Originally Posted by heartbrand
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This might come as a shock to you but the U.S. Tax System is Voluntary. It is enforced through the audit process pal. How are returns selected for audit? Most of them randomly using a score that looks for certain "red flags." The highest % of audited returns come from Schedule C filers, because the IRS knows these have the highest level of fraudulent information. You're right, the IRS doesn't know if your clothes are proper business expenses or not unless they select your return for audit. You don't need a top accountant to take a bunch of inaccurate expenses on your Schedule C. Just guesstimate and exaggerate a bunch of stuff and voila, you've done it, congrats on your CPA. However, if you are audited, you will be fucked. That's the risk you run, sure, the math is on your side, you probably won't be audited, but if you are you will end up owing penalties / interest / and a lot of back tax, and then likely end up being audited on other years as well. For me, the risk isn't worth it. There's a difference between tax evasion which is illegal and tax avoidance which is legal. Claiming a meal was a business meal by mentioning the name of your business and then continuing on enjoying yourself is likely tax avoidance and legal. Taking expenses for things that aren't deductible such as a suit, or claiming non-existent expenses is tax evasion, and you WILL get caught in the long run. They will ask for all of your credit card statements, bank statements, statements on all of your property, invoices, etc., etc. I make my living off people who think they won't get caught by the IRS, keep playing with fire.
edit: readers digest, the IRS selects returns to audit and THEN combs through your receipts, not the other way around.
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