If you have received notices for tax liens or facing huge tax debts and don’t know how to repay them, then don’t worry. The tax relief services can help you out in this difficult situation. These tax relief firms such as Coast One Tax Group come with expert tax attorneys, enrolled agents, or certified public accountants. These professionals can handle all of your audits, help to remove liens or levies, and lower your overall back taxes.
However, there are many tax relief companies that are simply scams or simply inexperienced. The scammers will simply take hefty fees and vanish. Similarly, if you visit the unerupted companies with inexperienced staff, your relief requests may be incorrect, resulting in higher taxes.
That’s why we have brought you a few factors which need to be considered while hiring tax relief companies.
Factors To Consider While Selecting Tax Relief Company
While selecting a tax relief company you must look for the following factors so you may get the services of a reliable and experienced company.
1. Ask For Free Consultation
A reputable tax relief firm will provide you with a free consultation. They do not demand fees right away. Rather, the company’s professionals listen to your issue and assist you in the best possible way they can. If you are convinced and wish to follow them, you must pay an upfront fee. Additionally, the reputable organization never charges you the complete sum before you get relief in your back taxes.
2. Check Credentials
To avoid fraud and squandering your money, check the qualifications of tax specialists. A tax professional should at least have a PTIN number, a tax preparer’s number. Still, a tax preparer is not always a skilled tax professional. Therefore, you must look for tax attorneys and CPA agents and ask for their credentials. If these specialists are hesitant to disclose their qualifications or make you feel humiliated for asking, you should quit that organization right away.
3. Look For Their Feedback
Before visiting a tax relief firm, do some research about the company online. Every business has its own website. The legitimate website will provide you with genuine comments. You might inquire about the validity of the firm from others who have given favorable reviews. Furthermore, you may inquire about past instances handled by the specialists. If there are a big number of successful instances, this firm is for you.
4. Ask For Referrals
If you want to find the best tax relief provider, start by contacting your partners or coworkers. They may refer you to tax preparers with whom they have previously worked. You can also join the CPA society. Once you have a sufficient number of references, you may reduce your selection and contact the most recommended and popular tax relief firms.
5. Look For Honesty
An honest tax relief company with experienced professionals will listen to your case carefully and if they can’t handle your case, they will simply refuse you. Moreover, you can also look for these red flags and check their honesty.
Promising A Refund
A reliable tax professional company won’t promise you large tax refunds or withdraw your taxes. The IRS simply provides extensions or allows you to leave a portion of your taxes, but they don’t fully withdraw your taxes. Therefore, if a professional is claiming you to fully withdraw then you must leave that company.
Asking For Fee In Refund Percentage
If a tax professional has a particular set fee or charging you per hour then it’s ok. But, if a tax preparer is interested in a portion of your tax refund then it’s a red flag. Agreeing to pay in percentage may lead you to pay more than the preparer actually deserves. Therefore, you must leave such a company immediately.
Tax Company Does Not Support Audit
A reliable and honest tax relief company will always stand with you whenever you face IRS audits or negotiations. The preparers also negotiate with IRS agents and convince them with their knowledge and proofs that you are eligible for relief. However, if a company avoids such support then it’s a red flag. You must avoid such companies.
6. Look For a Secure Platform
When dealing with a tax preparer you must also ask for secure platforms to share your financial information. If a company is providing you with a secure platform and using their own software then it’s okay to share your information. But, if the tax preparer has just provided you with an email address to share your information then avoid such companies. Also, don’t share your personal information with them.
7. Better Business Bureau
The Better Business Bureau is a non-profit organization that keeps the information about each of its members. To obtain BBB membership, the tax company must provide services for a year. Most tax relief firms are now members of the Better Business Bureau, and if they are not, they are either new to the field, attempting to conceal something, or failing to register for BBB membership.
Bear in mind that BBB rankings may not give a totally truthful image of the organization but helps you to identify its credibility in a public forum.
What Interview Questions To Ask While Hiring A Tax Relief Company?
While hiring a tax relief company, you may ask the representatives the following questions.
- Ask whether they are allowed to operate with you in your particular area.
- Ask about the establishment year of the company to know about their years of experience.
- Ask how many tax relief cases they are solving currently. This helps to determine the primary business of their company.
- Ask about the timing or when you call them for assistance when you are agreed to get their services.
- Ask about the quality of customer services.
Final Thoughts
While hiring a tax relief company, you should not trust tax hiring firms blindly. To avoid scams, consider the above-mentioned factors and make sure the company is trustworthy. If you simply rush then instead of getting the relief you may face more penalties from the IRS due to delays in your taxes.
