I filed an extension and lost my receipts — what do I do?

Start with what still exists: bank and card statements show most of what you spent. Payment apps (CashApp, Venmo, Square, Stripe) show what you earned. Your calendar and texts show where you drove and when you worked. Amazon and supply-store accounts have your order history. Booth rent shows up in your payment records or your landlord's.

Rebuild in this order: income first (every deposit and payment received), then the big expenses (rent, equipment, supplies), then mileage (client visits, supply runs — reconstructed from your calendar at $0.70/mile for 2026).

Write down how you reconstructed each category. A documented estimate made in good faith holds up; a number pulled from the air doesn't.

And know the deadline math: October 15 is final. No second extensions. Filing late with a balance due costs 5% per month in penalties — far more than the tax you'd save by waiting for perfect records that aren't coming.