Taxes
What actually happens in an IRS audit (and how mileage fits in)
The truth about IRS audits — they're rarer than people think, and a clean mileage log makes them much easier to survive.
By MileTracker · March 10, 2026 · 8 min read
Most contractors are scared of audits. The reality: audit rates are under 1% for individual filers, and the most common type is a correspondence audit — a letter, not a visit.
Common triggers
- Round numbers on Schedule C (e.g., $5,000 of mileage)
- Disproportionately large deductions vs reported income
- Math errors
- Repeated losses on Schedule C
How a mileage log helps
If the IRS asks for documentation, an exported PDF mileage log with date, route, distance, and purpose typically settles the question in one round of correspondence.
MileTracker detects every drive in the background, lets you classify business or personal in one tap, and exports an IRS-ready PDF and CSV at tax time. Download MileTracker free on the App Store.