If I get audited for my personal taxes by the IRS, when would I expect to be notified?

Question

If in a given year my personal tax return gets audited by the IRS, when would I expect to be notified? I am basically trying to figure out at what point during the calendar year can I stop worrying about getting audited. This is especially important to me since I do my own taxes.

Answer 1

There are 3 layers of exams.

1) Blatant money grabs that are pretty obviously padding large refunds.  These happen fairly quickly.

2) Mismatches, forgotten W-2s, generally 1 year later.

3) Full blown audits up to 4 years.  (If they nail you for fraud, there is no statute.)

Save all documents.  Even #1 1 is easy to resolve, you just find your supporting doc and fax it in.  

Answer 2

As a practical matter, if you haven't received any notice of an audit 18 months after the return is filed, it will not be audited even though the statute of limitations is three years after filing.

Answer 3

It can be shortly after you file, but would commonly be a year or more later.  If you didn't cheat - don't worry - even if you get audited you'll be OK

Answer 4

Why would you worry?  Unless you did something illegal, an audit is simply the IRS asking you to explain and document some of the numbers you put on your return.

Answer 5

You will be notified when they knock on your door.