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Direct Tax Relief vs 97tax

Friday, July 11th

2025 Tax Relief Company Reviews

Direct Tax Relief Review 4 Star Rating

Direct Tax Relief

4 Star Rating
  • Can work with both the IRS and state tax agencies on your behalf
  • Serves both individuals and businesses
  • Free initial consultation
  • "A+” rated and accredited by the BBB
  • Member of ASTPS
  • 95% success rate
  • In business since 2008

If you like the idea of knowing the names and faces behind your tax relief strategy, Direct Tax Relief is a company you should consider. They offer personalized help for most federal and state tax issues, and they've achieved a 95% success rate since 2008. Most clients say that working with DTR got them back on track financially, and that the company treated them with the utmost respect. We'd still like to see a bit more feedback and some advance disclosure of their fee structure, but overall Direct Tax Relief is a good option we can confidently recommend.

97tax Review 2.5 Star Rating

97tax

2.5 Star Rating
  • Helps you complete and submit paperwork requesting state payment plans (limited locations), IRS installment agreements, and IRS penalty waiver letters
  • $129 flat fee (despite being advertised as $97)
  • Forms usually sent to you within 1 business day
  • "A-” rated and accredited by the BBB
  • In business since 2017

97tax is pretty limited in the tax relief options it offers. You can use this service to complete paperwork requesting a payment plan with the IRS or a handful of US state tax authorities; your documents will be filled out and sent with a postage-paid envelope, so that all you have to do is sign and send. However, the $97 flat fee that was the basis of the company's name has gone up to $129, and you're not getting much for that (especially when you could do it yourself for free). 97tax lacks most of the biggest strategies for getting you some tax relief, and so this service earns a lower rating from us.

Which Tax Relief Service is Right for You?

Tax relief is a way to reduce the amount of money you owe to the IRS or state tax agencies. This can be really helpful if you're facing financial difficulties and can't pay your full tax bill. There are different methods of tax relief, but one of the most well-known options is called an "offer in compromise."

An offer in compromise is an agreement between you and the IRS that allows you to settle your tax debt for less than the full amount you owe. The IRS will look at your ability to pay, your income, your expenses, and your asset equity (things you own that have value, like a car or a house). If they think that the amount you're offering is the most they can reasonably expect to collect from you, they might accept your offer. This can be a huge relief if you're struggling to come up with the money to pay your taxes.

The Best Tax Relief Companies Compare Tax Relief Companies Compare Tax Relief Company Reviews What are the best Tax Relief Companies Best Tax Relief Company Reviews

Tax Relief Company FAQ

Tax relief is a means of reducing what you owe to the IRS and state in back taxes. Your debts can be negotiated and payment plans may be established to help you pay it in a more manageable amount and timeframe.
You'll probably need to owe at least $10,000 in state and/or federal taxes to be eligible for tax relief. There usually aren't any other requirements.
You could work directly with the IRS to work out a 3-year payment plan, but that usually only applies if you've filed all of your previous years' tax returns and you owe less than $10,000 in taxes. Using a tax relief service eliminates the guesswork and walks you through the entire process from start to finish. Plus, you don't have the stress of meeting with the IRS: your representative at the tax relief company does all of that for you!
Most services offer a free initial consultation, to determine which of their plans (if any) are the right fit for your situation. Once you've chosen a tax relief strategy, the provider will probably charge up to 20% of what you saved in debt as a service fee, but that varies from one company to another.
Your representative will go to work on your behalf, using a variety of methods to work with the IRS and state taxing authority. These may include Offer in Compromise, Penalty Abatements, Tax Lien Subordination and more. Some services will assign you a dedicated representative who will keep you updated on your case's progress.
As you'd expect, it depends on the complexity of your situation. However, a general rule of thumb is between two and six months for a tax relief plan to be fully executed.
Some tax relief services offer their customers a satisfaction guarantee - but it's often a very small window of time compared with how long it takes to see a significant change in your tax debts. It's a good idea to look at the reputation of any service you're considering, to see what previous clients have said about the effectiveness, and reliability of the programs offered.
Most of them are. It's not difficult to find tax relief partners that have been helping consumers for decades. That being said, there are opportunistic scammers who would like nothing more than to convince you that they're legit and then take your money without offering any tax relief whatsoever. You should research the provider before signing on the dotted line, which includes looking up their rating from the Better Business Bureau.
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Continued from above...

Another option is setting up a payment plan, known as an installment agreement. If you can't pay all at once, the IRS might let you pay off your debt over time. You'll still need to pay interest and possibly penalties, but spreading the payments out can make it more manageable.

There's also something called penalty abatement. If you've been hit with penalties because you filed your taxes late or didn't pay on time, you might be able to get those penalties reduced or eliminated. The IRS could forgive penalties if you have a good reason for why you were late, like a serious illness or natural disaster.

State tax agencies often offer similar programs, so if you owe state taxes, it's worth checking to see what options are available. These agencies understand that life happens, and they may be willing to work with you to find a solution.

While it's possible to negotiate with the IRS or state tax agencies on your own, many people find it's better to hire a tax relief service or an attorney. Here's why. First, tax laws and IRS rules can be really complicated. A professional who knows these rules inside and out can guide you through the process and make sure you don't miss any important details.

Also, tax relief professionals are experienced in dealing with the IRS and state tax agencies. They know how to negotiate effectively and might be able to get you a better deal than you could on your own. And, of course, putting someone else between you and the IRS can not only keep the stress off your shoulders, but it also makes it less likely that you'll make a mistake that could delay your process or result in a denial of your paperwork.

Now that you're convinced that hiring a tax relief specialist is the way to go, which one should you pick? They're not all created equal, so here are some criteria you can use to make your choice:

  • Fees. Unfortunately, working with a tax relief service isn't free. But, the good news is that the best services will base their fees on a percentage of the amount that they've saved you, so you're still coming out on top. Make sure you're clear on what you'll pay later during your initial (no-cost) consultation.
  • Minimum debt requirements. Many services expect you to have at least $10,000 in tax debt to use their program. Others will accept clients with lower tax liabilities.
  • Services offered. Some tax relief programs only help you complete the basic application paperwork with the IRS, while others actively negotiate on your behalf. And, not every service works with both federal and state tax debt. Be sure that the one you choose can provide you with the help you need.
  • Reputation. What have other clients said about their overall experience with the tax relief service? Has it been worth what they've paid? Has it been easy to work with their assigned case managers? Above all, did it deliver the tax relief they were looking for?

Tax relief can be a lifeline if you're struggling with tax debt, so the experts at Top Consumer Reviews have done the research on today's top providers and ranked them from best to worst. Use this information to choose a service that fits your needs, and don't hesitate to reach out for an initial consultation. Good luck!

Compare Tax Relief Companies

Select any 2 Tax Relief Companies to compare them head to head

best-tax-relief-companies
  • CuraDebt
  • Community Tax
  • Jackson Hewitt
  • Direct Tax Relief
  • ECG Tax Pros
  • Tax Relief Inc
  • 97tax
  • Optima Tax Relief
  • Tax Defense Partners
  • Fidelity Tax Relief
CuraDebt vs Community Tax CuraDebt vs Jackson Hewitt CuraDebt vs Direct Tax Relief CuraDebt vs ECG Tax Pros CuraDebt vs Tax Relief Inc CuraDebt vs 97tax CuraDebt vs Optima Tax Relief CuraDebt vs Tax Defense Partners CuraDebt vs Fidelity Tax Relief Community Tax vs Jackson Hewitt Community Tax vs Direct Tax Relief Community Tax vs ECG Tax Pros Community Tax vs Tax Relief Inc Community Tax vs 97tax Community Tax vs Optima Tax Relief Community Tax vs Tax Defense Partners Community Tax vs Fidelity Tax Relief Jackson Hewitt vs Direct Tax Relief Jackson Hewitt vs ECG Tax Pros Jackson Hewitt vs Tax Relief Inc Jackson Hewitt vs 97tax Jackson Hewitt vs Optima Tax Relief Jackson Hewitt vs Tax Defense Partners Jackson Hewitt vs Fidelity Tax Relief Direct Tax Relief vs ECG Tax Pros Direct Tax Relief vs Tax Relief Inc Direct Tax Relief vs 97tax Direct Tax Relief vs Optima Tax Relief Direct Tax Relief vs Tax Defense Partners Direct Tax Relief vs Fidelity Tax Relief ECG Tax Pros vs Tax Relief Inc ECG Tax Pros vs 97tax ECG Tax Pros vs Optima Tax Relief ECG Tax Pros vs Tax Defense Partners ECG Tax Pros vs Fidelity Tax Relief Tax Relief Inc vs 97tax Tax Relief Inc vs Optima Tax Relief Tax Relief Inc vs Tax Defense Partners Tax Relief Inc vs Fidelity Tax Relief 97tax vs Optima Tax Relief 97tax vs Tax Defense Partners 97tax vs Fidelity Tax Relief Optima Tax Relief vs Tax Defense Partners Optima Tax Relief vs Fidelity Tax Relief Tax Defense Partners vs Fidelity Tax Relief
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