Optima Tax Relief LLC

my name is [redacted] I clarified that Optima Tax Relief is good company and staff do excellent work to helping peoples to solve their tax problems

This company has yet to resolve my situation with the IRS. They have been "working" on my case for 18 mos with no resolution. Now there is a lien on my practice which will make it difficult to sell and the IRS will start taking out 15% of our social security. Not much resolved after 18 mos and almost $7000.

I closed my business after 16 years do to the change in the economy. I ended up owing close to $25,000.00 in taxes. Next up I lost my house. Out of desperation I consulted with Optima Tax Relief for help with my situation. They were extremely helpful. After reviewing my financials and current income they contacted the I.R.S. with an Offer-in-compromise to settle my account. My account was settled for the sum of $250.00. I still don't believe how this turned out. I am very grateful to all of the people who helped this come about and I would recommend Optima Tax Relief to anyone who would find themselves in my shoes. Thanks again, Gary M.

They did a fantastic job for me and were very helpful and professional

SUMMARY -
Optima...

Tax's management had been in contact with the client to
discuss his concerns prior to receiving the Revdex.com complaint.
 
RESPONSE
-
Optima Tax’s management has made contact with the client to
discuss his claims stated in the complaint. Although Optima Tax is very successful
in reducing our clients’ liability, we do not make any promises nor do we make
any specific guarantees that our clients would automatically receive a
reduction. Any reduction to our clients’ tax liability must be presented and
approved by the applicable government tax authority.
 
Furthermore,
based on the Client Service Addendum, which the client had agreed to and
signed, the client had hired Optima Tax for Representation, IRS Compliance and to
ultimately set the client up on an affordable payment plan. As we continue to
review the client’s case, it appears that Optima Tax was able to receive a nominal
reduction in his liability. Additionally, each and every client will go through
a financial analysis to assure that we have explored other possibilities for
further reductions.
 
The
client unfortunately claims that no one contacted him regarding his concerns.
Contrary to this statement, however, upon receiving client’s notification of
his concerns on or about November 20, 2015, our Executive Relations Team
immediately reached out the same day to address his concerns. The team also
followed up on the 23rd until contact was made on the 24th.
We are pleased to say that as of December 10th of 2015, we came to a
mutual resolution and are parting ways amicably.  
 
At Optima Tax we strive to uphold the philosophy that
"clients come first" and all of our representatives go through rigorous training to assure we abide by that
philosophy. We take all complaints very seriously, and we do our best to turn
them around when possible. Optima Tax
will continue their efforts in resolving this unfortunate dispute until a
resolution is met. Thank you.

My experience was unbelievable. My team and their concern for a good outcome,words cannot say. Hopefully my review will be shared with potential clients. If you have issues with the IRS don't hesitate to take control of your situation give optima tax a call.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.             Mr. [redacted] as stated that he would be able to refund myself an Mr. [redacted] 350.00 I told him I no longer have contact with the other party his signature is needed to release the money,he stated in thru his lawyer that this company was a scam. I did most of the dealings with this company an signed electronically for him since he traveled so here in the situation wich looks like we will get nothing supposedly Mr. [redacted] is to be working out of town he told our son he was leaving Fri. now it's Wed.I did send this information to Mr. [redacted] an that it was a bad divorce costing my relationship with my daughter,this is just another way this person has done things to myself an our son he stated he would pay support for our disabled son nothing yet I also stated in an e-mail that I would give the money to my son he does not deserve to be in the middle of this pattern of ugliness,I'am not sure how to go about this anymore I was also taken by another tax place an that to was a scam so been there done that,I'am unable to work due to some health issues an see why they just can not pay the funds to me as I did the payments thru a credit card for Walmart using my money left from a severance pkg from my ex-employer,I dealt with all tax issues unless they really needed his input wich I was told he was working an for them to stop bothering him.So from this point this will be another lesson to learn an will probably not receive anything from this corporation.                                                                                                                                                           Thank You                                                                                                                                                       [redacted]

I paid a total of $4990 to Optima Tax Relief. My case manager told me that I would have to set an installment agreement with the IRS for $265/mo. starting on 28 May 2016. If I had known earlier that it would boil down to setting up an installment agreement with the IRS, I could have done this last year on my own and not have to pay the $4990.

SUMMARY -
font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Optima Tax's management made
contact with the client to discuss his concerns as outlined in the complaint.  
 
RESPONSE
-
Optima Tax’s management has made
contact with the client to discuss his concerns as outlined in the complaint. Optima
Tax’s services are broken down into two Phases, an Investigation Phase and a
Resolution Phase. The client signed up with the understanding that Optima will
perform a thorough Investigation only. The client was aware of the fee and it
was promptly paid for our services. As part of our Investigation Phase we will
contact the IRS to obtain any and all available information pertaining to the
client’s outstanding balance. Once we have gathered all relevant information
from the IRS and the client, we develop a Case Summary that outlines the
services we can perform to help the client with their tax liability.
The
client asserts that he notified us of a Tax Court Summons that he received and
we failed to make any inquiry. However, we would like to point out the fact
that the client never provided us with any Summons nor did the IRS ever mention
anything about a pending Tax Court proceeding, during any of our conversations
or in the documents they provided to us. This leads us to believe that his
court issue perhaps revolves around a matter outside his tax liability.
After
we presented the client with our findings and how we can help regarding his
personal tax liability, he unfortunately felt our retainer for the Resolution
Phase was unaffordable. Despite our effort to accommodate client’s request,
considering the significant amount of work that would’ve been involved in the
case, we unfortunately could not fulfill his request.
We
respectfully, yet firmly stress that at no point did our associates threaten
the client. There are no facts supporting such contention and it is regrettable
if there were any misunderstanding. 
Although we had fully performed our contractual obligations as outlined
in the Client Services Agreement and we would like to be recognized for our
work, we understand that disagreements occur and accordingly, we have been in
constant contact with the client and we came to a mutually satisfying
agreement.         
At
Optima Tax we strive to uphold the
philosophy that "clients come first" and all of our representatives
go through rigorous training to
assure we abide by that philosophy. We take all complaints very seriously, and
we do our best to turn them around when possible. Optima
Tax believes it has addressed the client's concerns
appropriately and considers the matter closed.  Please
do not hesitate to contact Optima Tax with any questions. Thank you.

Great company to work with!

SUMMARY -
Optima Tax's management immediately
reached out to the client to discuss his concerns outlined in the complaint. The
client has confirmed he is satisfied with the outcome.
 
RESPONSE -
Optima Tax’s management reached out
to the client to address his concerns as outlined...

in the complaint. Optima
Tax’s program is broken down into two phases - an Investigation Phase and the
Resolution Phase. During the Investigation Phase, we were informed by the IRS
that a lien was already in place against the client. During the Resolution
Phase, the client informed Optima Tax that he either wants to reduce his tax liability
or pay the full balance, depending on his ability to pay. After a discussion
with the client, particularly as to why a lien had been in place, the client decided
to continue his services with Optima Tax and is satisfied with the outcome.  
 
At Optima Tax we strive to uphold
the philosophy that "clients come first" and all of our representatives go through rigorous
training to assure we abide by that philosophy. We take all complaints very seriously, and we do
our best to turn them around when possible. Optima Tax believes it has addressed the
client's concerns appropriately and considers the matter closed. Please do not hesitate to contact
Optima Tax with any questions. Thank you.

Optima Tax has continued to reach out to the client
and had scheduled multiple appointments
to speak with them on the phone but, each appointment has been missed by the
client. It’s unfortunate that the client feels as if his Tax Associate used
“scare tactics”. We can assure you that is not our approach. It is however, our
job to fully inform the client of the severity of their case and the actions
the IRS is looking to take in order to satisfy the client’s outstanding
liability. Given the fact that this concerns the Federal Government, we feel a
tax payer should clearly understand the potential consequences they are facing
and have a sense of urgency in resolving the balance to avoid any enforcement
action by the IRS. In this particular case, the client is in active collections
and his assigned Tax Associate apprised the client accordingly given the urgent
nature of the client’s situation.  
As the client mentioned, given his profession and
work schedule he is rather busy and is difficult to get a hold of to address
his concerns directly. In our latest email to the client, we did provide a
couple of options in an effort to either continue representing the client or
part ways amicably. We will continue our efforts until this matter has been
resolved.

SUMMARY - Optima Tax's management has been in contact with the client and we are working towards a formal means of resolve.   RESPONSE - Optima Tax’s management established communication with the client to address the concerns as outlined in the complaint. As the client stated, he hired Optima...

Tax Relief to represent him before the IRS. Although we are highly successful in obtaining some form of a tax resolution for our clients, neither our advertisement nor our Client Services Agreement promises or guarantees a reduction of the client’s tax liability.   To ensure that Optima Tax upholds the highest level of transparency, each client will receive our Client Services Agreement as well as our Resolution Servicing Addendum before initiating our services. Additionally, each client will go through a voice recorded Verification Call that covers all legal disclosures, including services that Optima Tax Relief will provide during each Phase prior to receiving payment. As noted in our Client Services Agreement, Optima Tax approaches each case in a two phase approach. Phase one being our Investigation Phase and phase two being our Resolution Phase. Each disclosure in our Verification Process will require a “yes” answer before moving forward. After reviewing the Verification Calls, the client gave us a rating of a nine for the Investigation Phase and a ten for our Resolution Phase with ten being the highest rating a client can give.   It’s unfortunate to hear that the client feels they did not receive the services they agreed to. After reviewing the agreement, Optima Tax Relief finalized a resolution as stipulated in the Resolution Services Addendum. Moreover, the resolution we established did not put the client in a worse position then he was prior to engaging our services. We currently have an open line of communication and will continue to work with the client until we come to a final resolve.    At Optima Tax we strive to uphold the philosophy that "clients come first" and all of our representatives go through rigorous training to assure we abide by that philosophy. We take all complaints very seriously, and we do our best to turn them around when possible. Optima Tax believes it has addressed the client's concerns appropriately and considers the matter closed. Please do not hesitate to contact Optima Tax with any questions. Thank you.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.
Regards,
[redacted]

When I received my notice from the IRS that I owed more than one third of what I earned in the tax year in question I panicked. I had no idea if this was legitimate and if it was - where would I get the money to pay that off in the one month the IRS had given me in their letter.

So, based on the ads on the radio that we've all heard, I called Optima - I expected typical lawyer crap: no free quotes, pay a retainer and still end up owing, etc.

What I got from Walter and the team at Optima Tax Relief was anything BUT typical: before asking me for any money he walked me through the letter and helped me certify that it was legitimate. He helped me understand all the options that are possible and helped me get an idea, based on my income and expenses, of what I could expect. Essentially, at no cost and with no waiting period I received from Optima all the information I needed to know to understand my situation and grasp it logically.

Walter then explained, very clearly, their protocol - a 2 stage process wherein they 1st file power of attorney to keep the IRS from simply taking the money from my check, investigate to see if I'm being overcharged and verify that it is all I owe (you DO NOT want to be hit with this twice) then, in the second stage, they determine what programs I'm eligible for with IRS for paying off the debt and how much my monthly payments would end up being and fighting, on my behalf, for payments I could manage.

BOTH stages were FLAT fee retainers with NO additional costs paid to Optima and BOTH were extremely reasonably priced with GREAT payment plans available for those of us who can't pay in full.

I went ahead with Stage 1 and, luckily, came across the funds to cover my debt to the IRS and did not need Stage 2 - however, if I hadn't I would've been confident in my ability to survive this BECAUSE of the services provided by Optima Tax Relief.

If you get a letter - Call Optima; at the very least they'll give you the information you need and, at best, you'll have a shield against the IRS (who could ask for more?).

SUMMARY - Optima Tax's management has been in...

contact with the client in an effort to establish a line of communication.   RESPONSE - Optima Tax’s management has attempted to establish contact with the client to address his concerns as outlined in the complaint. As the client stated in the complaint, he hired Optima Tax to represent him before the IRS regarding an outstanding liability. After Optima Tax completed the initial Investigation and obtaining the IRS conditions, Optima presented our findings to the client along with our formulated strategy to finalize a resolution on the client’s behalf. The services that the client contracted Optima Tax to perform included, among other things, setting the client up on an affordable Installment Agreement based on the client’s financial situation. At no point did Optima Tax guarantee that the client’s overall tax liability would be reduced by any specific amount. However, Optima Tax prides itself on pursuing every available option to ensure we obtain the best possible outcome for our clients, which may include a reduction of our client’s liability.   Prior to engaging Optima Tax Relief the IRS had already begun collection efforts against the client. Although Optima Tax is capable of obtaining a Stay on Collection activity from the IRS, the individual circumstances and complexity of the client’s case will ultimately dictate whether the IRS is willing to accept the stay of enforcement we negotiate on behalf of our client. Moreover, Optima Tax does not promise, guarantee or in any way insinuate that we can stop all collection activity, as the ultimate decision to accept a Stay of Enforcement is with the IRS.   While in the Resolution Phase, a client must be in complete compliance with the IRS, which means all tax returns must be filed, before Optima Tax can begin negotiating a final resolution. The client was thoroughly advised of this requirement throughout the process. Optima Tax did in fact prepare and file the client’s tax returns for 2014 and 2015, as was agreed to in the Client Service Agreement Addendum. As the client references, the overall liability increased upon the IRS accepting the 2014 and 2015 tax returns because of additional tax being owed for those years. However, the increase in liability is not a result of Optima’s failure to act in accordance with the Addendum Agreement.   Although we understand that the client was hopeful of obtaining a reduced tax liability, Optima Tax clearly disclosed to the client that a reduction is not guaranteed. Because of the client’s dissatisfaction Optima Tax has offered the client a refund as a courtesy to him, to which he has declined as stated in the complaint.   At Optima Tax we strive to uphold the philosophy that "clients come first" and all of our representatives go through rigorous training to assure we abide by that philosophy. We take all complaints very seriously, and we do our best to turn them around when possible. Optima Tax believes it has addressed the client's concerns appropriately and will continue to reach out to the client until we come to a final resolve. Please do not hesitate to contact Optima Tax with any questions. Thank you.

SUMMARY -
Optima Tax's management had been in contact...

with the client and has offered a reasonable resolution but the client has rejected.
RESPONSE -
Optima Tax’s management has established communication with the client to formally address his concerns. As the client stated in the complaint, he hired Optima Tax to represent him before the [redacted] due to an outstanding tax liability. At no point did we mislead the client into engaging our services and then later advise the client that we cannot provide our assistance. To the contrary, Optima Tax presented the client with our plan to resolve his case on numerous occasions. However, the client rejected our proposed course of action to resolve his case because he was under the impression that his tax liability did not exist, due to the client performing an action prior to engaging Optima Tax’s service. Optima Tax attempted to clarify to the client his current situation to no avail. Thereafter, the client decided to pursue an alternative course of action and requested a refund.
 
In order to provide some clarification, Optima Tax does have a 15 day money back guarantee. However, when the client requested his refund, Optima Tax had been servicing his case for numerous months and performed extensive work, as required by the Service Agreement. Therefore, Optima Tax was not obligated to return fees to the client. However, Optima Tax reviews all requests that are made after our guarantee period on a case by case basis in order to provide our client’s with the best services. In this case, the client was offered a courtesy refund but he has rejected our offer.
 
At Optima Tax we strive to uphold the philosophy that "clients come first" and all of our representatives go through rigorous training to assure we abide by that philosophy. We take all complaints very seriously, and we do our best to turn them around when possible. Optima Tax believes that it has addressed the client’s concerns but we will continue to reach out to the client in order to come to a final resolve. Please do not hesitate to contact Optima Tax with any questions. Thank you.

I am currently enrolled in their program for over three months now. I have been charged for over $6K and to be paid over time... Not satisfied with their service. I have been called by different people from their company and every time somebody calls they don't know what's going on with my case and don't know where my paper works at. So, I have to start telling them my case every time. If I hadn't call earlier I would not know that my case manager is no longer connected with their company and that I was assigned to a new case manager (who hasn't contacted me either). I have tried to escalate my case to no avail. Until now there is no resolution to my case. All I have experienced with this company are more stress, frustrations... The promise on their ad that they are there to help their clients is not true! And guess what, I have been an existing client right?, this morning, one of their representative called me to offer their service, clearly they don't have a clear communication or documentation within their company. And they claim that they have a great team that will work on my case, however, isn't good communication a great foundation for a great teamwork? Clearly they have not displayed that.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
Upon closer examination of your proposal, I cannot agree to the terms as they are written.  I feel that I have been taken advantage of and I paid for services that I did not receive.  I stand firm in my belief that if I were told up front, in the very beginning that I'm only eligible for you to work out a payment plan with the IRS, I would have never agreed to pay you $2,000.00!  I am not incompetent and I believe I was intentionally misled and misinformed.  In addition, I cannot keep quiet about what happened to me.  I am outraged and I feel I need to share my experience on media websites and to my colleagues.  Putting me on a payment plan with the IRS is not worth $2,000.00!  Your company has been in business long enough to know when a client is eligible for reduced tax debt, a payment plan or C & R!  You should be forthcoming with your clients and spell it out for them completely!  In addition, I am confident I could have done the same thing (as I had done in the past) and it wouldn't have cost me a dime!  I had to make sacrifices to make those payments to you and I don't feel I received the services to justify me paying you two thousand dollars!  I wish I could get an itemized breakdown of the services rendered.  This is not ok!
Regards,
[redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
[It is true that Optima Tax Relief has reached out and left a voicemail and email on September 9th to which I responded via call on September 12th and emailed on September 16th.  I was told on September 12th that Mr. [redacted]r wasn't in , but will be returning calls.  I was informed that since he leaves the office at 330pm (PST) on the weekdays and I get of work about the same time (Central Time), they will try to assign my complaint to someone else.  I haven't heard back from any.  I have directly called the IRS three times from the time Optima Tax revoked the power of attorney.  I was informed by IRS Agent #[redacted] and Agent#[redacted] that there has no Installment Agreement in place.  The IRS has confirmed that the Agreement has only been received on September 7th.  Could you please show any documentation on your end confirming that the IRS has received or processed my Installment Agreement as you claimed in April and July? 
As an entity representing clients like me, it is your duty not only to INFORM about the penalties that will accrue while the balance has not been paid, but also to find ways how to prevent this or to stop the bleeding.  You have taken my financial assessment several times and in fact informed me that an Offer in Compromise (to lower my taxes) is not possible since I have investments to cover what I owed.  Why then let me wait for a result that you knew was imminent and not suggest to pay off the taxes?  Would that have been more of a TAX RELIEF to me?]
Regards,
[redacted]