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What your receipts are actually worth
Plain-English guides on business records, tax audits, warranties, and returns — grounded directly in the published rules of the IRS, HMRC, and ATO, with every statute and revenue procedure cited.
United States
IRS retention rules, digital receipts under Rev. Proc. 97-22, $75 exceptions, and consumer return rights.
United Kingdom
HMRC 5-year and 6-year retention, Making Tax Digital photo rules, and Consumer Rights Act 2015 return rights.
Australia
ATO 5-year record keeping, claiming deductions without paper, and statutory warranties under Australian Consumer Law.
🇺🇸United States Guides
IRS retention rules, digital receipts under Rev. Proc. 97-22, $75 exceptions, and consumer return rights.
Can you return an item without a receipt in the US?
What US federal and state laws actually say about store returns, what counts as proof of purchase, and your rights under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.
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Does the IRS accept photos of receipts?
Yes, under Revenue Procedure 97-22. The four conditions digital receipts must meet, legibility standards, and when you can throw away the paper.
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How long do you need to keep receipts for the IRS?
Three years — or up to seven for certain deductions. When the IRS clock starts, which business records to hold, and when digital copies are enough.
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IRS audit with lost receipts: How the Cohan Rule works
What happens if the IRS audits you and receipts are missing. How the Cohan Rule works, where it fails under Section 274(d), and how to reconstruct records.
Read🇬🇧United Kingdom Guides
HMRC 5-year and 6-year retention, Making Tax Digital photo rules, and Consumer Rights Act 2015 return rights.
Claiming business expenses without a receipt in the UK
What HMRC allows when a receipt is lost. How bank statements, simplified expenses, and secondary proof work — and the strict exception for VAT.
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Consumer Rights Act 2015: Do you need a receipt for a refund?
You do not need a till receipt for faulty goods in the UK. What counts as statutory proof of purchase, the 30-day rule, and illegal 'no refund' signs.
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Does HMRC accept photos and scanned receipts?
Yes — HMRC explicitly accepts digital copies. Making Tax Digital rules, when you can throw away paper receipts, and what a valid scan must show.
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How long do you need to keep receipts for HMRC?
At least five years after 31 January for Self-Assessment, six for limited companies. What records to keep, digital copies, and when the clock starts.
Read🇦🇺Australia Guides
ATO 5-year record keeping, claiming deductions without paper, and statutory warranties under Australian Consumer Law.
It broke just after the warranty ran out. What now?
"That's out of warranty" is not a legal answer. Here's exactly what to do, what to say, and where to escalate when a business won't fix a fault.
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How long does a warranty last in Australia?
Australia has no minimum warranty period and no two-year rule. What decides a claim is reasonable durability — here's how the regulators judge it.
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"No refunds": the shop signs in Australia that aren't legal
"No refunds." "Sale items excluded." "Exchange only." Several signs common in Australian shops are unlawful. Here's which ones, and what the law says.
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Are photos of receipts accepted by the ATO?
Yes — a photo or scan is valid written evidence if it's a true and clear copy. What that means in practice, and when you can bin the paper.
ReadThese guides are general information, not tax or legal advice. How we research and review them.