PDF receipts...

DaSleeper

Trolling Hypocrites
May 27, 2007
33,676
1,666
113
Northern Ontario,
I have been electronically filling my taxes for about 18 years and only been audited once about 7 years ago because I had about $8000. more medical expenses than usual, and most of us know that you have to keep receipts for 7 years since you don't send anything when e filing.
When I got audited I couldn't find my dental receipt so I called the denturist who emailed me a pdf of the receipts which I printed and sent along with all other receipts and it got accepted.
I still keep hard copies of all tax receipts for seven year but all receipts and other important documents and manuals for all equipment that I own are scanned and kept in pdf format on my PC, on usb key and a third copy on a secure FTP server that I can access from anywhere.
A simple word search will bring up the needed document in seconds instead of searching in a cardboard box in the basement.
CRA in Canada is a bit touchy about PDF and scanned documents in Canada

I wonder what the law is with the IRS.........Just curious!
 

Walter

Hall of Fame Member
Jan 28, 2007
34,870
116
63
If you're not dealing financially in the US the IRS won't bother you. I get audited most years and I attribute it to my charitable givings which are in the five figures. I always have my receipts ready to be sent in as I wait for the inevitable letter in the mail. I've call the CRA about this and they have said the five figure charitable givings triggers their programs for an automatic audit.