If The IRS Challenges, What's The Point??

[My4SunshineGirlsNY]

Is anyone else feeling overwhelmed by what is acceptable to write off and what isn't?

It seems to me that if the IRS is going to question why you wrote off this and that if you get an audit, what is the point of even writing it off? I'm starting to get discouraged as to what I have to prove if I get audited. I don't want to get in trouble by the IRS yet I'm sure I'm not alone in this when I want to get my taxable income down.

Would if you make honest mistakes because you didn't know...do they automatically assume you should have known and are cheating on purpose? I'm trying to do everything right by educating myself but would if I miss something that I was unaware of and get audited? Am I thinking too deep into it? I just don't want an audit and get into trouble for a mistake I didn't know about. It stresses me out....anyone else??

[Crystal]

Don't stress over it to much. They aren't out to get you!

My second year in business I was audited. The auditor was very kind and worked with me. She didn't fully inderstand the food program rules, I didn't fully understand depreciation rules. SO, because I had used Tom's books to prepare my taxes, I emailed him and he helped me with my audit! He gave me the info I needed to educate the auditor about the food program and she was very receptive to it. I ended up doing fine.

Also, my entire audit was done by mail. I never had to meet face to face. I explained to the auditor the nature of my business and she allowed a mail audit so I wouldn't have to close. I simply made photocopies of all reciepts and sent those as well as my spreadsheets to her. She loved that I was very organized as well!

[legomom922]

Is anyone else feeling overwhelmed by what is acceptable to write off and what isn't?

It seems to me that if the IRS is going to question why you wrote off this and that if you get an audit, what is the point of even writing it off? I'm starting to get discouraged as to what I have to prove if I get audited. I don't want to get in trouble by the IRS yet I'm sure I'm not alone in this when I want to get my taxable income down.

Would if you make honest mistakes because you didn't know...do they automatically assume you should have known and are cheating on purpose? I'm trying to do everything right by educating myself but would if I miss something that I was unaware of and get audited? Am I thinking too deep into it? I just don't want an audit and get into trouble for a mistake I didn't know about. It stresses me out....anyone else??

I feel the same way as I explained yesterday. It is very nerve racking, because I dont know what I'm doing and I dont need anymore stress, as I do suffer from aniexty and have panic attacks anyway.

So teh best thingt o do is just come here and ask questions, and we all can help each other! Hugs

[My4SunshineGirlsNY]

Thank you Crystal for that information. If you get audited, do they withhold your refund until the audit is complete?

Legomom, I have also had panic attacks and anxiety in the past and found myself very close to one yesterday as I was reading all the info on taxes to figure it all out. I had to walk away from the computer for a while.

[TomCopeland]

Audits

Certainly it can be a stressful experience to be audited. However, we shouldn't be stressed out by an audit before it happens!
Do your best to claim everything you believe you are entitled to claim as a business deduction. If one of your deductions is denied at an audit, it's not the end of the world. You just owe some money. The IRS won't shame you. In my experience in many, many IRS audits of family child care providers, it's common for providers to make mistakes. Nobody's perfect.
Your chances of being audited are very remote, probably less than 2%.

If you ever are audited, contact me and I will help you for free.

[My4SunshineGirlsNY]

Certainly it can be a stressful experience to be audited. However, we shouldn't be stressed out by an audit before it happens!
Do your best to claim everything you believe you are entitled to claim as a business deduction. If one of your deductions is denied at an audit, it's not the end of the world. You just owe some money. The IRS won't shame you. In my experience in many, many IRS audits of family child care providers, it's common for providers to make mistakes. Nobody's perfect.
Your chances of being audited are very remote, probably less than 2%.

If you ever are audited, contact me and I will help you for free.

Thank you Tom, you are the best! I deeply thank you as I am one to worry alot and to know that I will have someone to turn to for help if and when I need it. I feel the stress lifting!

[legomom922]

Certainly it can be a stressful experience to be audited. However, we shouldn't be stressed out by an audit before it happens!
Do your best to claim everything you believe you are entitled to claim as a business deduction. If one of your deductions is denied at an audit, it's not the end of the world. You just owe some money. The IRS won't shame you. In my experience in many, many IRS audits of family child care providers, it's common for providers to make mistakes. Nobody's perfect.
Your chances of being audited are very remote, probably less than 2%.

If you ever are audited, contact me and I will help you for free.

Wow Tom, that is a terrific offer! Thank You!

Sunshine girl, are you on anything? I take Zanax when needed, doesnt really seem to do much though...

[My4SunshineGirlsNY]

Wow Tom, that is a terrific offer! Thank You!

Sunshine girl, are you on anything? I take Zanax when needed, doesnt really seem to do much though...

I have a small perscription for the generic of Zanax in case I need it. Thankfully I have kept it under control for years and haven't needed the meds, but back in 2004 when we were getting our new home and my husband's father died and he went out of state, I was left to care for our 3 young girls and with the stress of closing on the house and trying to move our belongings, I was going into so many attacks it was scary! I didn't even want to go to sleep, I was afraid I was going to die.

Back then I took the Zanax as needed and it helped instantly take the attack away, but I felt very tired when I took one...it kind of helps having the pills just incase, but haven't needed them...I come VERY close sometimes, but talk myself down....especially recently.

[legomom922]

I get them out of nowhere for no reason. Sometimes I will get one as I am trying to fall asleep, and those seem to be the worse! I'm glad to know I'm not alone.

[momofsix]

...it kind of helps having the pills just incase, but haven't needed them...I come VERY close sometimes, but talk myself down....especially recently.

Me too! Just having the meds there can actually make things easier to go through-even if I don't take them.
Can I ask if either of you has a heart murmur? I had a very pronounced one before I had surgery to repair my valve and read a book called "The Mitral Valve Prolapse Syndrome", and until I read that I never know there was a connection between my murmer and the panic attacks (and tons of other things too!) That book was a great source of information for me. I guess if you don't have a murmur, ignore everything I said!::

[legomom922]

Not that I know of!

[My4SunshineGirlsNY]

Me too! Just having the meds there can actually make things easier to go through-even if I don't take them.
Can I ask if either of you has a heart murmur? I had a very pronounced one before I had surgery to repair my valve and read a book called "The Mitral Valve Prolapse Syndrome", and until I read that I never know there was a connection between my murmer and the panic attacks (and tons of other things too!) That book was a great source of information for me. I guess if you don't have a murmur, ignore everything I said!::

I get the feeling that my heart is skipping a beat which seems to provoke an attack....it was more frequent when I was pregnant so I sought out an appt. with the cardiologist. I wore a heart monitor and caught a few episondes on the monitor which showed my heart was contracting 2 times when it was typically supposed to contract once...what was explained to me is my heart would contract the 2nd time before it (my heart or chambers, I really don't understand it) would fill completely up with blood so it would feel as though it was skipping a beat. I was told it is not life threatening so I left it as that. The cardiologist said I could take beta blockers but I was pregnant and didn't persue any treatment for it.

I was told to drink more water because if your body is dehydrated it makes the condition worse. I did and that helped out a lot. For me it feels like my heart is beating out of rhythem, then I panic a bit and it feels like it won't go back into rhythem. I had an attack like that VERY bad after my 2nd daughter was born..heart was beating out of rhythem and wouldn't stop...I paniced, thought my heart would stop and I hyperventalated and everything. VERY SCARY! Sometimes I wonder if it's horomone related.

[marniewon]

I get the feeling that my heart is skipping a beat which seems to provoke an attack....it was more frequent when I was pregnant so I sought out an appt. with the cardiologist. I wore a heart monitor and caught a few episondes on the monitor which showed my heart was contracting 2 times when it was typically supposed to contract once...what was explained to me is my heart would contract the 2nd time before it (my heart or chambers, I really don't understand it) would fill completely up with blood so it would feel as though it was skipping a beat. I was told it is not life threatening so I left it as that. The cardiologist said I could take beta blockers but I was pregnant and didn't persue any treatment for it.

I was told to drink more water because if your body is dehydrated it makes the condition worse. I did and that helped out a lot. For me it feels like my heart is beating out of rhythem, then I panic a bit and it feels like it won't go back into rhythem. I had an attack like that VERY bad after my 2nd daughter was born..heart was beating out of rhythem and wouldn't stop...I paniced, thought my heart would stop and I hyperventalated and everything. VERY SCARY! Sometimes I wonder if it's horomone related.

OH. MY. GOSH! This! Me....Yes!! I've never ever heard anyone describe their panic attacks the same as mine felt before, but you just did!! I don't get them much anymore, but there was a time that I did all the time! And like legomom said, they come out of nowhere!

Do you have acid reflux? When I went to the doc once he told me that that "skip a beat" feeling could be caused by acid reflux also. I get that all the time. Drinking more water DOES help. So does staying away from too much salt and sugar. If you don't already, switch to RealSalt brand salt. It's seasalt and so much better for you. Spice up your meals (as seasoning on top, not cooked in the meal) - not only will it help your heart, it will help your metabolism!

I know we all kind of got of track here, but if anyone else has any hints/tips that work for their panic attacks, I would love to hear them!!

[My4SunshineGirlsNY]

no, I don't have acid reflux....I always think stress creates this skipped beat feeling, but yet I have had the episodes come out of nowhere when I wasn't stressed also. So I don't know why or what causes them. Thank you for the tip on the salt..I have heard recently that seasalt is so much better for you, however I was looking for it a couple of months ago at 3 different stores and couldn't find it..I thought it was odd it's so hard to find.

[JeepGirl6]

Me too! Just having the meds there can actually make things easier to go through-even if I don't take them.
Can I ask if either of you has a heart murmur? I had a very pronounced one before I had surgery to repair my valve and read a book called "The Mitral Valve Prolapse Syndrome", and until I read that I never know there was a connection between my murmer and the panic attacks (and tons of other things too!) That book was a great source of information for me. I guess if you don't have a murmur, ignore everything I said!::

I also have panic attacks...Lately I have been okay but last year around this time it was horrible, I went to my doctor to talk to him about it...I also have Mitral Valve Prolapse. He said that my panic attacks were because of that...He put me on Inderal LA...but I don't think it seemed to help at all ( I lost my insurance so I couldnt get it anymore). He would not put me on any anxiety medication which I felt I really needed, I was so upset I left the doctors office crying because I felt like he didn't believe me. Anyways...I have not been back to the doctor in 9 months because I was without insurance and now I have insurance so I am wondering if I should get back the Inderal LA