Sales Tax Consulting in Austin

Focused Help For Texas Sales Tax Problems So You Can Stay On Business

When a notice from the Texas Comptroller arrives, or a sales tax review turns into a full audit, it can feel like your entire business is on the line. You may be worried about years of sales, use, or mixed transactions being questioned, and you still have payroll, customers, and vendors to manage. At Sales Tax Helper LLC, we work with businesses in the Austin area that are facing these kinds of sales tax challenges and want clear, practical support.

We focus our work on sales tax issues for businesses, not general tax matters. Our team includes former auditors and seasoned sales tax professionals who understand how Texas sales tax law and administration work in real situations. We pair that background with fixed fee pricing for sales tax audits, appeals, and administrative court representation, so you can address a serious problem without the uncertainty that comes with open-ended hourly billing.

Our goal is simple. We help you understand what the state is asking for, what is at stake, and what options you may have, while you keep your attention on running your company.

Dealing with a Texas sales tax notice or audit? Call (866) 458-7966 or contact Sales Tax Helper LLC online to schedule a confidential consultation.

Why Sales Tax Problems Hit Austin Businesses So Hard

Income tax, payroll tax, and franchise tax all matter, but sales tax creates a different kind of risk for Austin businesses. Sales tax is collected from customers and held in trust for the state, and when something goes wrong, the Texas Comptroller often looks back over several years. A small mistake in how tax was collected or reported can multiply across thousands of invoices and quickly become a significant assessment with penalties and interest.

Audits are often triggered by patterns such as rapid growth in revenue, changes in how your business sells, or questions about exemptions on sales inside Texas. Companies that sell both goods and services, such as contractors, restaurants, software and technology providers, and retailers, frequently face complex questions about which parts of a transaction are taxable. Once an audit starts, the state typically follows its own procedures and timelines, which can be unfamiliar if you have not gone through the process before.

Trying to manage a sales tax audit on your own often means learning these rules at the same time you are trying to respond to detailed information requests. That combination increases the risk of missed issues or concessions that you did not intend to make. We focus our work on these sales tax challenges so that our guidance reflects the way Texas applies the law in day-to-day business situations.

How Our Team Supports Austin Businesses Facing Sales Tax Audits

When a sales tax audit or inquiry starts, you need more than high-level tax theory. You need someone who understands how the Texas Comptroller approaches audits and who can help you work through each stage in a structured way. Our team at Sales Tax Helper LLC is built to support businesses through the full life cycle of a sales tax dispute, from the first contact through potential appeals and administrative court proceedings.

Guidance Through Each Stage Of The Audit

In many audits, the process begins with an initial information request that outlines what periods and records the auditor plans to review. We help clients understand that request, identify the records that are most important, and organize responses so that the information given to the state is accurate and clear. As the audit moves forward, auditors often focus on sample transactions or specific categories of sales and purchases. We work to review those items with you, so that you can explain your business practices and identify where the state’s assumptions may not match your actual operations.

Support For Protests, Appeals & Administrative Proceedings

If the audit results in a proposed assessment, the next steps typically involve protests, conferences, or other administrative procedures. Our team assists clients in preparing for these stages and in presenting information to the state so that your position is as clear as possible. For some disputes, representation in an administrative court becomes part of the path. We offer that service within our sales tax practice so that you are not left searching for someone new in the middle of a complex matter.

Throughout the process, our goal is to shoulder much of the technical and procedural work so that you and your team can stay focused on customers, staff, and operations. We stay attentive to deadlines, communications, and document handling, and we keep you informed so that you understand where things stand at each step.

Fixed Fee Sales Tax Representation That Puts Cost Control First

Concerns about professional fees keep many businesses from seeking help as early as they should. Traditional tax representation often involves hourly billing, which makes it hard to predict the final cost of an audit or appeal. At Sales Tax Helper LLC, we take a different approach. We offer flexible fixed fee pricing for sales tax audits, appeals, and administrative court representation, so you can plan ahead and avoid surprise invoices.

With fixed fee arrangements, we define the scope of work before we begin. You know what stages of the process are covered and what services are included, such as audit support, protest preparation, or representation in administrative proceedings. This structure gives you the ability to evaluate your options with a clear understanding of the financial commitment, rather than wondering how many hours each phone call or document review might add.

Because you are not watching a running clock, you are more likely to ask questions when they arise and to involve us at key decision points. That makes it easier for us to provide the level of guidance that complex sales tax matters usually require. Our fixed fee model is designed to keep costs manageable, while still giving your sales tax dispute the focused attention it needs.

Former Auditors Working For Your Business

Sales tax audits are driven by specific procedures and internal guidelines within the state agency. Former auditors on our team have seen those processes from the inside, and they bring that perspective to the work we do for clients. They understand what the Texas Comptroller typically looks for in different industries, how sampling methods are applied, and which issues tend to draw closer scrutiny.

When we review audit requests, sampling plans, or proposed assessments, we look at them with that background in mind. We work to identify where assumptions might not line up with your records, where documentation could better support your position, and how to present your responses in a way that addresses the auditor’s questions. This does not change the state’s rules or policies, but it can change how clearly your side of the story is understood.

Our team’s experience also extends to the administrative side of sales tax disputes, including how protests are evaluated and how hearings are conducted. Over time, we have seen many different business models, transaction patterns, and sales tax configurations. We use that history to help you anticipate likely points of focus and to prepare for them before you sit in a conference or hearing room.

For you, the benefit is not just that we know sales tax law in the abstract. It is what we work with every day in the context of real audits and disputes, including those involving businesses in and around Austin.

What To Do After Receiving a Sales Tax Audit Notice in Austin

The first few days after receiving a sales tax audit notice often shape how the rest of the process feels. It is tempting to set the letter aside, especially if you are unsure what it means, but timeframes in Texas are important. Once you receive a notice from the Texas Comptroller describing the audit, you typically have a limited period before the auditor begins requesting records and information.

Start by reading the notice carefully and noting any dates mentioned, such as the periods under review or the time allowed to respond. Share the notice with the person in your organization who oversees accounting or finance, and identify any key systems that hold sales and purchase data, such as point of sale software, invoicing platforms, or accounting tools. It is wise to preserve relevant records and avoid making changes that could affect historical data while the audit is pending.

When the auditor first contacts you, you are not required to have every detail decided, but your initial responses can still influence the path of the review. You may want to avoid guessing about answers or offering broad explanations before you have gathered your information. Many businesses find it helpful to talk with our team at this early stage, so we can review the notice, discuss what the auditor is likely to request, and help you prepare a plan for organizing records and communications.

Taking these steps does not guarantee a particular outcome, but it often makes the process more manageable. It gives you a clearer picture of your exposure and helps you decide where outside support may be most valuable.

Sales Tax Consulting for Austin’s Key Industries

Austin’s business community includes restaurants, bars, and food trucks, technology and software companies, construction and trade contractors, retailers, and many others. Each of these sectors faces its own sales tax questions. Our work focuses on applying Texas sales tax rules to these kinds of real-world operations, rather than treating every business the same.

For example, restaurants and hospitality companies grapple with how tax applies to mixed food and beverage sales, service charges, and third-party delivery platforms. Contractors and trades often face questions about whether they are providing taxable services, reselling materials, or improving real property in ways that change tax treatment. Software and technology businesses may deal with combined offerings of software, support, and services that do not fit neatly into a single category.

We sit down with businesses to understand how they actually bill, what their contracts say, and how money flows through their systems. Then we look at how the Texas sales tax law and administration treat those patterns. Our goal is to provide practical guidance that fits your model and to support you when those patterns are being challenged in an audit or dispute. Whether your company is long-established locally or has recently expanded into Texas, we can review your sales tax exposure with an eye toward your specific industry.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do first after a Texas sales tax audit notice?

The first step is to read the notice carefully and identify any deadlines or dates the Texas Comptroller has set. Then, let the key people inside your business know that an audit is pending, especially those who handle accounting, invoicing, or sales records. It is helpful to gather basic information about the periods and types of transactions that may be under review, without trying to answer every question on your own right away. Many businesses choose to contact our team at this point, so we can walk through the notice with them, discuss what the state typically looks for, and help outline a plan for responding. Acting early gives you more time to prepare and can reduce the sense of urgency as the auditor begins sending requests.

Why does it help to work with former sales tax auditors?

Former auditors bring an understanding of how sales tax audits are planned and conducted from the state’s perspective. They have seen the internal processes that guide decisions about sampling, documentation, and potential adjustments. When that experience is applied on your side of the table, it can help anticipate the kinds of questions the auditor is likely to ask and the areas where they may focus extra attention. Our team uses that knowledge to review information requests, evaluate proposed findings, and suggest ways to present your records that address the agency’s concerns more directly. While we cannot control how the state ultimately rules, we can draw on that background to support a more informed and organized response.

Can your team help if I already received a sales tax assessment?

We work with businesses that are already facing a proposed or final assessment from the Texas Comptroller. The specific options available at that point depend on where you are in the process and what deadlines still apply, such as protest periods or opportunities for administrative review. When you contact us with an assessment, we typically start by reviewing the notice, the underlying audit workpapers, if they are available, and any correspondence you have received. From there, we discuss with you what kinds of administrative appeals or hearings may be possible and what would be involved in pursuing them. Our fixed fee model applies to these stages as well, so you can evaluate whether further action makes sense in light of the amounts at issue.

Do you only work with certain types of Austin businesses?

We support a wide range of businesses that have sales tax questions or disputes, rather than limiting our work to a single sector. Many of our clients are in industries that are common here, such as restaurants and hospitality, technology and software, construction, retail, and professional services that have complex billing structures. What these companies share is that they collect or should collect Texas sales tax and now face questions about how that has been handled. When you reach out, we talk through your specific business model and transactions to confirm that our sales tax-focused approach is a good fit. If it is, we tailor our support to the way your particular business operates.

How involved will I need to be during the sales tax audit?

You will play an important role in providing information and making decisions, but our goal is to reduce the amount of day-to-day disruption the audit creates. Typically, you or someone on your team will help us identify key records, explain how your billing and operations work, and review draft responses or positions. We then work to manage much of the interaction with the auditor or agency, such as organizing documents, preparing responses, and tracking deadlines. This structure lets you stay informed and in control of the direction of the matter, without having to personally handle every detail of the audit process. The level of your involvement may vary based on the size of your business and the complexity of your transactions.

What is the difference between you and a traditional tax attorney?

Many businesses view tax attorneys as the default option for serious tax issues, but in practice, much of a sales tax dispute involves applying state rules to real transactions and navigating agency procedures. At Sales Tax Helper LLC, we focus our work on sales tax matters and build our team around that focus, including former auditors and sales tax consultants who deal with these issues every day. We also structure our pricing around fixed fees rather than hourly billing, which can make our services more accessible for small and mid-sized companies. We are not a replacement for every service a tax attorney might provide, but for many sales tax audits, assessments, and administrative proceedings in Texas, our model offers a practical, cost-controlled alternative.

Talk With Our Team About Your Sales Tax Issue

Sales tax issues rarely arrive at a convenient time, and they often raise questions that are difficult to answer without focused help. If your business in the Austin area is facing a sales tax audit, assessment, or other dispute with the Texas Comptroller, our team at Sales Tax Helper LLC is available to review your situation and discuss possible paths forward. We bring a combination of sales tax focus, former auditor experience, and fixed fee pricing that is designed for businesses that want clear support and predictable costs.

When you contact us, we work to understand where you are in the process, what the state has requested or proposed, and what concerns you have about the impact on your company. From there, we can explain how our sales tax consulting in Austin applies, what the next steps might look like, and how our involvement could help you stay focused on running your business while we address the tax side. You do not have to sort through a Texas sales tax dispute on your own.

To talk with our team about sales tax consulting in Austin and how it can help with your problem, call (866) 458-7966 or contact us online today.