That statement—“If I’m not going to be audited, I can ignore small mistakes or slip-ups”—is a dangerous myth. In the realm of business compliance, it’s easy to believe that non-audited companies are safe from scrutiny. But that underestimates both risk and the hidden cost of assuming you’ll never be audited.

If you miss a payroll filing, the IRS can assess payroll penalties, interest, and additional compliance actions. Late filings—even by a few days—can trigger automatic penalties for failure to deposit or file payroll taxes, plus interest that compounds daily until paid. In severe or repeated cases, missed payroll filings can lead to federal or state tax liens and put your business at compliance risk.