG"
in the search box.