Five ways to trigger an IRS audit or notice

Franklin D. Roosevelt famously said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

It’s good advice in general — unless you get an audit letter from the IRS. The agency’s authority to collect taxes is real and powerful, which can strike fear in a lot of taxpayers.

Despite its scary reputation, the IRS system for spotting problematic returns isn’t personal. Most returns are accepted as filed, but some are pulled for closer examination using various methods, including random sampling and computerized screening.