{"podcast":{"title":"Business By The Numbers","slug":"business-by-the-numbers-5045738","podcast_index_feed_id":5045738,"rss_url":"https://feeds.captivate.fm/huntdemarest/","website_url":"https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm","image_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/74da9917-c9d9-4429-8179-0c0ac4dfe2d9/Hunt-Demarest-CoverArt-2025.jpg","author":"Hunt Demarest","episode_count":248,"summary":"Hunt Demarest, CPA has consistently provided his financial business acumen to help move the industry toward greater heights of success and profitability. Hunt was recently referred to as a \"terrific advocate of the aftermarket.\" He is the author of the book, Your Perfect Shop: How to Start, Run & Sell a Profitable Shop. In this book, he compiled some of the best practices for auto repair shop owners, whether they are just starting or have been in the business for years. Hunt's podcast will provide a core understanding of the financial aspects of running an auto repair shop.","last_synced_at":"2026-09-10T12:31:46.620298+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/business-by-the-numbers-5045738"},"episode":{"title":"The IRS Flagged His Return: Here's the Playbook That Won the Case [E226]","slug":"the-irs-flagged-his-return-here-s-the-playbook-that-won-the-case-e226","published_at":"2026-07-02T04:15:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/business-by-the-numbers-5045738/the-irs-flagged-his-return-here-s-the-playbook-that-won-the-case-e226","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/business-by-the-numbers-5045738","url":"https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com//hunt229","audio_url":"https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/872a3d20-083e-4473-b91e-10ac2b40b5ee.mp3","summary":"Thanks to our partners Promotive, WickedFile, Maverick Shop Owners, and Overdryve Why does the IRS really pick a tax return to audit? And if a CPA who does this for a living can still get dragged through a three-year fight, what chance does the rest of us have? In this episode, Hunt Demarest, CPA, steps out from behind the desk to tell his own story — a three-year audit of his 2023 tax return that started with a suspiciously timed refund and ended with a win built entirely on paperwork. Hunt breaks down what gets a return flagged in the first place, the one habit that separates audits you win from ones you lose, and why \"innocent\" and \"victorious\" aren't always the same outcome — proven by a client who did everything right and still wrote a $25,000 check to the IRS. Hunt also pulls back the curtain on what his firm's audit protection covers, why informational requests aren't the same as a real audit, and why a single missing signature nearly cost him a case tax law was already on his side of. Whether you're worried about a deduction on your own return or want to know what triggers an IRS letter, this episode is a real-time look at how audits actually play out — not the version you hear secondhand. What You'll Learn... (02:51) Hunt's own audit story begins — three years, one 2023 tax return (03:58) Why the audit really happened — a refund, then a red flag a month later (04:41) Getting flagged, part 1 — why large credits are an open invitation to audit (08:24) Getting flagged, part 2 — the oversized expense line the IRS can't ignore (09:48) Inside the process — what an IRS \"information request\" audit actually looks like (15:06) The rule that wins audits — documentation, documentation, documentation (19:15) Audits take time, and time is money — even when you win (19:40) 1…","meta_description":"Thanks to our partners Promotive, WickedFile, Maverick Shop Owners, and Overdryve Why does the IRS really pick a tax return to audit? And if a CPA who doe…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1681,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/business-by-the-numbers-5045738/episodes/the-irs-flagged-his-return-here-s-the-playbook-that-won-the-case-e226/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/business-by-the-numbers-5045738/the-irs-flagged-his-return-here-s-the-playbook-that-won-the-case-e226.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}