State audit for missing mileage log - what happens if I can't provide documentation?

This happens more often than you think, so try not to stress too much. Let me walk you through your options. If you can't find your 2020 tax return, you can request a tax transcript directly from the IRS through their website or by using Form 4506-T. This transcript will show most of the information that was on your original return. For your W-2s, you can contact your employer(s) from that year to request copies. For the mileage log, this is trickier since this is documentation you should have maintained yourself. Without a contemporaneous mileage log, the state will likely disallow the deduction. They'll recalculate your tax liability without that deduction, then add penalties and interest on the underpayment. You might be able to recreate a mileage log using other evidence - calendar appointments, email confirmations, receipts from those trips, etc. The more documentation you can provide showing the business purpose and timing of those trips, the better your case will be.

I went through something similar last year when the state questioned my business expenses. I tried everything but couldn't find all my receipts. I used taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it seriously saved me. Their AI analyzed what documents I did have and helped me reconstruct what was missing. It identified patterns in my bank statements that supported my claims and helped me draft a response to the auditors with the evidence I had. Turned what could've been a disaster into just paying a small additional amount. Might be worth checking out since recreating a mileage log after the fact is exactly the kind of thing they help with.

I was super skeptical about this taxr.ai thing when I saw it mentioned here. My situation was worse than yours - state audit for 3 years of business expenses and I had practically nothing organized. I decided to try it because I was desperate, and I'm actually shocked at how helpful it was. It didn't magically create fake documentation like I feared, but it analyzed my bank statements, emails, and calendar to help build a case with what I actually had. The audit still sucked, but I ended up only paying about a third of what they initially claimed I owed. Just wanted to follow up since I was the skeptic questioning it earlier.

When I got audited two years ago, I spent WEEKS trying to reach someone at the state tax office to ask questions. Literally impossible. Finally used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and they got me through to a human at the state tax office in like 20 minutes. They have this callback system that somehow works when nothing else does - you can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The agent I talked to actually gave me an extension on providing documents and explained exactly what alternative documentation they would accept. Made a huge difference in resolving my audit without massive penalties.

I hate to admit when I'm wrong, but I need to follow up about Claimyr since I was the one doubting it would work. After posting my skeptical comment, I was desperate enough to try it for my own audit situation. Figured I had nothing to lose. Long story short - I got connected to a senior state tax examiner in 35 minutes after trying for WEEKS on my own. The person actually helped me understand exactly what documentation alternatives they could accept for my missing receipts. Ended up negotiating a payment plan with no added penalties. Sometimes being proven wrong is actually a good thing.

I think everyone's missing something important here - if your mileage deduction was significant, you might want to consult with a tax professional who specializes in audit defense before submitting anything. They can sometimes negotiate better outcomes than you can on your own. I used to just submit whatever I had like everyone's suggesting, but in my last audit, having a pro made a $4,700 difference in what I ended up paying.

Has anyone tried recreating a mileage log using Google Maps timeline data? My tax guy told me that the state accepted this as supporting evidence in another client's audit since it shows where you actually were on specific dates.