A View of The IRS Through Corporate Insider Eyes – Corporate Tax Audit Survival – Part 4

Reference Cliff Jernigan's eBook Corporate Tax Audit SurvivalThis is Part [4] of a series of a Chapter in the eBook “Corporate Tax Audit Survival – A View of The IRS Through Corporate Insider Eyes” by Cliff Jernigan.

You can download the entire eBook here.

Sample From Chapter 4: “Big Brother”

When I first engaged the IRS voice messaging system, I was stunned by the message: “Welcome to the IRS voice messaging system. Unauthorized use of this facility could result in civil and criminal penalties.” After this admonition, I was almost afraid to use the IRS phone system.

A few days later I received an email message warning me that I could be disciplined if I did not pay my government credit card bill on time. I thought, “Am I working with a bunch of deadbeats?”

Shortly thereafter I received a sternly-worded message telling me there would be severe consequences, including possible termination of employment, if I incurred estimated tax payment penalties for underpayment of estimated taxes or if I made a mistake on my federal income tax return. I thought, “Am I working with a bunch of tax cheats?”

I considered the references to late payments of credit card bills and tax filing penalties.

Why would IRS employees be receiving these messages? Was I not working with some of the most honorable people in America?

I concluded that the messages were ill-advised and would never have been sent by management in the private sector. Messages like these can only breed hurt feelings and damage morale. To me, the messages are insulting, and I believe the practice should be eliminated.

In accordance with Circular 230 Disclosure

Aaron C. Giles is the Founder and President of Agile Consulting Group. Aaron spent five years working within the specialty niche of Sales & Use Tax at Brown & Associates before forming his own firm in 2005. He has worked hundreds of audits in states all across the U.S. during that time and has delivered savings of over $75M in the form of refunds and credits to his clients. Today, he leads a group of talented, detail-oriented colleagues who focus exclusively on Sales & Use Tax.

Some of our firms’ greatest achievements have come in successfully arguing new and unique perspectives to existing tax law in various states enabling our clients to claim exemptions on categories of purchases previously held to be taxable. Included in these victories are: communication services taxes for religious nonprofit hospitals in FL, bulk purchases of drugs in VA, specific surgical tools and instruments for healthcare providers in TX, printing plates in GA, railroad utilities in KY, and most recently software in AL.

Subscribe to TaxConnections Blog

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.