What not to say during an audit?

What not to say during an audit includes anything that suggests dishonesty, guessing, or volunteering extra information beyond what is asked. You should not say I guessed on my income or deductions, I made up numbers, I did not keep receipts, I pay everyone in cash to avoid taxes, or I did not report all income, as these admit to negligence or fraud and can trigger penalties and expanded audit scope. Do not say I think this is what it was or I am not sure, instead say I will need to check my records and provide accurate documentation. Do not volunteer information about other tax years or deductions not under examination, for example if the auditor asks about business mileage do not start talking about unrelated personal expenses, because auditors can expand the audit to other areas. Do not say my accountant told me to do it or everyone does it, which does not excuse errors. Do not be argumentative, lie, or provide altered documents. The best approach is to answer questions directly and truthfully, provide only the requested documents, be polite and professional, and if unsure, say you will provide documentation later rather than speculating, and consider having a CPA or tax attorney present.