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03 — Audit Shield

Audit defense and IRS representation

If the IRS or a state opens an examination, you shouldn't be the one on the phone. We refer you to an independent partner CPA who represents you under a power of attorney, and we hand them a complete, organized audit file built from the workpapers behind your return.

Best for: anyone who has received an exam letter — or wants to be ready if one comes.

How it works

  1. Send us the letter

    Upload the exam letter to your Vault. Deadlines in exam letters are real, so the sooner the better.

  2. We build the file

    We assemble the audit file from the workpapers, receipts and logs behind your return.

  3. Your CPA takes over

    An independent partner CPA files Form 2848 so the IRS contacts them, not you, and handles correspondence, office or field exams.

  4. Resolution

    Your CPA reviews any proposed changes with you and handles an appeal if one makes sense.

Why it matters

Most exams come down to one question: can you support what's on the return? When every deduction was linked to its receipt, log or statement at the time it was booked, the answer is already sitting in your Vault — not something to reconstruct months or years later.

Having a CPA with a power of attorney means the IRS talks to someone who does this for a living, and you get back to running your business.

Which plans include it

Audit file preparation and CPA referral are included on every plan for returns we prepared. Partner-CPA fees: [confirm arrangement]. Audit support for a return prepared elsewhere is quoted after a free review.

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Common questions

Does ExcelTax represent me before the IRS?
No. ExcelTax prepares your audit file. Representation is by an independent partner CPA under Form 2848, under their own engagement with you.
What if my return was prepared by someone else?
We can still help organize the file and connect you with a partner CPA. That work is quoted after a free review.
What kinds of exams does this cover?
Correspondence exams by mail, office exams and field exams, for federal and state returns.

Related guides

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