No one looks forward to getting the dreaded letter from the Internal Revenue Service saying you're being audited. Here are four things you can do on your tax return to almost guarantee an IRS audit.

According to Kurt J. Rossi, a certified financial planner, and adjunct finance professor at Monmouth University, these things raise red flags at the IRS and trigger audits.

  1. Typos and Silly Errors - Before you file your return, check and double check to make sure every entry is correct. Math mistakes and wrong social security numbers are two of the most common mistakes.
  2. Too Much Income - There's nothing wrong with earning a lot of money, but it increases your chance of being audited. Filers earning more than $200,000 have a 1 in 30 chance of an audit. Earn over one million dollars and it's 1 in 9.
  3. Failing to Report All of Your Income - Make sure to report all income from W2s, 1099s, etc. The IRS cross-references these forms with your return and if inconsistencies are found, they'll take a closer look and an audit is likely.
  4. Too Much Charitable Giving - You get a tax break for donating to charity, but if the IRS finds your giving is disproportionate to your income, there could be trouble ahead. If you make significant donations to charity, make sure every donation is well documented.

Seeking advice or help from a tax professional is a good idea, especially if you're in a higher income bracket or have situations that may make you more likely to be audited.

Also, keeping complete and accurate records is important if you're ever audited. Many IRS audits start with a request for additional information. If that information is available, organized and complete, the audit will be much less stressful.

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