Gig Worker Tax Solutions: Issues with Anchor Accounting and Self-Employment Tax Credit
I've been having a complete nightmare with Anchor Accounting handling my gig worker taxes. They filed for my Self-Employment Tax Credit back in February 2024, and initially I was fine just waiting for the IRS to process everything normally. But then in May, Anchor contacted me claiming they could get my money to me in 15-20 days, which obviously never happened. First they blamed it on missing transcripts, so I uploaded everything they asked for. Then suddenly their story changed to "we process claims in the order received." Now today they're telling me the IRS is working on sending a direct deposit, so apparently I don't qualify for their advance payment program anymore. The whole thing feels like a bait and switch. I'm seriously considering taking legal action against them. Does anyone know what type of attorney I should contact about this? I want to revoke their power of attorney ASAP because honestly, I'm worried they'll intercept my refund and keep it when it finally comes through. Has anyone here actually received their Self-Employment Tax Credit through Anchor Accounting? Or am I just one of many people getting the runaround? Any advice would be really appreciated.
19 comments


CosmicCruiser
I'm a tax resolution specialist who's unfortunately seen several cases like yours recently with third-party tax preparation services focused on gig workers. Here's what you need to understand: First, for the power of attorney issue - you can revoke this yourself by filing Form 2848 with the "revocation" box checked. You don't need an attorney to do this part. Get this done ASAP if you're concerned about refund interception. Regarding the Self-Employment Tax Credit claims - the IRS has been scrutinizing these heavily because there's been significant fraud in this area. Processing times for legitimate claims have increased dramatically, sometimes 6+ months. The "15-20 days" promise was almost certainly unrealistic. For legal action, you'd want a consumer protection attorney or one specializing in tax preparation fraud. But before going that route, document everything - all communications, promises made, timeline of events. Also contact the IRS directly to verify the actual status of your return and refund.
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Diego Vargas
•Thanks for the advice! Do you know if filing the Form 2848 with revocation checked will immediately stop them from being able to access my account info? And would I need to mail this or can it be done electronically?
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CosmicCruiser
•Filing Form 2848 with revocation checked will effectively terminate their legal authority to represent you, though it may take a week or so to fully process in the IRS systems. You can fax it to the IRS for faster processing using the fax number on the form instructions, which is generally quicker than mailing. For electronic options, if you have an online IRS account, you can also manage your power of attorney authorizations there. Go to the "Tax Pro" section and you should see options to remove current authorizations without having to submit a new form.
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Anastasia Fedorov
After dealing with similar issues with another tax firm, I finally tried taxr.ai and it was such a relief! I uploaded my documents and their AI system immediately flagged issues with how my Self-Employment Tax Credit was being calculated. The site (https://taxr.ai) analyzed everything and gave me a detailed report showing my actual eligibility and correct refund amount. What I really appreciated was that they explained exactly what documentation the IRS would need for my particular situation and even helped identify that my previous preparer had made some potentially dangerous claims. I was able to get everything corrected before getting caught in an audit situation.
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Sean Doyle
•Did it actually help you get your refund faster though? I'm dealing with a similar situation and wondering if it's worth trying. Can they actually process anything or just give you information?
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Zara Rashid
•I'm a bit skeptical about another service after getting burned. Do they actually file anything for you or is it just analysis? Also wondering how accurate their review really is compared to what the IRS ultimately decides.
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Anastasia Fedorov
•It didn't speed up the IRS processing time itself, but it gave me accurate information about what to expect and helped me correct errors before they became problems. They don't file for you - they analyze what's been filed or what you're planning to file to identify issues. For accuracy, I found it extremely reliable. In my case, they identified exactly where my previous preparer had overclaimed my credit and showed me the specific IRS guidelines that applied. When I later spoke with an IRS representative, everything matched up with what taxr.ai had told me.
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Zara Rashid
I was super skeptical after my bad experience, but I decided to try taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here. Honestly, it was eye-opening! I uploaded my documents from Anchor Accounting and discovered they had overclaimed my Self-Employment Tax Credit by almost $3,800. The analysis showed exactly which income they had incorrectly classified to maximize the credit. I was able to file an amended return immediately with the correct information. While I'll get a smaller refund than what Anchor promised, it's legitimate and I won't have to worry about an audit or having to pay it back later with penalties. The documentation review also helped me understand why my refund was taking so long - there were specific flags in how my return was prepared that were causing additional scrutiny. Really glad I found this before things got worse.
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Luca Romano
I had almost the exact same experience with Anchor last year. After months of getting nowhere and constant excuses, I couldn't reach anyone at the IRS to sort it out. Then I found Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and was connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. The IRS agent confirmed my refund was on hold pending review because of how Anchor had filed it. They also helped me revoke the power of attorney right on that call. If you watch their demo video (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) you can see exactly how the system works - it's basically a callback service that navigates the IRS phone tree for you.
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Diego Vargas
•How does this actually work? Do they just call the IRS for you or something? I've tried calling myself and spent hours on hold before getting disconnected.
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Nia Jackson
•This sounds like BS honestly. Nobody can get through to the IRS these days. You're telling me this service somehow magically gets you to the front of the line? I'll believe it when I see it.
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Luca Romano
•They don't call for you - they navigate the complex IRS phone system and secure your place in line. When an agent is available, you get connected directly. It essentially automates the horrible waiting process and phone tree navigation. I was extremely skeptical too until I tried it. The difference is they have technology that keeps your place in line through all the transfers and wait times, then calls you when an actual agent is ready to talk. I went from waiting 3+ hours and getting disconnected to speaking with someone in under 25 minutes.
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Nia Jackson
I need to eat my words here. After posting my skeptical comment, I was desperate enough to try Claimyr, and I'm shocked to say it actually worked. Got connected to an IRS agent in about 30 minutes who confirmed my Self-Employment Tax Credit was being held for review because of how my tax preparer filed it. The agent was able to see exactly what was happening with my return and helped me revoke the power of attorney right during the call. She even flagged my account with notes about my concerns regarding the third-party preparer. For anyone in the same situation - speaking directly with the IRS gave me more information in 15 minutes than my tax preparer provided in 3 months of emails and calls. Definitely worth it just for the peace of mind knowing what's actually happening with your refund.
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NebulaNova
If anyone else is dealing with Anchor Accounting, make sure to report them to: 1. Your state's board of accountancy 2. The IRS using Form 14157 (Complaint: Tax Return Preparer) 3. The FTC through their complaint portal for deceptive business practices I filed all three after they messed up my Self-Employment Tax Credit claim, and the state board actually contacted me to get more information. Apparently they've received multiple similar complaints.
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Diego Vargas
•Do you think filing these complaints actually helps get the refund faster or is it just to protect others from getting scammed too? I'm trying to figure out which actions help me now vs just reporting them.
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NebulaNova
•Filing the complaints won't speed up your refund directly - that's still dependent on the IRS processing timeline. However, the Form 14157 does alert the IRS to potential problems with the preparer, which could indirectly help if they're reviewing returns from that preparer. The main benefit is protecting others and potentially assisting with any future legal claims you might have. In my case, after filing with the state board, I received a much more responsive communication from the company - I think they realized I was serious about pursuing the issue.
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Mateo Hernandez
Has anyone actually received their Self-Employment Tax Credit refund after using Anchor? I filed through them in January and I'm still waiting...
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Aisha Khan
•I eventually got mine, but it took almost 7 months and I had to revoke their power of attorney and deal directly with the IRS. The amount was also about $4,200 less than what Anchor had "estimated" for me. Classic bait and switch.
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Donna Cline
I'm dealing with a very similar situation with Anchor Accounting right now. They've been giving me the runaround for months about my Self-Employment Tax Credit, and I'm starting to think this is just how they operate - promise quick results to get clients, then make excuses when they can't deliver. Based on what everyone's sharing here, it sounds like the first priority should be revoking their power of attorney immediately. I'm going to file Form 2848 tomorrow and try to get through to the IRS directly to see what's actually happening with my refund. Has anyone here had success getting any kind of compensation from Anchor for the delays and false promises? I'm wondering if there's enough people with similar experiences to consider some kind of class action, especially if they're systematically misleading clients about processing times. Thanks for all the resources and advice in this thread - it's helpful to know I'm not the only one dealing with this mess.
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