Tax audits are right up there with root canals, dog droppings, and certain members of Congress. Nobody looks forward to them, but they happen every day. It’s the job of the IRS. An audit is not an accusation, nor is it necessarily a reflection of anything you did. It also doesn’t have to be the end of the world. In fact, with the right tax advice, you just might end up getting a refund.

When you are facing an audit, IRS agents suspect that something doesn’t add up. Perhaps you took too many deductions and didn’t save all the receipts. Sometimes, the math doesn’t add up or you made estimations that seemed suspicious. Perhaps, you’re just self-employed, and the IRS knows that the returns of the self-employed generally reveal the most discrepancies.

The most important piece of advice to follow when your facing an audit is to first contact a legal tax attorney before ever speaking to the IRS or providing them any documentation. Most audits or IRS criminal investigations never go anywhere unless you say the wrong thing or provide improper documentation. When you are dealing with an attorney who knows the tax laws, he or she knows what to say and provide that’s directly in your best interest.

It’s also important to work with a tax attorney rather than a tax group. Communications and documents shared between a client and a tax group are subject to IRS review and can be used in court. Anything that takes place between the client and attorney, however, is subject to client-attorney protection and enjoys the right of privacy.

When deciding whom to audit, IRS agents estimate a person’s Discriminate Information Function system average. Using a secret equation, the IRS estimates how likely it is to find discrepancies that result in more money for the government if a return is filed. Large deductions, self-employment, and high income raise the greatest red flags for an audit, as the IRS figures it will likely get something for its effort.

There are ways to avoid a tax audit, and there are even ways to end up getting a refund after being audited. A certified tax attorney can help you with deductions you might not have been aware of, as well as prepare you to deal with an audit from the IRS.

If you’re a homeowner, you might be surprised about how many simple tricks can be done to your plumbing system that will really improve its upkeep. Granted, nobody wants to snake a toilet at the end of a long day at the office, nor does anyone want to have their weekend consumed installing a sink when the day would be better spent at the park with the family. Sometimes it’s simply convenient to rely on local LA plumbers when you have a big job to do. But there are simple steps you can do every day to your own system that will minimize the times you’ll have to contact local plumbers in LA for really big jobs.

Clogs can result from either having a large object or multiple objects stuck in your pipes, leaving you standing in a lake every time you take a shower or discovering an ocean when you wander into the basement. Sometimes, the clog can result from an issue you have little control over, but more often than not, it’s because there’s something in your pipes that simply shouldn’t be there. By just preventing clogs, you avoid a slew of problems that would require services from local LA plumbers, costing you money from issues you can quickly take care of yourself.

One of the surest ways to avoid clogs is to never flush anything down the toilet but human waste and toilet paper. Kids especially should be warned. A GI Joe is no American hero if he completely ruins your plumbing line.

Don’t mistake your garbage disposal for a garbage can. Never put anything fibrous, greasy or non-biodegradable down your garbage disposal, and always run water whenever you are using it. Keep water running for 15 seconds both before and after using the disposal.

Install grates in your shower drains to catch hair. You’d be surprised how much of your hair ends up clogged in your pipes.

A root control product should be regularly flushed down your pipes, especially if you’ve had root problems before. Most local plumbers in LA specialize in root removal and should be able to recommend a qualified brand of root control.

By following these simple steps, you’ll maintain your plumbing system and minimize the times you need to call in the professionals. The better you maintain and treat your system, the longer your pipes will last and the fewer service calls you’ll need.