Tuesday, March 21st
2023 Tax Relief Company Reviews
Fidelity Tax Relief
- "A+" rated and accredited by the BBB
- Flat-rate fee determined by complexity of case
- Free initial consultation
With Fidelity, you'll find most of the tax relief options offered by the biggest names in the business: installment agreements, offer-in-compromise, penalty abatement, removal of liens or levies, and so on. If you're not sure what those mean, don't worry: you can find easy-to-understand explanations on their Services page.
First consultation is free
Of course, not every tax relief strategy is appropriate for your unique situation: when you schedule a free initial consultation with a Fidelity Tax Relief specialist, they'll ask questions to learn more about you and give you an overview of what approaches might be applicable. On the Fidelity Tax Relief homepage, you can take a 30-second qualification form to determine if you're eligible for their services - but even answering those questions won't really amount to much other than letting you schedule a phone consultation.
Not exactly keeping current
Fidelity Tax Relief leaves us feeling a little "meh" : at the time of this review. Their toll-free number went to an autoresponder bot (though we did eventually get connected to a live person), their website copyright was a year out of date, and their most recent blog posts were four months old. That's not a huge red flag, especially since the company has an "A+" and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau, but it gives the impression that they're not quite on top of things here. We didn't find anything related to this service after the end of 2021: no posts to their social media channels, no client reviews (positive or negative), just"silence. See why we were surprised that they're still answering the phones?
Fees are a mystery
Another reason we don't love Fidelity Tax Relief is their lack of transparency with respect to fees. They explain that they charge a flat fee that includes tax attorney research, re-filing, and any other needed services - but with zero indicator of even a range of fees to expect. Despite all of our digging, we found no disclosures from clients or anyone else, either. You literally have to contact Fidelity for a consultation and hope for the best.
Better options elsewhere
IRS regulations are constantly changing, and to get effective and legal tax relief, you need a service that keeps up with the times. By all appearances, Fidelity Tax Relief doesn't keep up with its own website and social media channels, let alone the IRS. You've got a lot of tax relief options to choose from, and we strongly suggest you take a look at Fidelity's higher-ranked rivals for more on-the-ball service.
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The 10 Best Tax Relief Companies
Which Tax Relief Service is Right for You?
If you're behind on your tax payments or have past years where you didn't even file a return, you probably feel the pressure mounting. Unless you've come into money recently, you're thinking there's no way you can possibly pay off your tax debt while still keeping food on your table and gas in your tank, right?
Fortunately, you've got options you might not be aware of. At the federal level, the IRS offers the Fresh Start program that lets you settle your debt for a lower amount than what you actually owe through an Offer in Compromise. The amount that the IRS will accept depends on your household expenses, current income and assets, and your payment will usually consist of a lump sum upfront and then monthly payments for 6-24 months or in full within five months.
Tax Relief Company FAQ
Continued from above...
All this sounds great, but are you confident that you can accurately determine your eligibility, wade through the 32 pages of the IRS document explaining the program, and get it approved?
That's where tax relief services come to the rescue. These companies take the hard work out of your hands, securing power of attorney to step in and interact with the IRS on your behalf. The process typically has three stages: a free consultation to explore your specific situation, an investigation phase to determine the extent of your tax problems, and finally the resolution.
How much does it cost? You should anticipate fees ranging from $200-$500 for the investigation, and some of the top tax relief services will refund them if they determine they can't reduce the amount you owe. The resolution stage carries the largest cost, from $500 to $5,000 based on your total owed amount and the complexity of your case. It might seem like a lot to pay, but if you could reduce $100,000 in owed taxes down to just $10,000 (or less), wouldn't it be well worth the expense?
With so many companies offering tax relief services, how can you decide which one is the best fit for you? Keep these factors in mind as you look at your options:
- Minimum Debt Required. It's pretty common for tax relief providers to require you to have at least $10,000 in federal tax debt to qualify for their help. If you don't have quite that much, or if your tax problems are at both federal and state levels, your options may be more limited.
- Fees. What will you pay to get tax relief? Most companies don't come right out and tell you how much it will cost until you've had an initial (free) consultation. Make sure that the fees and payment plans they recommend will give you a good value at the end of the process.
- Refunds/Guarantees. It's pretty rare to find a guarantee or refund policy, but some tax relief services offer them. That can provide some reassurance that you're not just throwing money out the window when you pay $300-$500 for the investigation phase of your case.
- Client Feedback. This is one of the most important criteria. Can the company show you success stories? How much tax debt have they successfully resolved? How many five-star ratings have they earned from satisfied clients?
To help you get out from underneath your tax burden, TopConsumerReviews.com has evaluated and ranked the most popular tax relief services available today. We're confident that this information will make it possible to get the assistance you need quickly and stress-free.
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