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Sales & Use Tax Audit Defense

Protect your company from overpayment of taxes, penalties, and interest by ensuring compliance with tax laws and challenging incorrect assessments.

Sales & Use Tax Audit Defense

Protect your company from overpayment of taxes, penalties, and interest by ensuring compliance with tax laws and challenging incorrect assessments.

What is Sales & Use Tax Audit Defense?

A Sales & Use Tax Audit is an examination conducted by state taxing authorities to verify that a business has correctly collected, reported, and remitted sales and use taxes. These audits are designed to uncover discrepancies, underpayments, or overpayments. For many companies, even minor errors in sales tax compliance can result in significant assessments, penalties, and interest.

At Source Advisors, our dedicated tax professionals bring decades of experience to help businesses navigate the audit process with confidence. We specialize in mitigating risk, defending against assessments, and ensuring you only pay what is legally owed—nothing more.

What Triggers a Sales Tax Audit?

Sales tax audits are often triggered by specific red flags. Understanding these triggers is the first step toward prevention:

By identifying and addressing these issues early, businesses can significantly reduce the likelihood of an audit.

Industry Risk Factors

Exemption Certificate Issues

Filing Errors

Cross-State Activity

Whistleblower or Competitor Complaints

How to Prepare for an Audit

Preparation is the best defense against a sales and use tax audit. Our experts guide you through each step to minimize risk and strengthen your position:
Conduct a Pre-Audit Review

Analyze your sales and use tax records to identify potential exposure before the state does.

Organize Documentation

Ensure exemption certificates, invoices, and purchase records are accurate, up-to-date, and easily accessible.

Review Nexus Obligations

Confirm you are properly registered and compliant in all states where you have sales tax nexus.

Address High-Risk Transactions

Evaluate areas like resale exemptions, intercompany transactions, and use tax accruals.

Engage Professional Representation

Having experienced professionals represent your business during the audit helps control the scope, manage communication, and protect your interests.

Why Choose Source Advisors
for Audit Defense?

Experienced
Team

Our specialists include former state auditors, CPAs, and tax attorneys with deep knowledge of multi-state tax rules.

Proven Track
Record

We’ve successfully defended businesses across industries, reducing or eliminating assessments through negotiation and technical expertise.

End-to-End
Support

From pre-audit preparation to post-audit resolution, we manage the entire process so you can stay focused on running your business.

Audit-Resistant
Processes

We help strengthen compliance practices to reduce future audit risk.

Our Sales & Use Tax Professionals

With over 40 years of experience, Source Advisors has been a trusted partner for businesses facing sales and use tax audits. Our professionals know that even small compliance errors can result in significant assessments, penalties, and interest. 

Contact Us

Speak with a Sales & Use Tax Specialist

Sales & Use Tax Audits are complex, time-consuming, and often intimidating. With the right strategy and representation, you can avoid unnecessary liabilities and keep your business compliant.

Get in touch with Source Advisors about our Sales & Use Tax services.

Sales & Use Tax Audit FAQs

What is a Sales & Use Tax Audit?

A Sales & Use Tax Audit is a review by state taxing authorities to verify whether a business has properly collected, reported, and remitted sales and use taxes.

What triggers a sales tax audit?

Common triggers include late filings, missing exemption certificates, inconsistent reporting, large refund claims, or operating in multiple states with different nexus rules.

How do I prepare for a sales tax audit?

Preparation involves conducting a pre-audit review, organizing exemption certificates and invoices, reviewing nexus obligations, and having experienced professionals represent your business.
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