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Tax Settlement Scams: An Insider’s Guide
license info:
IRS Enrolled Agents & Attorneys
offered in person
offered virtually
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33 YRS OF EXPERIENCE IN TAX SETTLEMENT/LAW/FINANCE: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
RULE #1: Do Some Research
Go to the website before you call. Find out where the company is located. Does it tell you who owns the company? If the website starts with “How much do you owe,” MOVE ON.
RULE #2: The Truth About Reviews
Read the reviews. The BBB is the best of the group because they contact the reviewer and verify. Companies buy positive reviews, but you can generally trust bad ones to be accurate. After all, companies don’t hire people to write bad reviews—and if a review is fake, you can prove it and have it removed. YELP, Trustpilot, ranking articles are pay to play.
RULE #3: Avoid the Boiler Rooms
Do not call a company from a radio or TV spot. Many of the large companies saturating the market today are Private Equity-backed organizations, mostly based in Southern California. Their business model is simple: hire commissioned salespeople who work in a boiler room and read from a script. They have no tax training. They are trained to SCARE you.
RULE #4: Demand Credentials From Anyone You Talk To
Are you speaking with a licensed tax professional, or a commissioned salesperson with no tax credentials? If they are not licensed, MOVE ON. You have no legal recourse if you are talking to an unlicensed person.
RULE #5: If the Settlement Isn’t in the Agreement, It Isn’t Real
The most abuse I see is the claim to be able to settle debt with the IRS through an Offer in Compromise when that is not possible. There are many other options however.
RULE #6: There is Always a Solution.
If they are trying to scare you MOVE ON.
RULE #7: Never Pay in Full Upfront or Let a Company Sign You Up for a Loan
The lenders are 3rd parties who charge interest on top of fees, and the tax relief company is paid in total up-front. DON’T DO IT! If they fail to do the work, you lose all your leverage.
YOUR NEXT STEPS:
If you’re dealing with IRS debt, notices, unfiled returns, payment plans, penalties, or want to see if you genuinely qualify for an Offer in Compromise, we’re happy to review your situation honestly and explain your options.
• CALL: (866) 999-2889
• VISIT: https://taxreliefadvisers.com/
Real Reviews: https://www.bbb.org/us/mt/missoula/profile/tax-enrolled-agent/tax-relief-advisers-llc-1296-1000032034/customer-reviews
Lance Herndon, J.D., EA
IRS Enrolled Agent
Tax Relief Advisers, Inc.
Offices In:
Missoula, MT
Boise, ID
Dallas, TX
Richmond, VA