Help Finding the
Best Tax Relief Company
a review of the best tax relief companies

Our Review

A review of tax relief companies that help with IRS debts, collections, & problems.

Top 3 Best Tax Relief Companies

We Fix IRS


Our Score: 5.0

Nationwide service
Focus on IRS tax troubles and debt relief
Name of former IRS employees responsible for the work provided
Name of owners provided
Responds to consumer complaints
Flexible payment options available
Credit cards accepted
see full review

Accelerated Tax


Our Score: 3.6

Nationwide service
Focus on IRS tax troubles and debt relief
Name of former IRS employees responsible for the work provided
Name of owners provided
Responds to consumer complaints
Flexible payment options available
Credit cards accepted
see full review

Cornerstone Tax


Our Score: 2.9

Nationwide service
Focus on IRS tax troubles and debt relief
Name of former IRS employees responsible for the work provided
Name of owners provided
Responds to consumer complaints
Flexible payment options available
Credit cards accepted
see full review

Other Best Tax Relief Companies

There are a number of other best tax relief companies, which can be found here.

Ranking Criteria

We evaluate each tax relief company we review on a strict, 7-point ranking system. We beleive that this is an effective way of determining a company’s ability to serve customers. Below is an outline and explanation of why each criteria point is important.
There are a number of ways to evaluate and rate tax relief companies. There are also a number of factors that can be considered.

The factors we selected are what we would consider if we were recommending the company to our loved ones.

We focus on the information provided on the company website and our search of the internet.
  • Focus on Tax Relief & Nationwide Practice



    We want to see that a company has experience negotiating with the IRS in the following ways:

    • Offer in compromise
    • Installment agreement
    • Currently not collectible
    • Penalty abatement
    • Innocent spouse relief
    • IRS appeals

    We look for clear evidence of this experience on the company's website.

  • Name of Former IRS Employees & Company Owners Provided


    Former IRS experience is a must to be able to do this work successfully. Many tax relief companies claim to have former IRS employees on staff when they do not. In other instances they employ former IRS employees who had such a low position in the IRS as to make the reference irrelevant. For example, the title IRS attorney carries weight. A title IRS mail clerk does not. We review the company's website to verify that the firm employs former IRS and that their names AND job titles for the former IRS employees are provided.

    To really judge the quality of a tax relief company, you have to have know who owns the firm. They set the direction for the firm and are the person responsible for the firm's work. We look to see that the company ownership is disclosed on the company's website.

  • Responds to Consumer Complaints



    It is important that the tax relief company care about its reputation. We search the internet for evidence that the company responds consumer complaints online.

  • Flexible Payment Options & Accepts Credit Cards


    Owing a tax debt can be a significant financial burden. It can strain anyone's budget. Coming up with the funds to pay for professional help to resolve the tax debt can be a challenge. This is especially true for tax relief companies that charge up front fees or flat fees and are not able to waive them or work with clients on payment terms. We look to the company website to verify that the company has flexible payment terms. We also look to check whether they accept credit cards.

Finding the Best Tax Relief Company




Poll

What is most important to you in selecting a tax relief company?

Frequently Asked Questions:
Who Uses Tax Relief Companies? Individuals and business who owe money to the IRS use tax relief companies. This includes:
  • Self-employed: Self-employed individuals who do not have taxes withheld from their pay and then have a shortfall at the end of the year.
  • Recipients of windfalls: Individuals and businesses that receive an unexpected windfall and do not set aside funds to pay the resulting tax.
  • Taxpayers under IRS audit: Individuals and businesses whose tax returns are adjusted by the IRS.
  • Divorcing spouses: Divorced or divorcing spouses whose financial circumstances changed due to the separation, which resulted in one or both spouse having unpaid taxes.
  • Companies that have payroll: Businesses that fail to remit payroll taxes to the IRS.
What Does It Cost? As with hiring any professional, tax relief companies can charge quite a bit for their services. Most tax relief companies charge:
  • Fixed fees: Fixed fees based on an estimated of the amount of work to be performed or based on a percentage of the tax owed.
  • Hourly fees for services rendered
Some tax relief firms even charge significant upfront fees, which may or may not be refundable. Others charge clients the same high hourly rates for their tax professionals as they do their other employees. The tax relief company may charge other miscellaneous fees, such as fees to close a case, etc. These fees will generally be spelled out in the contract that the tax relief company asks clients to sign. 		Who will be performing the services? A tax advsor at a tax relief company must have a license, professional designation to represent taxpayers before the IRS. These licenses and designations include:
  • Tax attorney: Attorneys who are admitted to the bar are licensed by one or more states. An attorney who works with tax matters will usually have an advanced law degree with a speciality in tax. This degree is referred to as an LL.M.
  • Certified Public Accountant: Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) are licensed in one or more states. They will usually have a bachelor's degree in accounting and possibly a master’s degree in accounting. This may or may not include tax coursework.
  • Enrolled Agent: Enrolled Agents (“EAs”) have taken and passed a short test administered by the IRS. EAs are not required to have any formal education.
These are the only professionals can represent clients before the IRS. Many tax relief companies employ individuals who do not have these required designations. In some cases, the tax relief company will claim or lead clients to believe that these unlicensed individuals have the proper designations. These individuals will act as a middleman or maybe even do some of the work and refer the case out to someone who has a license.

How does the tax relief company market its service? How a tax relief company markets its services says a lot about the company. Generally:
  • Smaller companies: There are many smaller tax relief companies that do very little advertising. These tax relief companies usually build their client base over time by way of referrals from existing clients. These companies tend to specialize in various types of clients or matters.
  • Larger companies: There are others that are primarily marketing companies. They advertise heavily on TV, radio, mailer, and cold calls. These tax relief companies are usually larger and not as specialized as other smaller companies. Many of these larger companies have been shut down by the federal and state governments.

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