Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Tax Relief Firm
You should always check a tax relief firm's reviews and search for any past client complaints online before signing up for services. But the work of vetting a company to represent you with the IRS goes beyond screening their reputation. You should also ask these three critical questions.
How do they charge for their tax relief services?
There are four primary methods, and you need to understand the difference as many companies’ methods are not transparent and often very misleading.
Flat Fees – All-Inclusive: A flat fee that includes all required services to complete your case is the most reliable way to immediately know the full cost of your case before committing to work with any tax relief company. It also assures that you are working with a company that has professionals on staff that can handle all services associated with your case.
Flat fees - Non-Inclusive: Many firms will quote a low fee, but downplay or outright neglect to tell you that they don’t provide some critical services. Ask if your "flat" fee covers all of the services required to resolve your tax issue. Bookkeeping, audit representation and filing your back tax returns are common services that some tax relief companies exclude. Failure to include these services can cause delays and unexpected costs to your case, not to mention the inconvenience of having to find additional professionals to get the work done.
Teaser Fees: Some tax relief firms take advantage of price shoppers by selling them on what appears to be a reasonable upfront “investigation fee,” but then follow up days or weeks into the process to inform them that the remainder of the case is going to be additional $$$$.
Ongoing Fees: Other companies just bill you by the hour, which is by nature a conflict of interest leading to unpredictable, ever-growing costs and slow progress of your case.
How long has the tax relief company been in business?
The time a tax relief company has been in business is important because it is a way to measure their credibility and experience. Tax resolution is a specialized professional service that requires understanding of a dedicated part of tax law and IRS procedures. Companies that can demonstrate an extended track record of strong client service and results can truly be considered credible sources of tax resolution services.
Companies that can demonstrate an extended track record of strong client service and results can truly be considered credible sources of tax resolution services.
Will you really be working with a tax attorney?
Most firms claim to have tax attorneys available to represent clients with the IRS. If you ask, you may find that they don’t have attorneys on staff at all. Some even use the excuse that they have experienced “temporary staffing variances.”
Others technically have attorneys, but won’t tell you that these individuals often are right out of law school, have not passed any state bar exams and have little or no practical experience dealing with the IRS.
Be sure to ask if all attorneys on staff have passed a state bar and how much tax resolution experience they have.
Choose the Most Trusted Tax Relief Company
Precision Tax Relief has a 98% satisfaction rating in over 600 reviews—more than any other tax relief agency.
We only charge transparent, flat-rate fees and always offer affordable payment plans.
Our team has been in the tax business since 1991 and our in-house staff includes tax professionals averaging 20 years of experience as IRS Enrolled Agents, CPAs and as an attorney.
We Can Help Resolve Your IRS Problem
Start with a no-obligation, free consultation now: 1-855-212-5900
Or click here to request a callback
See how it works in 56 seconds