Audit Defense Best Practices: Manage Your Next Audit with Ease (even in the virtual environment!)

It’s natural to feel anxious and overwhelmed at the thought of an auditor knocking on your door. But with the proper guidance and execution, you can help make yourself virtually audit-proof!

Remote audits are the new reality, providing their own unique challenges to those required to endure them. Gone are the days when an auditor would come take up temporary residence in your office space. Additionally, the Wayfair decision shifted the focus of audits to a greater interest on sales tax potential in general and as compared to use tax which has made economic nexus a focal point of recent audits. This session will share best practices for navigating the virtual environment to ensure confidentiality and auditor accountability in a post-Wayfair world.

You’ll learn pros and cons of giving auditors system access, key decision points in setting up electronic audit rooms, advice on conducting plant tours virtually, communication tips, and trends we’re seeing in the audit space, so you are prepared to tackle any audit that comes your way with confidence. It will also include strategies to feel confident and empowered during an audit, including negotiation tactics and how to handle common situations.

Take control of your audit and triumph!

Your Teaching Staff

This 90-minute live webinar is taught by sales tax experts Diane Yetter and Trisha Davidson of the Sales Tax Institute. Diane Yetter started in sales tax as an auditor and will give a unique perspective about what it’s like on both sides of the table, including the areas that sales and use tax auditors target when they look for unpaid tax liabilities. Diane will teach alongside Trisha Davidson, who has helped hundreds of clients navigate the audit process. The expert advice and practical steps will help you take control of your audit and ensure that you aren’t defenseless against the auditor.

During the live Q&A portion of the webinar, you can get answers to your specific sales tax questions directly from Diane and Trisha.

Learning Objectives for this webinar include:

• Learn key decision points in data exchange, communication, methodology, and nexus encountered during virtual audits.
• Understand how to prepare for giving auditors system access, key decision points in setting up electronic audit rooms, and how data and document transfer works in electronic setting.
• Get tips for building rapport with the auditor to establish a strong foundation of accountability, clear communication, and trust.
• Discover what you need to be doing to stay compliant for use tax, an area that is often neglected and can lead to costly use tax audits.
• Find out how you influence the outcome of an audit and even negotiate terms with your auditor.
• Uncover areas where you may be overpaying sales tax, so you can take advantage of cost saving opportunities.
• Learn how to manage exemption certificates requests for missing documents to ensure that you are supporting all your exempt sales and not creating sales tax liabilities.