The Leading Business Education Network for Doctors, Financial Advisors and Health Industry Consultants

Understanding the IRS Position

By Andrew D. Schwartz, CPA

At my public accounting firm, we get this question all the time from our medical professional and lay clients:

Q: “How long do I need to keep my tax records?”

Here is the IRS answer to this question:

Well organized records make it easier to prepare a tax return and help provide answers if your return is selected for examination, or to prepare a response if you receive an IRS notice.

What to Keep – Individuals.

In most cases, keep records that support items on your tax return for at least three years after that tax return has been filed. Returns filed before the due date are treated as filed on the due date. Examples include bills, credit card and other receipts, invoices, mileage logs, canceled, imaged or substitute checks or other proof of payment and any other records to support deductions or credits claimed. You should typically keep records relating to property at least three years after you’ve sold or otherwise disposed of the property.

Examples include a home purchase or improvement, stocks and other investments, Individual Retirement Account transactions and rental property records.

What to Keep – Doctors as Small Business Owners.

Typically, keep all your employment tax records for at least four years after the tax becomes due or is paid, whichever is later. Also, keep records documenting gross receipts, proof of purchases, expenses, and assets. Examples include cash register tapes, bank deposit slips, receipt books, purchase and sales invoices, credit card charges and sales slips. Forms 1099-Misc, canceled checks, accounts statements, petty cash slips and real estate closing statements. Electronic records can included databases, saved files, e-mails, instant messages, faxes and voice messages.

There is no period of limitations to assess tax when a return is fraudulent or when no return is filed. If income that you should have reported is not reported, and it is more than 25% of the gross income shown on the return, the time to assess is 6 years from when the return is filed. For filing a claim for credit or refund, the period to make the claim generally is 3 years from the date the original return was filed, or 2 years from the date the tax was paid, whichever is later. For filing a claim for a loss from worthless securities the time to make the claim is 7 years from when the return was due.

Assessment

For more information from the IRS, check out:

• Publication 552, Recordkeeping for Individuals, provides more information on recordkeeping requirements for individuals.
• Publication 583, Starting a Business and Keeping Records
• Publication 463, Travel, Entertainment, Gift, and Car Expenses, provide additional information on required documentation for taxpayers with business expenses.

For a more complete listing, please check out: Record Retention Guide Compiled by the Massachusetts Society of CPAs.

Conclusion

Your thoughts and comments on this ME-P are appreciated. Feel free to review our top-left column, and top-right sidebar materials, links, URLs and related websites, too. Then, subscribe to the ME-P. It is fast, free and secure.

Link: http://feeds.feedburner.com/HealthcareFinancialsthePostForcxos

Speaker: If you need a moderator or speaker for an upcoming event, Dr. David E. Marcinko; MBA – Publisher-in-Chief of the Medical Executive-Post – is available for seminar or speaking engagements. Contact: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com

Our Other Print Books and Related Information Sources:

Health Dictionary Series: http://www.springerpub.com/Search/marcinko

Practice Management: http://www.springerpub.com/product/9780826105752

Physician Financial Planning: http://www.jbpub.com/catalog/0763745790

Medical Risk Management: http://www.jbpub.com/catalog/9780763733421

Hospitals: http://www.crcpress.com/product/isbn/9781439879900

Physician Advisors: www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.org

Filed under: Taxation | Tagged: Andrew D. Schwartz, CPA, How Long to Keep Tax Records, IRS | Leave a comment »