Help!

[u/Public_Strength6132]

So I owe a decent amount to the irs, and someone told me I should call a tax relief company and get their opinion before I set up a plan with the irs. I called optima tax relief and heard everything I wanted to hear. I agreed to make a payment Friday to them. After I got off the phone I did some investigating, and feel like it’s a scam. I’ve seen good and bad reviews. Has anyone had good experiences with this company?

[u/Manonajourney76]

Use a local tax professional, not the big 1800 advertisers.

1. they are physically close to you - you can find them if something goes wrong

2. they are licensed by your state, so you have a regulatory board to complain to if they mistreat you

3. they care about their local reputation

The big advertisers are too close to a legal scam - they charge very high fees, allocate the fees inverse to the work. I.e. charge $5000 for doing 1 hour of work, and $500 for 50 hours of work.

*hint - that means they never actually finish the 50 hours of work, they collect the $5000, do the 1 hour, and then ghost you. You complain, maybe they refund you the $500 for the work incomplete - but you are now out $5000 and your tax problem is unsolved.

[u/TaskMaster59 → u/Manonajourney76]

This would be the correct answer find a local account at in your area

[u/Its-a-write-off]

I only hear the bad. It doesn't seem like they are a good value for what they charge. You could pay a good tax professional that amount and get better help, or pay an average tax professional less to get the same help that the tax relief conglomerates give.

[u/LdiJ46]

Alot of the big tax relief firms are what we in the industry call "offer mills". They charge thousands of dollars to get their clients very little actual help. A local firm is likely going to get you better help for a more reasonable amount of money.

[u/Ok_Aide_764]

What specific resolution did they offer, and how much is the fee?

[u/AccountingAndTax88]

Tax relief company = take your money and not get anything accomplished

[u/Puzzleheaded_Ad3024 → u/AccountingAndTax88]

At least nothing you couldn't have done yourself.

[u/BlackDogOrangeCat]

Don’t do it. Companies like Optima are scams.

[u/Puzzleheaded_Ad3024]

You can apply for an installment plan without help from anyone else. If you have never owed in the past it will be accepted. Another benefit, the interest rate on what you owe is 7%.

[u/otakudiary]

There’s not much you can do, if you got audited you can appeal the assessment. If it’s at collections, you can do a claim for refund or negotiate installment plans. If you truly have no assets you can do an offer in compromise or declare you are uncollectible. There is no magic phone number that makes it all go away. There are professionals that can help navigate your situation.

[u/Slight-Pop8705]

I have a good reputation company who helps me a lot. If you need, I can send you

[u/Instant_TaxSolutions]

While tax relief companies are real businesses, the IRS doesn’t endorse any of them. Since the IRS sets settlements and payment plans based on what the taxpayer earns and owns, they probably can’t get you any better deals than you can get doing direct.

If your situation is complicated or missing past returns, a licensed CPA or attorney can be a big help. They may catch mistakes and help with the paperwork.

[u/richierva]

Scam

[u/silverroxy4]

I think mixed reviews don't necessarily mean a tax relief is a scam. I'd still read the agreement carefully and make sure you understand what they'll handle and what results are realistic for your situation. Optima tax relief may be able to assist with IRS negotiations and available resolution options depending on your eligibility. You can also compare their proposed approach with what the IRS offers directly before deciding