Cash Business Audit Resolved Without Reconstruction Penalty
This is an illustrative example of our work in audit representation. Below is the situation, how an IRS Enrolled Agent approaches it, the outcome those tools can produce, and what it means for anyone facing something similar.
The IRS proposed an indirect-method income reconstruction on a cash-heavy business.
Produced point-of-sale data and bank reconciliations rebutting the estimate.
How we build the resolution
- 1Take over communication
Under Power of Attorney (Form 2848), our Enrolled Agent handles every IRS conversation so you do not have to speak with the examiner.
- 2Organize the substantiation
We assemble receipts, logs, and records for each item questioned, reconstructing them where originals are missing and the rules allow.
- 3Respond and defend
We present the documentation, answer the examiner's questions precisely, and keep the audit scoped to what was actually raised.
- 4Escalate if needed
If the examiner proposes an unfair adjustment, we protest and argue the issue at Appeals rather than accept it.
The proposed increase was largely withdrawn.
How audit representation works
In an audit, an Enrolled Agent can respond and appear on your behalf. Good documentation and a clear business purpose are what carry the day.
Facts worth knowing
- Correspondence, office, and field audits differ in scope and stakes.
- Substantiation — receipts, logs, and records — supports each item questioned.
- Records can often be reconstructed when originals are missing.
- An examiner's proposal can be challenged at Appeals.
Do I have to talk to the IRS?
No. Under Power of Attorney, our Enrolled Agent handles every conversation with the examiner on your behalf.
What if I lost my receipts?
Records can often be reconstructed from bank and card statements, calendars, and other sources, which the rules allow for many deductions.
What if the examiner is wrong?
We do not have to accept a proposed adjustment. A protest takes the issue to IRS Appeals, an independent review.
- Outcome in this example: $29,000 adjustment cut.
- Service applied: Audit Representation.
- Handled by a federally licensed IRS Enrolled Agent, start to finish.
- Available to individuals and businesses nationwide.
- The sooner you act, the more options remain — penalties and interest keep accruing.
Facing something similar?
Get a free, no-pressure consultation with a licensed IRS Enrolled Agent who can tell you exactly where you stand.
This case study is an illustrative example of the types of matters we handle and the tools we use. It is a composite created for explanation and does not describe a specific client, and any figures shown are examples rather than actual client outcomes. Every case is different: your result depends on your own facts and on IRS determinations, and no particular outcome is promised.
Back to all case studiesMore illustrative results
No change on auditSchedule C Audit Closed With No Change
A correspondence audit questioned every business expense on a Schedule C.
View case study
Deduction sustainedHome Office Deduction Sustained
An examiner proposed disallowing the entire home-office deduction.
View case study
Deduction preservedMileage Log Reconstructed and Accepted
A missing mileage log put a large vehicle deduction at risk.
View case study
