<<If possible, I'd rather send in the documentation with my return to begin with, than to wait to show it at an audit.>>
Wrong, wrong, wrong – for many reasons. First, attachments are often lost. More importantly, too much information can raise red flags to unknowledgeable IRS employees and more likely to generate an audit. Wait until you get a letter audit to send in requested information – and even then, keep your response short and sweet and send in only the basic summary records. There are usually many "letter audits" before it gets to the more serious audit in person, time enough to give them more information if the basics don't satisfy them.
Everyone should be careful what they write on this list – or any forum – about taxes. It is not helpful – and can be actually dangerous – when a poster gives merely personal opinions or talks about what "seems" to be right or logical. (The IRS is not known for "logical" decisions.) And sadly, some people don't read such posts carefully and don't distinguish between "facts" and opinions. In our tax book, Marissa and I – frustratingly often –must put in qualifiers all the time – " individual circumstances" is the key here.
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Jean $¢ott, Frugal Gambler
http://queenofcomps.com/
You can read my blog at
http://jscott.lvablog.com/
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