Less than 1% of individual tax returns are usually selected for an audit. The percentage increases for higher income taxpayers, along with tax returns in areas of specific interest to the IRS. Using a tax professional service (such as Gold Standard Tax & Accounting) likely helps prevent audits - but if you or someone you know did not use a professional service and you have received a notice from the IRS of an impending audit, here's what you should remember:

What To Do If You Are Audited

Don’t panic. Open all correspondence and respond to all requested information in a timely fashion. Remember, many of these notices are only due to the processing backlog at the IRS.

Keep good records. Be prepared to support your tax return details. Do this as you prepare your tax records each year and store the prior year's tax return.

Ask for help. You are not a tax professional, the IRS auditor is. Get help as soon as you receive your notice and let professionals deal with the IRS as much as possible.

The best defense is a good offense. Identify the information in question and prepare as much as possible to defend your tax return prior to any meetings with auditors.

Answer questions, do not volunteer information. Answer only the questions under review. It helps both you and the often overworked auditor. It's also a good idea to avoid attending meetings with an auditor on your own.

Don't make it personal. Remember to be polite and avoid making comments about anything other than what is being asked. However, if you feel you are being treated unfairly, there are numerous means within the system to help you such as talking to an auditor's supervisor or using the IRS taxpayer advocate service.

If you have been chosen for an audit and would like to seek the help of a tax professional, click here to schedule an appointment with one of Gold Standard's seasoned tax accountants.

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