This is kind of long winded, but after nearly 4 years, dealing with 29 different contacts, 163 emails, phone calls that I cannot count, most of which went unanswered, around $11,000, and absolutely no help, I have a lot to say. I had allowed myself to get behind in taxes owed to the IRS. My fault admitted. But behind I was none the less. So in July 2008 I contacted Tax Masters .The representative talked a good talk, and said all the right things. On 30-July-2008 I received the following email from Tax Masters concerning the IRS, and how I would benefit with TaxMasters services. Dear George, Thank you for contacting TaxMasters about your tax problems. In dealing with the IRS, remember a few very important things: If at any time you receive forms or notices from the Internal Revenue Service, contact us immediately. IRS letters, especially Certified Mail, often serve as notice of deadlines. IRS deadlines can be as short as 10 to 15 days. It is important we have the chance to respond to preserve your rights. If you receive a phone call from an IRS agent, or if an agent comes to your home or business, please contact our office immediately. Any information you provide to the IRS will be used to collect money. Once we are retained and have a Power of Attorney on file with the IRS, you have the right to insist that they speak with us instead of you - even if the agent should state otherwise. The problem will not go away. In fact, if you put off dealing with your tax problems, the IRS can, and likely will, levy your bank accounts, garnish your wages, and seize your personal property, including your house. The IRS, under certain circumstances, can even put you in jail. The peace of mind you will find in putting your IRS problems behind you is only a phone call away. Instead of worrying about losing your paycheck, your bank account, and even your house, consider how good you will feel after putting your IRS problems behind you by calling TaxMasters. You may want to wait to deal with your tax problems. The IRS won't. TaxMasters 900 Town & Country Lane, Suite 400 Houston, TX 77024 800-581-**** 281-497-**** 713-463-**** fax On receipt of this email, I jumped in hook, line, and sinker. Along the way, there were numerous occasions, that I know of, when I in the nick of time to meet IRS deadlines. And then maybe there were times I did not. I do know that there were at least three occasions that finally after constant calling and frantic emails, I barely made deadlines for extensions, submittal of information, and filing of returns. I have had to amend two returns where information provided to TaxMasters for filing was omitted costing 10's of thousands of dollars. And now as per TaxMasters, they are no longer representing me. But I will get back to this On April 12-13, 2012, after returning from an overseas assignment, I get a notice from United States Bankruptcy Court that was sent on 18-March-12 that TaxMasters was in Chapter 11. Again I attempted to contact any one of the 29 reps that I had been dealing with, No answers to emails, or phone calls. And Chapter 11 or not, I was still depending on TaxMasters to: "put my IRS problems behind me because I had called TaxMasters". Fortunately, I did not get TaxMasters to file the 2011 return. I had had my fill of them, and hired a local CPA. My returns had been completed, and also fortunately, I had until 17-April to file. I will take this opportunity to suggest: Get someone local, who you can deal with one on one. Finally with no way left to go 13-Apr-12, I called the IRS agent who had been assigned to my case. He was out, and returned my call on 16-Apr-12. I explained my dilemma, His answer was essentially most tax firms that are advertising on TV about paying pennies on the dollar are all the same. They make big promises, but their main goal is to keep their clients hanging for as long as they can. A speedy compromise would mean less time spent, therefore less money for the firm. They may not file chapter 11, but they do little for the client except accrue penalties and interest. I must note, that his understanding did nothing to decrease the debt owed, but by contacting them on expectation of what to do with the completed return. I could go on and on about TaxMasters, and "what a sorry group they are, and remember, the lesser parts make the whole". Also, I am sorry to have dealt with them. But I will suffice with a last comment: The IRS agent told me that he had tried contacted TaxMasters about my installment agreement, and was told that I had changed jobs, and they were no longer handling my case. So after taking my money for nearly four years, not to mention all the sleepless nights, they dropped me without even the consideration of notification by any contact what so ever. If I had not contacted the IRS directly, who knows? Let's just say it would be even less nice than at present.. Moral of the story: If you know anyone that needs assistance with IRS issues, suggest that they hire someone local, and possibly contact the IRS themselves. I should have in 2008. The only true thing that TaxMasters sent in the email: "The problem did not go away", Even after hiring TaxMasters.
You were better off going to a Tax Attorney or a CPA.
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/taxmasters-accused-fraud-deception/story?id=1336****