Interesting, but the "tax professionals" are sometimes not all that they are cracked up to be. For the "tax professional" the audit is a game. The way they often operate is "well the IRS (or state authority) says you owe $X. I think they'll take $Y, so just offer them that." -- without regard to whether you really owe anything. The problem is that if you are 100% correct, and the tax authority is using its power to cower you into just settling, the "tax professional" does not do an effective job. Rather than fight tooth and nail with the law and regs on your side, they will just encourage you to settle. It's easier for them and just part of the "game." The tax authorites know this. They will just say you owe them something, even though their arguments are weak, and they will assume you will just settle to get them to leave you alone. Easy money. In this regard, the "tax professional" is simply helping perpetuate a corrupt system.
In their support, I will agree that the "tax professional" is invaluable for people who can't keep their mouths shut and freely chat with the IRS, such as the woman above who said her husband's tractor was like a hobby.
Well there are two sides to the audit argument. One, if you have something to hide, you're going to get caught. If you're honest you have no worries. I own my own business, and this year my company basically broke even. It was my first year in business, and to be honest an audit will essentially do me the favor of making sure my ducks are in a row. Of course there's the inconvenience and the worry, but why worry about things you can't fix? Let the IRS go through all of my documents, maybe they'll be in order and I could then understand them when they are done!