Tax and Legal

Tax Audits, Investigations and Dispute Resolution

A tax audit is won or lost on the records available on the day it opens, and by then the decisions that produced them were made years earlier. This course covers both the preparation and the conduct. Delegates work through what triggers a review, the difference between a routine audit and an investigation, and the rights and obligations each side carries. Managing the audit is covered practically: scoping, controlling information flow, answering what was asked and nothing more, and handling an on site visit. Common areas of challenge follow, including deductibility, transfer pricing, withholding taxes and employee versus contractor status. Assessments, objections and the deadlines that cannot be missed are addressed. Settlement and alternative dispute resolution follow. Penalties, interest and relief are covered. The course closes on appeal, on voluntary disclosure and on the record keeping that prevents the next dispute.