What is George & Company Tax Consulting?

George & Company Tax Consulting helps businesses identify tax-saving opportunities, recover overpaid sales/use, excise, and property taxes, and reduce future tax risk. They provide expert tax reviews, refund recovery, audit support, compliance guidance, and ongoing consulting to help companies stay compliant and protect their bottom line.

What is the difference between sales tax and use tax in Kentucky?

Sales tax is collected by the seller at the point of purchase, while use tax applies to taxable goods you buy without paying Kentucky sales tax — often from out-of-state vendors. Kentucky businesses are responsible for self-assessing use tax on those purchases, and this is one of the most common areas where companies either overpay or face assessments during an audit.

How do businesses overpay sales and use tax without realizing it?

Overpayments usually happen when taxability rules are applied incorrectly across vendor invoices — for example, paying tax on exempt manufacturing equipment, raw materials, packaging, or certain utilities. Because these errors repeat invoice after invoice, the overpaid amounts can grow into six or seven figures over a few years before anyone notices.

Which purchases are commonly exempt for Kentucky manufacturers?

Kentucky offers exemptions for machinery used directly in the manufacturing process, raw materials that become part of the finished product, industrial supplies, and qualifying energy and utilities. The rules are narrow and fact-specific, so a detailed review of how each item is used is required to claim the exemption correctly.

What should I do if my business is selected for a state tax audit?

Contact an experienced tax consultant before responding to the Department of Revenue. Early representation lets us control the scope, organize documentation properly, and present your position in the way auditors expect. Stepping in early often reduces or eliminates proposed assessments, penalties, and interest.

Can a proposed audit assessment be reduced or reversed?

Yes. Many proposed assessments are based on incomplete information or an overly broad interpretation of taxability. By presenting exemption documentation, correcting errors, and negotiating directly with the taxing authority, we frequently reduce assessments substantially — and in some cases eliminate them entirely along with associated penalties.

How does a sales and use tax refund claim work?

We perform a validation study that reviews your purchase records to identify tax paid in error, then prepare and file refund claims with supporting documentation. Kentucky allows refunds within a defined look-back period, so the sooner overpayments are identified, the more of your money we can recover before the statute of limitations closes.

How far back can I recover overpaid Kentucky taxes?

Refund claims are generally limited to a statutory look-back window from the date the tax was paid. Because that window closes continuously, waiting can permanently forfeit recoverable dollars. A timely review ensures you capture the maximum refund the law allows.

How are your fees structured?

We offer flexible engagement models, including contingency-based recovery work where our fee is a percentage of the refund or savings we secure, fixed-fee project and audit-defense engagements, and ongoing consultation arrangements. This means recovery work can often be done with no out-of-pocket risk to you.

Will I work with an experienced consultant directly?

Yes. Every client works directly with a senior consultant, not a junior associate. We personally correspond with taxing authorities on your behalf, so you never have to face the state alone, and you always know exactly who is handling your matter.

Do you only work with large companies?

No. We work with Kentucky businesses of all sizes across manufacturing, distribution, wholesale, and services. If your business purchases taxable goods or equipment, there is a strong chance we can find overpayments or reduce your exposure regardless of your size.

Resources

Kentucky Sales & Use Tax: Frequently Asked Questions

Straight answers to the questions Kentucky business owners ask most about state tax overpayments, audits, refunds, and how a tax consultant can protect your bottom line.

Most Kentucky businesses pay more state sales and use tax than the law actually requires. Taxability rules for manufacturing equipment, raw materials, utilities, and vendor invoices are complex and change often — and the Department of Revenue will not refund overpayments you never claim. George & Company Tax Consulting helps businesses across Kentucky recover those overpayments, defend against audits, and put proper procedures in place so the savings continue year after year.

With more than 88 years of combined experience administering and auditing state taxes, our consultants understand exactly how the state evaluates a return and where companies most often overpay. The questions below cover how sales and use tax recovery works, what to expect during a state audit, how refund and credit claims are filed, and what it is like to work with our team. If you do not see your question answered here, reach out and an experienced consultant will respond personally.

Sales & Use Tax

Audits

Refunds & Credits

Working With Us

Still have questions about your tax situation?

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