2007-05-03 17:34:14 · 11 answers · asked by Woody 1 in Business & Finance ➔ Taxes ➔ United States
Normally 3 years, if substantial understatement of income (25% or more change) the IRS has 6 years to audit you, if fraud is involved they have forever.
Source, myself, 20+ years as an accountant.
PS, I think I was the source for Dave's answer.
2007-05-07 06:45:10 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, Doodlestuff's answer is affirmed... almost.
Generally, the Statute of Limitations for auditing a federal tax return is three (3) years.
But if the return was filed fraudulently, with intent to evade taxes, the Statute of Limitations does not apply. And that includes the ten (10) year Statute to collect taxes.
In all practicality, unless a tax lien was filed, and the lien is renewed, periodically, or if the tax liability is reduced to a legal judgment (so I understand... you should consult an attorney, as this is not intended to be legal advice), information drops off of the IRS computers after the ten (10) year Statute of Limitations.
Phil
http://www.phillipfostercpa.com/tax.html
2007-05-04 02:40:21 · answer #2 · answered by phillipfostercpa 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
On normal oversight and mistakes, they can go back 3 years. If it is a larger mistake say around 25% understatement of income, then they can go back 6 years. If it is fraud, then there is no statute of limitations, they can go back as far as they want.
2007-05-04 16:16:14 · answer #3 · answered by Dave 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Normally only 3 years, but if they find anything, they can go as far back as 10 years.
2007-05-04 00:40:40 · answer #4 · answered by CarbonDated 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
3 years!
2007-05-04 00:38:27 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 4⤋
Generally the statute of limitations is 3 years from the due date of the return. (Or from the file date if you filed late.)
If you did not file a return or you filed a fraudulent return, there is no statute of limitations.
2007-05-04 10:10:12 · answer #6 · answered by Texas Girl 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The irs is supposedly backlogged for two years. So the window for auditing is about two years from the date you filed. If you filed taxes in say 2004, you may get audited for this year in 2006. If its anything past the two years you can consider yourself safe.
2007-05-04 00:39:36 · answer #7 · answered by girlsaiyan1979 3 · 0⤊ 6⤋
7 years
2007-05-04 00:37:45 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 7⤋
No more than 7 years.
2007-05-04 00:40:36 · answer #9 · answered by SGElite 7 · 0⤊ 6⤋
In reality as far back as they want to go. Supposedly only three years normally; ten years is supposed to be the limit; but if they smell blood in the water they go on like the energizer bunny-going and going and going and going...............
2007-05-04 10:55:53 · answer #10 · answered by acmeraven 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋