This message is brought to you by the Taxpayer Advocate service your voice at the IRS hello I'm Nina Olson the National Taxpayer Advocate I lead the Taxpayer Advocate service and we're bringing you a series of consumer tax tips to help you understand some important tax issues you may be facing this series focuses on IRS audits which are also called examinations I know the word audit may sound intimidating but it doesn't have to be today I'm going to talk about what to do if you do not agree with the IRS during an audit if the IRS audits your tax return and accepts your records for the items in question you will receive a letter from the IRS letting you know that no changes were made to your tax return be sure to keep this letter with your tax records if the IRS does not receive or does not accept your records you will get a report that tells you what the IRS wants to change on your return and why at this point you can either agree with the IRS s proposal and sign the report or you can disagree or appeal the decision do not sign the IRS report if you disagree with the changes instead you can send in more records or an explanation of why you don't agree with the IRS if you have already sent this information you still have a number of options you can ask for a meeting with the auditors manager or you can request a meeting with the IRS office of Appeals you have 30 days to do either of these things but remember it is very important that you ask for an appeal within 30 days of the date you get the IRS letter with the proposed...