Best Tax Relief Companies In Chicago
How We Chose Our Best Tax Relief Companies List
When ranking the best tax relief companies we focused on the five most important aspects that will directly affect your experience.
- Customer Service: The most critical factor for your satisfaction when working with a tax resolution company will be ease of communication. You know the thing that’s the most difficult when dealing with the IRS.
- Customer Satisfaction: You’re only as good as your last job. When a company has consistently strong ratings across multiple platforms that’s a good indicator of how reliable they are in fulfilling their service offers.
- Expertise: When you’re dealing with the complexity that the IRS brings having a full-time staff of tax experts is a must. Individual qualifications for each team member carry more weight than the actual time the firm has been in practice.
- Cost: The cost of tax relief services will vary case by case. This score is focused on the upfront fee to get started with an initial investigation and begin the process.
- Availability: This score factors the number of different services offered, how many states the company can work in, and minimum debt requirements.
How do Tax Relief Companies Work?
Tax relief companies are designed to help clients navigate the IRS and get the best possible outcome for their cases. When you hire a tax relief company you’re getting certified public accountants (CPAs), enrolled agents, and certified tax lawyers looking at your case. These professional teams have the experience and knowledge base to assist you in taking advantage of all the rights and resources available under the law. Tax relief companies can help protect your assets and income, interpret complicated tax law, and stop tax liens and levies.
IRS Tax Relief Programs
After your initial consultation, the tax expert you’re working with will have a good sense of which direction your case is best suited for. The IRS offers a number of tax resolution programs including the following:
- Installment Agreements: An installment agreement is a payment plan that allows you to pay back your tax debt in smaller increments without incurring penalties. Setting up an installment agreement can stop wage garnishment.
- Offer in Compromise: An offer in compromise is a way to settle your tax debt for less than the full amount you owe. They’re quite difficult to qualify for and are best negotiated with the aid of a tax professional.
- Penalty Abatement: Tax relief companies can identify penalties that can be waived or reduced.
- Innocent Spouse Relief: This IRS program keeps spouses from being penalized for mistakes that their spouses made and they had no part in.
What Services Do Tax Relief Companies Offer?
Depending on the size and capabilities tax relief companies may offer help with a wide variety of tax-related issues for both individuals and businesses. You can gauge a good tax relief company’s capabilities if they offer services such as:
- Personal IRS Tax Relief
- Personal State Tax Relief
- Business IRS Tax Relief
- Business State Tax Relief
- Personal Tax Preparation
- Business Tax Preparation
- Payroll Tax Help
- Bookkeeping
- Catch-up Bookkeeping
- Unfiled Tax Return Help
- Tax Audit Defense
- IRS Appeals
- Innocent Spouse Relief Support
- Tax Lien Help
- Tax Levy Help
- Wage Garnishment Release
- Penalty Abatement Services
- Free Tax Consultations
- Administrative Appeals
Tax Relief Companies: Frequently Asked Questions
There are a number of ways to determine your IRS tax bill:
- Try the IRS’s online tool to look up your balance
- Call the IRS and ask (1-800-829-1040)
- Reference the most recent letter or statement received from the IRS
- Contact a professional tax relief company that can find out for you
Yes, you can and many people choose that route. If you get stuck along the way or find the communication with the IRS too difficult then you can offload the burden to a tax relief company that will negotiate on your behalf.
It all depends on your experience and available time. If you’re familiar with tax law and have the extra time to deal with the IRS then dealing with the IRS on your own could be a better choice. If your time is limited and you have little experience with tax law and don’t understand how the IRS operates then hiring a tax relief company can save you a substantial amount of time and money.
How to Choose the Best Tax Relief Company
Just like before you hire any service or purchase any product you want to put some time in doing your homework. Take advantage of the free consultation reputable tax relief companies offer and after that initial call, you’ll have a good idea whether or not they’ll be a good fit. At a minimum check for the following during your research:
- Company has good online reviews
- Legitimate accreditation
- Staff has licensed tax attorneys
- Company does not make guarantees that seem too good to be true
- Offers a free initial consultation