GUIDE, FOR ACCOUNTANTS & BUSINESSES

How to securely share documents for an IRS tax audit

Responding to an IRS audit means handing over sensitive records, tax returns, bank statements, working papers. Emailing them around is risky. Here's how to share them securely, remove what you shouldn't disclose, and keep a record of everything.

Set up a secure audit room

The five steps

1
Create a secure data room for the audit
Set up a room named for the client and IRS reference. Everything for this audit stays in one controlled, audited place, not scattered across email.
2
Upload the requested documents
Drag in tax returns, financial statements, working papers and source records. AI extracts the text so everything is searchable and auto-tagged.
3
Check what you're sharing
Review each document before you invite anyone, and remove any personal or bank details you're not disclosing.
4
Invite the IRS officer or auditor by email
They verify their identity with a 6-digit code, no account or password. Optionally require NDA acceptance first. You control whether they can download or view only.
5
Answer questions in-thread and keep the audit trail
Use Q&A to handle the auditor's questions against specific documents, and rely on the tamper-evident, exportable log as your record of exactly what was shared, with whom, and when.

Why not just email the documents?

Emailed attachments can't be controlled

Once sent, they can be forwarded indefinitely and you have no record of who opened them.

You need a record

A tamper-evident, exportable audit trail records exactly what was shared and when.

US data residency

Tax records stored in the United States.

IRS audit sharing FAQs

How do I securely send documents to the IRS or an auditor?

Create a secure data room, upload the requested documents, remove any PII you're not disclosing, then invite the IRS officer or auditor by email. They verify their identity with a code, no account needed, and you get a tamper-evident record of everything they access. This is far safer than emailing attachments or sharing a Drive link.

Is it safe to email tax documents to my accountant?

Email is risky for tax documents: attachments can be forwarded indefinitely, there's no record of who opened them, and personal and bank details sit unprotected in inboxes. A secure data room verifies the recipient, lets you choose exactly which documents each person sees, blocks downloading if you choose, and logs every access, much safer for the sensitive data in a tax matter.

Where are my tax documents stored?

In the United States (Google Cloud us-central1).

Do auditors need to install anything?

No. The auditor or IRS officer opens a secure link in their browser, verifies via email code, and views documents inline, including spreadsheets, with no software, account or download required.

Can I show what I shared during the audit?

Yes. Every view, download and Q&A is recorded in a SHA-256 hash-chained audit trail you can export, a record of exactly which documents were shared, with whom, and when.

Handle your next IRS audit securely

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How to securely share documents for an IRS tax audit

The five steps

Create a secure data room for the audit

Upload the requested documents

Check what you're sharing

Invite the IRS officer or auditor by email

Answer questions in-thread and keep the audit trail