Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/18/2025

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I hired Republic Tax to get me enrolled in a debt forgiveness program. They/********* promised that my taxes would be forgiven on the phone because I qualified for debt forgiveness. see copy of email... I was a victim of the "Bait and Switch" scam... She said hat this letter was just formality. I do not believe She or republic tax intended to get a debt forgiveness settlement of Zero. They lie to us tax delinquents to gain fortune. I paid $3400 approximately and I want every ***** back plus damages.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/19/2025

  I regret to hear that our services have not met your expectations. To address your concerns, I would like to clarify the steps we've undertaken and outline the necessary actions moving forward.
  1.Our review identified unfiled tax returns dating back to 2010. We prioritized preparing the returns for your review, as the *** requires all outstanding returns to be filed before considering any resolution. Please note that processing times for past-due returns can be extended, and we don't have control over the IRS's timeline.
  2.Establishing compliance is crucial in resolution process. This includes timely filing of all current taxes and ensuring any balances are paid. Failure to do so can impede our ability to negotiate effectively with the IRS.
  3.Our engagement comprises multiple phases:
  Phase 1: Investigation and filing of POA forms
  Phase 2: Preparation and filing of all missing tax returns
  Phase 3: Resolution, includes negotiating with IRS based on your financial situation
  Each phase requires separate engagement agreement and associated fees. Per our records, you have completed Phases 1 and 2, with the preparation of six years tax returns at a fee of $2,450, outlined in agreement signed on 2-23-23. Moving to Phase 3 will involve additional fees, which will be detailed in a new engagement agreement
  4.There was a period during which payments were not received for seven months. This impacted our ability to prep and file your returns. We have tried to accommodate your situation and have communicated any delays and requirements throughout the process.
  **** proceed with any potential resolution, it is imperative that you file your 2024 return promptly and address any balances. This step is key to demonstrate compliance and strengthen our position in negotiating with ***
  I assure you that we have acted in accordance with our engagement agreement and have been transparent about each phase of the process. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/17/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  They was to provide a service they did not. They took my money and did nothing and tried to get over ***** more dollars out of me

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/17/2025

  Hello Ms. *******-********,

  I have reviewed your casefile and you had approached the firm due to you wanting to resolve your tax problem. We had started a tax investigation and filed power of attorney with the *** to retrieve your last 15 years tax records and transcripts. We contacted the *** on your behalf to perform a thorough tax investigation. After doing so and reviewing all documents, you would need to file all missing tax filings, 2018 to present, seven years. We would need to do filings based on your wage and income, which included W2's, 1098, 1099, self employment and investment sales. With all schedules considered, the fees for those services were outlined to be $2800. I do not understand where you state that the company tried to bill you for $5000 additional services. Our fees are reasonable for the amount of tax services and filings you need to have prepared and are done by either a CPA, Tax Attorney or Enrolled Agent. After filing, then we can determine any liabilities you have, assess your situation and discuss your options further. Until you establish compliance with all missing filings, we do not know your full options. All services up to date have been rendered and the retainer you funded was used towards the tax investigation and placing a power of attorney on file and collection hold if required. We do offer a cancellation policy within 2 weeks of filing the power of attorney, but your request for a refund was after the tax investigation and 4 weeks after that period expired. Kindly let me know if you want to move forward with the filings required. We can send you your tax documents retrieved as well if you would like to prepare the returns on your own. 

  Kind Regards, 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/30/2024

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I hired Republic tax to handle my. *** struggles they promised that they would get a resolution now. 2 years later, they tell me they can't get ahold of the *** agent. And I'm now facing collections and lots of problems, and they don't seem to have any diligence to get anything done I asked for a refund. But have they had no response.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/07/2025

  I have spoken to client. Unfortunately the case was being handled by the *** *** unit and they have taken longer than expected. We do not control IRS timelines but this case is actively being worked and no collections have taken place. Client must maintain compliance to resolve old tax debt and have zero balances for three years to not have an OIC revoked. We are actively still engaged with the *** on this matter and we have communicated this to the **** The *** offices were closed over the holidays and we could not get updates.

  Thank you for you continued patience and rest assured we are working as quickly as the *** will permit. 

  Regards

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/17/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On October 25, 2024, I completed a 3 payment installment plan of $590.00, I was later contacted by an associate with a resolution that I did not agree with so I turn it down, I ask for a partial refund because I didn't want them doing something for nothing. Manager **** ****, Associate ***** ****, Associate ********* *******, are the three members I've have spoken with and nothing has been done....Please Help!!!

  

  Business Response

  Date: 11/18/2024

  I have reviewed your case file with the tax attorney assigned and would like to outline the available courses of action.Your total tax liability across two years stands at approximately $6,000. For liabilities under $10,000, the *** generally anticipates that this amount can be collected over the next decade and is less likely to approve a settlement. While a settlement is possible, it largely depends on your tax history and income-to-expense ratio. Based on our investigation, the most effective approach in your case would be to request a penalty abatement and establish an affordable installment agreement.The proposed monthly installment is $105. If you require a lower monthly payment, this would necessitate a detailed submission of your financials to justify the reduced amount, which involves additional work and fees. Given the relatively low balance, we advise against this approach as it may not yield substantial benefit.Regarding refunds, our fees cover the work completed once we have filed a power of attorney (POA) on your behalf, retrieved *** records from the past 15 years, and had an attorney review the file. This process is designed to protect you from *** collection actions during our tax investigation and is outlined in the service agreement signed at the start of the engagement.Since you have indicated your intention to resolve this matter independently, I can close the case. If you would like us to send you the forms for the installment plan, please let me know.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/01/2024

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I had been scammed by ******************* so I tried to deal directly with the *** myself which turned out to be impossible. So I thought I'd give another "tax relief" company a shot. I expressed my concerns given all the negative reviews and complaints about Republic Tax Relief that reflected all the same problems I had with Anthem. ********* assured me they'd been in business for years with proven results etc. She convinced me to pay the $590 and told me in writing more than once that they would negotiate a payment plan for me at NO EXTRA CHARGE. Then their "tax expert" contacts me and says I must pay $750 per year to file six years of back taxes before they could help me. That's an expensive fee for a 1040. They must be using golden ink in their pens.From the beginning I told ********* that the first company that ******* me also said they would file those taxes for me and did not so they remained to be filed. She had this information when she told me NO EXTRA CHARGE. So she's either a liar or incompetent. I sent her an email regarding her broken promise and of course she tried to finagle her way around the issue as she had done no such thing. I reject anything she has to say before she says it because, like the other complaints here, it will be the same old meaningless scam artist jabber.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 11/08/2024

  Dear Mr. ******************* reviewing your case with our analyst and settlement officer, here is a summary of your current tax situation and necessary next steps.

  Outstanding Tax Debt
  You have a tax liability of approximately $78,000 for tax years 2014 and 2015.

  Unfiled Tax Returns
  Our records show unfiled tax returns for 2017 through 2023. Additionally, there is an identity theft flag on your 2021 filing, which requires further investigation.

  Foreign Filing Requirements
  As a U.S. taxpayer with possible foreign financial interests, you need to file Form 8938 (Statement of *************************** Assets) and, if applicable, the ***** These forms are critical for reporting foreign assets and involve additional requirements and fees.

  Document Preparation
  We have provided wage and income documents for your pending returns. You may file independently or, if preferred, we can assist with the preparation.

  Future Liabilities
  After completing all required filings, your balance will increase due to penalties and interest under IRS Sections 6651 and 6654, likely resulting in a significantly higher amount owed.

  Services Rendered
  The retainer paid has been applied to:
  Filing a Power of Attorney for IRS representation
  Conducting a 15-year tax investigation
  Consulting with our tax attorney and *** for an effective resolution
  Placing collection holds if needed

  Our senior analyst has reviewed your situation with you, including the requirements and fees for the unfiled returns. I understand the additional steps may feel burdensome; however, the complexities in your case require careful handling.

  Next Steps
  After filing, your balance could exceed $100,000. Delay may lead to escalation, including possible assignment to a Revenue Officer for collection actions. Addressing this promptly is advisable to prevent further complications.

  We are here to guide you through the process. The fees youve paid have been applied per your service agreement.

  Best regards,

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/19/2024

  Reject! I was told the $590 I paid was for them to negotiate a monthly payment for me and I was promised that it would not cost a ***** more. I have the email correspondence. Now they say it's a retainer and I must pay $750 for each tax return blah blah blah. Complete scam just like all the "tax relief" people. 

  

  Business Response

  Date: 11/19/2024

  Hello Mr **************** all the firm can do for you is to negotiate a payment arrangement, there would be no additional fees. Unfortunately you have missing tax filings. When you complete those filings we can do so. We have never wavered from this arrangement. If you would like the firm to complete the returns and file them on your behalf, there is an additional fee. Or you could do them yourself. We are not forcing you to use our services. But these must be completed before a payment arrangement can be set up with the ***. It is a prerequisite of the ***, not the firm. When the filings are complete, processed and assessed by the *** with penalties and interest, then we can set up a payment arrangement. Please understand that waiting will make the *** file a return on your behalf eventually which would be with no eligible deductions.

  Kindly let me know. 

  Regards,

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/23/2024

  Reject, I made my situation crystal clear from the first phone call. I was told, even scolded, for asking more than once if it would cost more than the $590 I was told it would cost. I was reassured that it wouldn't, I have the email correspondence. Same old tax scam blah blah blah.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/27/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I received communication from Republic Tax, during which a representative named ********* ******* provided misleading assurances regarding the resolution of my tax matters and the reduction of my tax liabilities. Following multiple discussions, I consented to a payment of $590.00 to address my tax filings and minimize my outstanding tax debt. Subsequently, upon signing the agreed-upon documents, I was contacted by a representative named *****, who indicated the inability of their firm to provide the promised assistance. Instead, he suggested payment arrangements or a temporary 6-month hold on collections. On querying the progress on my tax returns, ***** admitted to not having reviewed them and acknowledged his company's incapacity to offer support. I requested a refund and a satisfactory resolution to this issue. The situation highlights the predatory practices of this company on susceptible individuals like myself. I urge others to remain vigilant and avoid falling prey to such deceptive practices, which can lead to significant financial losses.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/10/2024

  Hello Ms. *************** was able to review your casefile with the compliance team and the *** that reviewed your tax return that you wanted amended. Originally, we were to address your $14K tax liability from 2023. Based on the metrics involved some options presented to you were a fresh start program or a non collectible status. Each has its advantages and disadvantage's and you were explicit that you did not want a lien on your social and felt the tax filing was incorrect. Upon careful review of your tax filing, your schedule C was very susceptible to a further audit. The *** felt that exposing yourself to a further review would put you at more jeopardy and possibly expose you to a larger liability with disallowed expenses. Our job is to mitigate your exposure to the the *** as well as reduce your balance. You were adamant that you wanted to reduce your balance and therefore we could only offer you a payment arrangement and a penalty abatement. You did not want to move foreword with a suggested CNC Status 53 nor an Offer in Compromise, that were also suggested. We had outlined multiple options and you did not want to move forward. We have done as much as we could to satisfy you through the professional experience based on your case specifics we feel was offered and keeping all options open, without putting you at higher risk. 

  Kindly let me know what else we can do to help you. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/01/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I paid an initial $600 fee for what I was misled by the agent was getting my unfiled returns filed as well as the tax relief program. Then they wanted over $2000 in tax prep fees. Got that done for $1k locally. Then they offered no settlement with the **** just a non-payment program for $8k to time out the 10 year collection process by the *** for insolvency which doesn't apply when you make the money I do or just do a payment plan. They said they set up the payment plan, but they didn't, I had to do it myself. Meanwhile interest was still accruing while they told me lies and I owe more now than I did.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/08/2024

  Hello ********************,

  I apologize that you are not satisfied with the services that were presented. When you approached the firm nearly 18 months ago, you had 10 years of unfiled returns. We did propose the filing of the returns for a fee and you declined. We informed you at that point that you could use the firms services or file on your own. Your filings were finally reflected as current on June 2024. Any late fees, penalties and interest are a result of not filing for 10 years and waiting until 6/2024 to have them posted. It is surely not the firms fault that there is interest for the last ten years. When you contacted the firm to find out the next phase of your case, we informed you of your options and you decided that you would like a payment arrangement setup. We scheduled a resolution team member to take into account all metrics and set up this plan. This 433D form was sent to you for signature and submission less than two weeks later. You were given instruction on where to send in the form for proper application. This form required your wet signature.

  We have done everything to mitigate your balance and have been patient in supplying you with options that you self resolved once presented. The only fees were for the investigation and filing of powers of attorney and case review. Please let me know if i can be of more assistance to you. 

  Kind Regards,

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/06/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I paid a tax company to help me file an OIC. They informed me not to correspond with the *** only to find out that they did not correspond on my behalf in over a year. I have received letters from the *** threatening of levys and potential seizure of property and assets due to their neglegence. The have representative assisting customer that are not certified or listed with their business. I don't want anyone else to be victimized by this company. Please Help me in this matter. I have supporting emails and I submitted documents to their corresponding officer that is at their facility.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/08/2024

  Hello **************,

  I have been in a great deal of communications with you regarding this matter. I have also detailed in great length the work that has been completed to this point regarding your tax matter. When your came to the firm, your past due tax debt was $37K and in the last few years, you have added more to increase it to $56K. We had advised you that you cannot add additional tax debt to this balance to show the *** your pattern of tax liabilities has stopped. You were also informed that you need to stay compliant with filings with the *** and pay any future taxes on time. This was not done and continues to not be done. You stated to me that you simply are in a hardship and cannot afford to pay your taxes for your business in the current environment. I simply stated to you that continuing to not pay your taxes is considered evasion and a Revenue Officer will be assigned to enforce your willful non payment and compliance. I apologize if this at all sounds threatening, but i would much rather advise you of this as a client and providing options, than finding out from the Revenue Officer in person. 

  All of the compliance terms were outlined on the phone call before services, during your onboarding and in the contract in ****************** 4e. We can surely resolve your old tax debt, but in order for the firm to submit the completed 656 OIC packet to the ***, we need you to be current on this years estimated tax payments, which you stated you are not. We instructed you that once you are, we will submit the package. 

  All discovery of your case was completed and your OIC package was prepared based on information submitted. We had delays in you providing your tax filings on time to us and also providing the firm with current profit and loss statements for the business for review to the **** Compliance is the key driver on your case and needs to be met to finalize your case. Any delays in the case were due to this and adding additional tax liability, which we included in the offer and extended your case as a courtesy, but annually you kept adding more liabilities, which are our of our control or not our responsibility. We have advised you of your alternative options and you have declined all options recommended by the tax attorney. Since your case is over a year old, all retainers to date have been applied to services rendered. I have tried to be as accommodating and explain this all to you. 

  Kind Regards,

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/09/2024

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  This business is blaming me for complying when they accepted power of attorney over my case. They waited until my case was in jeopardy to notify me of things needed to  satisfy the **** I looked to  them for legal advice and they have fail to assist me. They assured me that they had CPAs and accountants that could assist me. I informed them of my status of not having anyone to handle my books. They didnt assist me with my PLS statements to make sure they were correct before submitting them to the **** Therefore leaving me with additional income added. Now its my fault when I as a hairstylist, not an accountant or Cpa, is responsible for tax liability when I paid this company to help me out. It should not have taken a year for them to handle my case. In their contract, it states that money will not be refunded because cases are handled in a timely fashion. This is 2024. My contact began in 2023. They were paid to handle tax years 2018, 2019, and 2022. How could I have accumulated additional tax debt when They were paid for previous years. This proves their negligence and now I am out of $6700 that could have went towards my taxes. Please help me get my money back so I can pay taxes. They breeched their own contact and are keeping my money. I was on a payment plan before contacting them, they advised me not to contact the *** because they would have my taxes. I was under the impression that they had my best interest And a year later their making me seem negligent. You can check my records. I was complying with thw *** before I signed a contract with them. This is not fair to someone who trusted a so-called legitimate company to help. PLEASE I NEED MY MONEY BACK SO I CAN PAYY TAXES. Why would I stop paying the *** and start paying them only to end up nearly losing my livelihood?

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/10/2024

  Hello *************,

  You were in an Installment arrangement but you defaulted this agreement when you had a liability for 2022 and 2023. Your liability grew as a result for not paying any income or self employment taxes for those years. You also had a liability before coming to the firm. We advised you we needed to file the missing return and you needed to stay current. In the newest year, you once again owed and wanted to firm to apply the balance to the *** petition, even though it was stated to you that you would need to pay it  off in full at time of filing. I apologize that you do not have a bookkeeper nor any recordkeeping software, but we supplied you with profit and loss templates that you filed out and submitted to us. We do not question a clients bookkeeping and the numbers were in line with your revenue. For 2023 you wrote off 66% of your revenue as expenses from $145K of income. Your $10K liability for 2023 was a result in not paying any estimated taxes and your self employment taxes for Social Security and ********* This was explained to you. We have told you that you need to be making your estimated tax payments and the coupons were included with your taxes. I outlined your options on multiple occasions. These are your best options and you do not want to accept the reality of the situation. I am sorry that this is frustrating you but with knowledge in this space, i know what the outcome will be if not handled properly. 

  Kindly let me know if I can help you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/15/2024

   I am rejecting this response because:
  This company did not honor their agreement to submit an offer in compromise. My contract was to resolve my tax debt for the amount of $6750. ********************************* placed me on a payment plan for 1 year and in my agreement it states that I was not to contact the *** and they were submitting a power of attorney letter to handle my case. I was under the impression that the fee I submitted would go torwards my offer but they verbalized that they collected the money for their attorney fees. I informed them from the beginning of this agreement that I could not afford to pay them and the *** they went throught the agreement and said that my fee would cover the resolution amount and they would submit it to the ***. Otherwise I would have never allowed the to take my tax money when I could have just paid my taxes. They took the entire amount of $6750 stating that the money went torwards their attorney fees and will not return my money nor will they file the offer intil I resume paying the ***. I ask what did they do to keep my payment since my tax debt wasn't settled. They told me that until I make payments they can't help and will not return my money at all. Im confused on how they get to keep my money and not honor their agreement. 

  Prior to entering into and agreement with them, I was already in compliance with the *** and was making timely payments to them. Now I have to resubmit a form F433 to resume my tax payments and they get to walk away with my fee because I can't afford to make the "estimated tax payment." I could have just continued to stay on a payment plan If It was important to be compliant. Why would they tell me not stop making payments when that was a critical part of submitting the offer.

  This company scammed me our of my tax money and I dont want this to happen to anyone else. Please Help!!!

  
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/17/2024

  Hello *************,

  When you came to the firm you owed $37,000. In that 1 year after filing 2022 and 2023, you owe $60,000. In your contract, we told you that we can resolve your past due tax issues and balance. We also told you that you cannot owe for current and future years and needed to remain compliant. This is in your service agreement and i have outlined this and told you over the phone multiple times. When i tell you that you need to start making payments to the **** I am telling you that you need to start making estimated tax payments toward future tax debt as you cannot be non compliant (not paying any taxes) to the *** for us to petition for a hardship of any kind. The *** will not honor any hardship exemption if you continually owe and add more tax debt. You feel that you do not need to pay your current taxes and cannot afford to and still want the attorney to petition for a hardship petition for past due taxes. The tax code and program guidelines does not permit these types of actions. I have explained this to you and yet you say you were not explained this. You also said that you will not incur added taxes for future years as you are not making money but you incur added taxes regardless. This is not our fault that you are not paying any taxes and you are passing the blame on us for not maintaining your business accounting and bookkeeping, something we were not contacted for. We have been dealing with your compliance for over a year. You keep adding tax debt and request it to be added to your petition, but in order to petition, we need you to guarantee the *** you will not owe for 2024 in the form of making timely estimated tax payments. These are not payments toward your old debt, but payments toward the current year. 

  You were making $450 a month payments on a $37,000 debt. Now your debt is $60,000 so you payment will be approx $800-$1000 due to statutes. You will not be able to get into your old arrangement as your balance changes annually. Every time you add a tax year liability, your balance changes. 

  I have been more than helpful to explain your options over email and phone multiple times and we have been courteous with our responses and interaction. I simply do not think a year of gathering your substantiation, chasing tax filings and building your financial packet and 656 petition warrants a refund when it was not our fault you continue to owe year after year and are not paying any current taxes toward new tax years. 

  I can do one of three things, Set up a structured agreement on the current tax debt, petition for a non collectible (estimated tax payments are required), petition for an OIC (estimated tax payments are required). If you add for the 2024 tax year, you will need to restructure the agreement once more to add the balance total. 

  Also no where was it discussed in the contract or verbally that the attorneys fees would be applied to tax debt. Your attorney fees would be applied towards services to resolve your tax debt from previous years under the conditions laid out in the service agreement which basically boil down to that you will not incur additional debt, your income and expense metrics will not change significantly, and you stay compliant with future filings. You also should not contact the *** to discuss your case as it may jeopardize the communication the attorney is engaging with the *** on your behalf in regards to financials, timelines and agreements. 

  Kindly let me know your intention. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/18/2024

   I am rejecting this response because:
  I was never informed of anything you are telling me in your responses. I have all the conversations in email form. The only person I have been in contact with is *******************************, who is not an attorney nor is she listed as an employee. She is the only person who collected the documents to file my taxes. No one reached out to me to discuss the details of an OIC until I requested a refund. Now your are stating that I was "told" this information. BY who? And when? None of what you are mentioning in your response is in the agreement that I signed. There is no break down of any numbers, calculations, explanations telling me about any additional debt I wasn't suppose to incur. I only heard from an attorney this year in May, after I requested a refund. This tax company is pathetic! To blame a customer who looked to you for guidance, is evil! When did all of these conversations you claim take place? When did an attorney reach out to me to discuss the proceedures? What documents did you file on my behalf? What work did you do for my case, if any? Where is the so-called paperwork? Please submit. You did nothing! I want my money Back Please so I can pay my taxes. Even If my books were wrong, you still continued to collect your fees as if you could help. It took me 12 months to pay you at $562.50. How can I make these payments and pay the **** You didn't request that I make any payments made to the *** in over a year. It was only until I requested a refund that you advised me to get back in compliance with the **** If I would have known that there had not been any correspondence on my behalf while I was paying you, I would have chosen to pay my taxes and not your company. How dare you blame me knowing all you did for me was submit a power of attorney letter In May of last year. And that's worth $6750? You will reap what you sow! Taking advantage of people is a crime and you will not get away with this.

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/01/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I paid Republic Tax Relief $4000 originally to help me settle my tax debt for years 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021.At the time of sign up, I was introduced to CPA/Accounting executive, *******************, who stated he would be willing to review my details prior to filing my 2018 and 2019 tax returns to ensure a sniff test to avoid triggering an audit. This has yet to happen even after requesting this many times.I eventually filed 2020 and 2021 tax on my own and notified the company that I would only need help with 2018 and 2019 tax years. I provided a P&L to the company as they requested and discovered they never filed either of these on my behalf. My effort to contact their agent ***** resulted in months of trail phone tags and her rude responses to me were pretty unprofessional given I had questions that she seemed not to be willing to answer. She dismissed my request for wanting a meeting with ***** (this is documented in my emails). After a recent hardship that resulted from a major family emergency, I reached out to the company and found a pretty hostile letter that stated that they closed my case yet they didn't complete the scope of services that I paid for. The only thing that was needed was a review of my 2019 P&L statement but when I requested this I received the run around about this so the company never fulfilled this promise either. They still have $2K of my hard earned money but yet have not produced record of submitting my details to the **** Fast forward a very hostile letter was received from a supervisor ******************************* stated that my case was closed and that I would be penalized with a fee of $590/hour for work they never completed.I'm truly shocked and disappointed in the unethical behavior an incomplete services this company has failed to deliver on. A refund would have been suffice. Due to the failure to complete the scope of services, I would like either my $2K refund in full or request the meeting with ***** to finish the 2019 filing.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/01/2024

  Hello *******************.

  I have reviewed your casefile. Unfortunately, after review I am confused as I do not see any rudeness or unprofessionalism at all. In fact. I see many reps trying to follow-up every few weeks to gather information and no response for months at a time. After 90 days of not getting the information requested, we sent his email/mail:

  Hello *******,
  This letter is to officially inform you that your tax case #******* has been placed on Administrative Hold, due to non-cooperation/noncompliance. We have attempted to collect documents from you and were not successful. As client managers, we are required to review our caseloads and have identified that we have either finalized the issues or have not had any contact from you recently. Please be advised that a final attempt to collect the necessary items was made on March 21, 2024, to proceed with your case.
  Your case will remain on Administrative Hold until all necessary items are submitted in full. At that time, your case will be escalated for review of the work necessary, and additional reinstatement fees will apply. Note that while your case is on hold, if any current tax filings are due, it is your responsibility to file all current taxes and pay any balances in full so as not to default or negatively impact your case.
  If you have any questions, please contact me directly at *************. 
  Best Regards, 

  When looking at the billing, I see that we billed $2000 for 4 years of tax prep for a single member LLC with added schedules. Since you prepared your 20 and 21 filings, you requested to have $1000 refunded which we did so immediately. 

  The issue at hand is that you filed your 20 and 21 filings with a $90,000 loss for the business with limited income of a few thousand dollars. This is a red flag. What makes it worse is that you want to file the same losses for 2019 which would establish three years of loss and qualify the business as a hobby. Your expenses for 2019 are $45K with a $3K income. We want to mitigate your exposure to an audit and also we need to ensure that our due diligence is done so that our professional licensing is not jeopardized. You asked the tax assistant what you should report as your income, which is unfortunately not possible. Your income and expenses are your responsibility to provide and substantiate if receipts are necessary. 

  I can offer to prepare your filings as reported to us as self prepared and submit them to you for review this week. Or I can offer you a $1000 refund on the retainer for casework that was billed and you can self prepare or have another firm complete. We simply are looking after your best interests and advising you to limit your exposure. If you do not want to heed this advice, it is your decision. 

  Kindly let me know your intentions.

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/10/2024

  This is all vey overwhelming.
  I reached out to ******************************* a few times and recently last week 2x and 1x today  (after receiving her hostile letter attached) and previously contacted **********, ***** and ******************* with a goal of complying.  I explained from day 1 of the engagement that I have multiple LLCs (Symmetry Strategies, Hannibus, and MPower Logistics) and each have separate EINs. Republic Tax told me they needed me to complete a 2018 and 2019 P&L (which i did complete) and that it would be reviewed before formal submission on my behalf by Senior Case Analyst *******************.  I spoke with ***** directly and he confirmed that I had separate LLCs and requested that I email him my details which I did on  but I never heard back from him.  When this did not happen it felt like the company was giving me the run around.
  
  If I were using 1 LLC I could  understand the concern for the hobby rules yet I don't even quite know that ******** is aware of the other LLCs.  At this point, I would just want to revise the P&L for 2019 and kindly ask Republic submit it on my behalf without  as was agreed without being forced to pay $590/hourly rate stated in ********'s letter sent to me back in March. 
  
  Please kindly call me back ******** at ************ or email me at *********************. 
  If after we speak and cannot reach agreement then I want to accept a full refund for $1000.00.
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/10/2024

  Hello *******************,

  As stated, I do not mind preparing the returns as self prepared and send them to you with the figured you have sent to us. If you would like to revise your Profit and Loss statements, I would highly advise to do so. I need a separate P&L for each company with the income and expenses outlined. I also need you to include the full company name and address and EIN of the company. 

  If you need this template information again, i can resend it. 

  Also, we only stated that there would be a reinstatement fee of $590 because we had contact with you once in nearly 6 months. We had reached out every feww weeks and never got a word back. It was only when we sent the close letter that you responded. We need to finish the tax filings in a timely manner and there were outstanding questions that you never answered back with countless reminders. 

  Let me know if i could help. Once we get the P&L for each company back and for each year, i will prepare the filings. Also please do not allow the expenses to exceed the income unless you have proper substantiation. 

  Thank you. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/18/2024

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I started with this company August, 2023. They promised to help with settling back taxes with IRS. They also said they will file back taxes for 2022 in a timely manner. They filed late, I got penalized by irs and they made things worse. Not only they didn't reduce the money owed to irs, but they added more penalties to my account by their lack of care. They promise big and deliver nothing. Now that I asked for some accountability for the several thousands of dollars added to my account because of their lack of care, they ghosted me. No answer at all! Stay away from these scammers. I'm looking into getting them sued to recover the loss.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/24/2024

  Hello ********************,

  I reviewed your casefile. Unfortunately, the reason the 2022 tax filing was sent in late was due to not having all of the requested information from day one. We requested your balance sheet for your business and you replied that you did not have a profit of $250K+. A balance sheet was requested and required for revenue over $250k. We also were missing 1099B statements for bitcoin and cash app transactions. We did not receive those until almost the deadline of filing and the documents were still insufficient. We did our very best to accommodate your requests but the documents to complete your returns was insufficient in the few weeks we were given and not provided with the requested information in a timely fashion. 

  It does seem an installment plan was requested and set up but it was defaulted. We can request for a new one if you would like.

  Kind Regards,

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/24/2024

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  I've been asked for the same documents 3 times and few days before the deadline your company added extra documents not requested from the beginning. 

  Why should I pay 4k+++ in fees because your sloppyness. And currently you're not answering any emails or letters from IRS submitted you go to your with no action or late action which inquires additional fees. 

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/02/2024

  Hello,

  I understand your frustration but the cost basis for your crypto transactions was not reported to us or the **** We requested this to try to avoid added taxes. Requesting additional information throughout preparation for a complex return is fairly common and it was filed late due to not getting the information back in time. 

  I would be willing to amend the return to determine additional tax savings if additional information is provided. Many of your fees were failure to pay penalties due to not paying the *** throughout the year or making estimated tax payments on the business your had filed with and your self employment taxes. Self employment taxes could be reduced with the formation of an SCORP rather than an LLC. 

  This is the best resolution I can offer given the circumstances.