Managing Sales Tax Audits - The Auditors Speak

While a state sales and use tax audit can't help becoming adversarial at some point -- sometimes very adversarial -- it behooves a corporate tax department to know going in what the other side expects. Having that advance competitive intelligence helps the company plan for a smooth audit.

Listen as our panel of sales tax audit administrators from major states evaluates corporate audits from their side of the aisle. You'll find out how audit supervisors think companies can help ensure a well-run audit and what mistakes they absolutely don't like to see repeated.

The panel includes Ken Perry of the Pennsylvania Revenue Department, Susan Pifer of the Michigan Taxation Division and Rebecca Wetzel of the Colorado Revenue Department. Other panelists to be announced.

Kenneth Perry, CPA, Sales and Use Tax Program Manager, Bureau of Audits, PA Department of Revenue, Harrisburg PA

Susan Pifer, Bureau Director-Tax Compliance Bureau Lansing, Michigan Department of Treasury. Ms. Pifer joined the Michigan Department of Treasury in 2002, following six years with the K-Mart Corporation, where she was Vice President of Finance. Ms. Pifer was previously in the Finance Department of Kellogg’s of Battle Creek and served as Interim Finance Director there. She also spent eight years with the Walt Disney Corporation, as an accountant, financial analyst, and controller.

Becky Wetzel, Chief Auditor Colorado Department of Revenue, Denver. Becky Wetzel began her 28-year career with the Colorado Department of Revenue as a Revenue Agent. During her tenure, Becky developed the FairShare program in 1985 and the Mineral Audit program in 1986. After completing two years as the Mineral Audit Section manager, she transferred to manage the Protest Resolution Section for nine years. While managing that section, Becky trained Department and IRS employees in customer service, served as the Departmental Legislative Liaison to the General Assembly, and participated extensively in the Department’s Business Tax Seminars offered to tax professionals and Colorado businesses. In 1997 Becky became the Chief Conferee while she continued to lobby for the Department. Becky left the Conferee Section in September 2004 to take the position of Chief Auditor managing the Field Audit Section. She serves in that capacity today.

You'll get their insights on:

• The auditor's expectations and standards
• Measures taxpayers can take to help move audits along smoothly
• Mistakes and missteps by taxpayers that irritate a revenue agency
• Behavior and poor documentation the auditors simply will not tolerate

After you hear what these audit chiefs have to say, you'll have the opportunity to ask tough questions of them during the live interactive question-and-answer session.

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