An audit is an in-depth review and examination of your tax return and finances to make sure that all of the information contained in your tax return is accurate and that you have properly paid the taxes that you owe.

Typically, when you file your tax return, you have to fill out some paperwork that describes your finances and the IRS trusts that the information you provide is accurate. If you get audited, the IRS expects you to provide documented proof of everything you put on your tax paperwork.

Audits can happen either by mail or through in-person interviews. Either way, the IRS may ask you to prove things like your income, eligibility for certain deductions, loan paperwork, bank and investment statements, medical and dental records, and more.