Tax Masters FAQ – Frequently Asked Tax Questions

We have a running list of frequently asked questions at Tax Masters that get tossed our way by clients, potential clients, and even spies from other tax representation companies and detractors. We thought it would be a good idea to put all this info out in the open for everyone to see to help address most of the FAQ that come our way.

TaxMasters does not provide legal services and cannot offer an opinion as to whether the reason for your tax problem constitutes a prosecutable crime. TaxMasters does not represent taxpayers in criminal tax cases. Our aim is to help taxpayers before tax problems can escalate to the point of being classified as criminal.

How do I know if my tax problem is severe enough to seek tax representation?

If you have received a notice from the IRS about back taxes, balances due, unfiled returns, or an upcoming audit, you need tax representation. As in court, you are entitled to represent yourself in IRS matters, but that is typically a huge mistake. Unless you know tax law and are familiar with revenue agent tactics and ploys, you need to seek qualified assistance.

If you have received a Final Notice of Intent to Levy and Notice of Right to a Hearing form the IRS, you need to call us immediately. Failing to get representation in time can lead to levies, liens, and incredibly painful collections actions.

I am a current client and was contacted by a revenue officer who said no one is working on my case. Are you working on my case? What’s going on?

When Tax Masters personnel file a power of attorney (POA) with the IRS on your behalf, the IRS requires them to declare the POA effective for a specific person’s name. The IRS will typically not recognize the company name Tax Masters as your representative, but rather the Tax Masters employee named on the POA. Instead of asking if tax Masters has contacted the IRs on your behalf, simply ask if the person listed on your POA has contacted them.

Certain IRS revenue officers are inscrutable and will use any tactic they can to collect more revenue than you have to pay. If an IRS agent or employee claims there is no record of Tax Masters representing you, call us immediately. If the revenue officer says he or she can give you a better deal if you work directly with the IRS, don’t listen. We can’t emphasize how important it is to let us handle communications with the IRS. We’ll handle it and we’ll make sure you have the best shot at tax relief. Our job is to save you money. The agent’s job is to collect your money no matter the cost to you.

What makes Tax Masters different from other tax representation firms?

Tax Masters was built by people with an insider perspective on the IRS, from ex-IRS agents to former Revenue Officers to tax attorneys, tax CPAs, and experienced tax preparers. Knowing the system enables us to plan strategies for our clients that can save them money when settling tax debt or setting up IRS payment plans. We also represent more clients in audit in a given week than many tax CPAs represent in their entire career. Experience, good people, and custom-built solutions are what make us stand out among tax representatives across the country.

Can you get money back that the IRS seized from me?

It’s possible. Recovering seized funds is a reality in cases where the IRS acted improperly or wrongfully seized your money or assets. However, as with all things, it is far easier to keep your money than it is to get it back after a seizure. Contacting us sooner rather than later is your best option for keeping your money and property.

How much do your tax relief services cost?

Tax Masters charges fees based on the tax services required to fix your tax problem. More severe tax problems tend to cost more to fix because more complex servcies are required. Take a look at our Cost of Services page for more information about how we charge for our services.

Why does Tax Masters have a poor rating with the Better Business Bureau?

TaxMasters is not a member of the Better Business Bureau and is not a BBB Acredited business. We no longer respond to the BBB, but we do continue to respond directly to clients who complain to the BBB in an attempt to resolve each client’s issue. If you have a complaint, we urge you to contact us and allow us to work with you before going to the BBB.

We would like to point out that one BBB complaint is too many. We take any complaint seriously and work hard to resolve problems both internal and external of the firm. If you have an issue, we strongly encourage you to contact us and work through it. We are able to respond to you much more quickly if you contact us directly instead of going through a third party like the Better Business Bureau.

Does Tax Masters handle state income tax returns also?

Yes, but only as they relate to IRS tax problems. We rarely take on cases where a client has a state income tax debt without having a federal tax debt as well. However, in cases where a client has a federal tax debt and lives in a state that charges income tax, we routinely include services for filing and amending state returns and negotiating debt settlements directly with the state.

Can Tax Masters provide current tax year preparation and tax planning?

Tax Masters is in the business of helping people in trouble with the IRS, not with helping people prepare returns or map out tax planning strategies. The exception to this is that current returns and returns for back taxes have to be filed before we can negotiate with the IRS. So it may be necessary for us to prepare a current return before we can resolve a client’s case.

Is Tax Masters a law firm or a CPA firm?

Tax Masters is not a law firm or a CPA firm. While we do employ CPAs and Attorneys among other tax professionals, these professionals are employed by us and are not retained by our clients. TaxMasters is a tax representation firm that negotiates on your behalf to solve you IRS tax problem.

Why should I hire Tax Masters instead of my tax CPA or tax lawyer?

At Tax Masters, we focus on helping clients regain IRS compliance, set up plans to resolve tax debt, and defend clients who are being audited by the IRS. While your tax CPA or tax lawyer may be good at what he or she does, he or she typically cannot compete with our knowledge of tax law, IRS processes, and tactics used by Revenue Officers to collect more revenue for the government. Particularly if you are facing an audit, don’t use the same tax CPA to defend you that prepared the return. If the return was flagged for an audit, there’s a problem. Odds are your tax CPA would have fixed that problem if he or she knew about it to begin with.

What does Tax Masters do that I can’t do for myself?

Strictly speaking, nothing. You are free to represent yourself in front of the IRS just like a defendant in a criminal trial is free to represent herself. That’s why we added a whole new segment to this website about tax problems.

However, if you purchase our customized tax services, your chances at a favorable resolution to your IRS problem go up dramatically. Tax Masters gives you the best shot at regaining IRS compliance, saving money, ensuring the IRS follows the law, and resolving your tax problems.

Is Tax Masters hiring?

Yes. Check out www.TaxMastersCareers.com for more information.

Is Tax Masters running a scam or fraud?

The short answer is no. But here’s the long answer. Take a look around this website. Then call us and listen to our knowledgeable sales consultants as they work up a custom solution to fix your problem with the IRS. Then realize that we’ve been in business for almost ten years, growing exponentially every year, taking the company public in 2009. And then ask yourself if this is the way a scam works.

As with the BBB, some of our competitors and some of our less than stellar clients have run entire campaigns to try and sully our name. Tax Masters is not a scam or a fraud. We take our jobs very seriously and work hard to get our clients the best possible outcomes we can with the IRS. We are very good at what we do and some people have targeted us because of that. Tax Masters currently employs over 200 people and is on track to add another 300 hard working Americans. We have too many people depending on us to risk putting ourselves in a situation that would negatively impact the business.

Why do you help people cheat the IRS?

We don’t help people cheat, or in any way advocate cheating, the IRS. As a matter of fact, we do the IRS a favor by bringing our clients back into compliance and negotiating a deal where they can pay back at least a portion of what they owe. We believe it is our duty as Americans to pay our fair share of taxes. However, we don’t believe the IRS should be able to use strong-arm tactics or deception to collect more revenue than you owe. We see it as our job to help taxpayers who find themselves cornered and unable to get out of a snowballing tax debt situation.