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Sales and use tax compliance can involve navigating a myriad of tax jurisdictions, each with their own rules, rates, and definitions. As product lines evolve, exemptions shift, and economic nexus rules expand, 100% accuracy becomes a demanding task—even for the most well-organized tax departments.
That’s where a reverse audit can make a real impact. In this live webinar, we’ll explore how reverse audits help strengthen your broader compliance efforts. You’ll walk away with a clear understanding of how the process works, where refund opportunities often hide, and how to use this insight to reduce risk and improve future outcomes.
At a time when state and local tax enforcement is ramping up, reviewing your historical filings isn’t just a good idea—it’s a strategic one. Reverse audits allow you to take a fresh look at past activity, catch discrepancies early, and claim eligible refunds before statute of limitations windows close.
Larry Mellon of Vertex, Inc. and our own Amanda Cusack will guide you through the reverse audit process from start to finish, share real-world examples of tax recovery, and explain how to use the findings to streamline your internal systems.
Who should attend?
If your organization operates across multiple states, purchases items that qualify for exemptions, or has experienced system or process changes, this webinar is for you. This webinar is designed for finance and operations professionals who manage sales and use tax. It’s also suitable for general practitioners with little to no experience.
During this 90 minute course, attendees will gain a practical understanding of how reverse audits work and why they’re a powerful, often underutilized, tool for businesses. We will walk through the full reverse audit process, including how to identify potential refund opportunities, gather supporting documentation, and navigate refund claims with state tax authorities.
You’ll also learn how reverse audits differ from traditional audits and why they can play a critical role in your overall tax strategy. We’ll highlight common areas where overpayments occur, such as misclassified purchases, overlooked exemptions, or system setup issues. Although reverse audits typically only focus on tax on purchases, we’ll talk about when a reverse audit can be used to recover tax due to the seller on the sales transaction. We will also cover why this matters so much for businesses that operate across multiple states or use complex ERP systems.
Beyond recovery, we’ll explore how the insights gained from a reverse audit can improve your long-term compliance. Attendees will gain practical tips on how to prevent recurring issues, improve exemption certificate management, and align internal processes for greater accuracy and efficiency.
Whether you’re new to reverse audits or looking to refine your approach, this session will provide actionable guidance you can put to use immediately.
Webinar attendees can earn 1.8 hours of CPE credit in the “Taxes” field of study
Prerequisites: This course requires no prerequisites or advance preparation.
Program Level: Basic
Delivery Method: Group Internet-Based
Additional Information about CPE
Questions about the registration or webinar process, or need help troubleshooting? Visit the Live Webinar FAQ page to get answers.
Amanda Cusack, MSA is a sales tax manager at YETTER Tax and Sales Tax Institute. She is passionate about sales tax and education and especially enjoys sharing her knowledge and experience to help others solve their sales tax puzzles. Her almost 15 years of experience in both the corporate and consulting spaces covers federal, state, and international direct and indirect tax with a specialty in US sales tax and sales tax technology.
More About Amanda Cusack
Larry Mellon is a Senior Director – Global Tax in the Chief Tax Office of Vertex, Inc. in King of Prussia, PA. He has over 35 years of experience in sales, use, and VAT tax compliance, risk assessment, jurisdictional audits, administration and management.
More About Larry Mellon
The All-Access Webinar Pass grants you the ability to attend an entire year’s worth of Sales Tax Institute live webinars and access all existing on-demand webinars!
As a busy tax pro, it can be hard to find quality professional development throughout the year. The All-Access Webinar Pass takes care of all your required sales tax training in one easy step. Learn from the experts about the sales and use tax issues that matter with access to the Sales Tax Institute’s monthly live webinars and full, unlimited access to the Sales Tax Institute’s on-demand webinars.