3 Simple Steps to Prepare for a Sales Tax Audit and Keep It Easy

Hi everyone,

This tax tip is about 3 things you should do before you or your client receives a Notification of Routine Sales and Use Tax audit letter. If you follow these guidelines, your life or at least the audit will be a lot simpler.

1. Document Retention Policy. Make a document retention place with the sales and use tax statute of limitations in mind. That also means making sure to retain any source documents relating to journal entries and asse additions, especially if those entries were booked within the statute of limitations. While the underlying transactions may have occurred outside the statute of limitations, the auditor may request proof of that if the entry was booked within the audit period.

2. Confirm all sales are captured. Depending on the type of business, sales may be made through multiple sources including the company website, brick and mortar stores, multiple online marketplaces, including Amazon, Etsy, etc. Make sure that all sales are captured in the accounting records. Also, make sure it is clear how total sales, taxable sales, and taxable purchases for each taxing jurisdiction where sales and use tax returns are filed.

3. Review exemption, resale, reseller’s certificates, and other documentation substantiating tax-free or tax-exempt sales. Make sure they are properly completed in real time. Taxing jurisdictions have different rules. Make sure the substantiation complies with the taxing jurisdictions where business is conducted.

If a business makes these three things a priority before an audit, any sales and use tax audit will run a lot smoother for everyone involved.

And that is your tax tip.

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