Submitting the Income Tax declaration is one of the most important tax commitments of the year. However, even those who pay close attention may end up facing a dreaded problem for many taxpayers: falling into the audit.

But after all, what is an audit? How do you know if your declaration has been held? And what to do if that happens? If you have these questions, this content will help you understand the process, identify possible errors, and resolve issues with the Federal Revenue securely and efficiently.

What is the Income Tax audit?

The audit is the process of automatic review by the Federal Revenue that checks for inconsistencies, omissions, or discrepancies in the information provided by the taxpayer in the income tax declaration.

When the Revenue detects something that needs more detailed verification — such as differences between the taxpayer's data and other sources (like companies, banks, or health plans) — the declaration is held for analysis, instead of going directly to the refund or finalization.

This retention does not mean that you committed fraud, but rather that there is something that needs to be explained or corrected.

Most common reasons that lead to an audit

Check the most frequent errors and inconsistencies that might cause your declaration to be held:

• Omission of income (yours or dependents')

• Incorrect information in income reports

• Incompatibility between declared and proven medical expenses

• Inclusion of dependents already listed in another declaration

• Deductible expenses without proof

• Discrepancies between the amount of income tax withheld and the payer's records

• Errors in filling out rental or alimony income

The more complex your tax situation, the greater the chance of mistakes occurring — especially when the declaration is made without the support of a specialist.

How to know if you’ve fallen into the audit?

The good news is that the Federal Revenue offers a simple and secure way to check the status of your declaration. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Access the e-CAC (Virtual Service Center of the Revenue)

• Go to the official website of the Federal Revenue: www.gov.br/receitafederal

• Click on "Access the e-CAC"

• Log in with your gov.br account (silver or gold level)

2. Access the “My Income Tax” section

After logging in, click on “My Income Tax” and select the year of the declaration you wish to consult (e.g., 2025).

You will see the status of your declaration with one of the following messages:

• In refund queue: all set, waiting for payment

• With pending issues: there are conflicting or missing information

• In processing: the Revenue is still analyzing the data

• In tax audit: your declaration was held for analysis

3. View the declaration statement

If there are pending issues, you will be able to see exactly which item has problems. This greatly facilitates the process of correction or submission of additional documents.

What to do if your declaration was held?

Upon discovering that you have fallen into the audit, it is important to stay calm and act quickly. There are two possibilities:

a) Correct voluntarily (rectification)

If you identified the error on your own (e.g., forgot to declare an income), you can submit a rectifying declaration. For this:

• Access the system where you completed the declaration again (IRPF program, e-CAC, or app)

• Make the necessary adjustments

• Submit the new version

The rectification must be made before any notification from the Revenue, to avoid penalties.

b) Wait for notification and present documents

If the Revenue has already notified you, it will be necessary to present supporting documents for the information under review. This can be done through the e-CAC or in person, according to the guidance from the authorities.

Important: while your declaration is in the audit, you will not receive a refund, even if you are entitled to one.

How long does it take to get out of the audit?

The time varies depending on the type of pending issue and how it is resolved. If corrected by rectification and there are no new inconsistencies, in a few weeks the status can be regularized.

In cases where there is a need for document analysis, the process can take months, especially if there is a high volume of declarations held.

Avoid falling into the audit with a well-made declaration

The best way to avoid problems with the Federal Revenue is to make a declaration complete, accurate, and documented. Here are some good practices:

• Separate all income reports, bank documents, and investment statements

• Keep receipts and proof of deductible expenses

• Correctly report dependents’ income

• Fill in the fields carefully, especially the amounts of withheld taxes

• Use the pre-filled declaration when possible

• Seek professional support if you have questions

How Beorange can help you

At Beorange, we know that dealing with Income Tax can be challenging — especially for freelancers, investors, or entrepreneurs. That's why we offer complete support for your IRPF declaration, focused on clarity, speed, and security.

With us, you have:

• Complete review of the declaration before submission

• Filling in based on real data, without errors

• Consultation to correct pending issues or submit documents to the Revenue

• Service via WhatsApp with a dedicated specialist

All of this with the support of our AI Bora, which automates bureaucratic steps and increases the accuracy of the process.

Conclusion

Falling into the Income Tax audit may seem complicated, but with the right information and proper support, it is possible to resolve the situation calmly.

The most important thing is to regularly track your declaration in the e-CAC and act quickly if any issues arise. And, of course, investing in good advisory is the best way to avoid headaches in the future.

Do you want to submit your declaration safely and without risks?

Talk to Beorange. We take care of the technical part, and you gain time and peace of mind to focus on what matters.