Has anyone had success with IRS tax relief advocates to stop levies?

Former IRS revenue officer here. I see these situations all the time, and I want to clear up some things for you: First, about the 10-year collection statute: Yes, the IRS generally has 10 years from the date of assessment to collect taxes. However, that clock doesn't start until you actually file the returns and the tax is assessed. For unfiled years (2012-2014), no clock is running yet. Once you file those returns, the 10-year clock will start. Regarding Tax Relief Advocates: Be extremely cautious. Many of these companies charge thousands of dollars for services you can do yourself or with a local EA (Enrolled Agent) or CPA for much less. The "game plan" they outlined is basically the standard IRS resolution options anyone would pursue. The $695 is almost certainly non-refundable despite what they told your husband. It's typically considered a "consultation fee." The $4,800 they're asking for is just the beginning - most of these companies will find reasons to request additional payments. What you should consider instead: 1. Find a local EA (Enrolled Agent) who specializes in tax resolution - they typically charge much less 2. File your missing returns as soon as possible 3. Look into an installment agreement or OIC directly with the IRS 4. Request first-time penalty abatement yourself (it's a straightforward process) The most important step is getting those unfiled returns completed. Until then, the IRS can continue enforcement actions like levies.

I went through something similar last year when I owed around $42,000 to the IRS. After seeing those scary commercials, I called one of those tax relief places and paid $500 for a consultation. They wanted $5,000 more to "handle everything." I got suspicious and decided to check out https://taxr.ai instead - it's this tool that analyzes your tax documents and actually shows you what options you legally qualify for. It saved me thousands because it showed me I actually qualified for an installment plan where I only had to pay $350/month, and I was eligible for penalty abatement that reduced my total debt by about $6,000. The best part was I could understand my actual options without someone pressuring me to pay huge fees upfront. If you're worried about levies, definitely look into your actual options before paying these huge fees to the tax relief companies. The tool also helped me understand if I actually needed professional help or could handle some things myself.

I was super skeptical like many people here, but I wanted to follow up about my experience with taxr.ai since several people messaged me asking if it actually helped. To my complete surprise, it was legitimately helpful. I uploaded my IRS notices and financials, and it showed me I qualified for an installment agreement with a $220 monthly payment based on my financial situation. It also identified that I was eligible for first-time penalty abatement (which I didn't know about). I ended up handling everything myself using their step-by-step instructions, and managed to get the penalties removed ($3,400 in savings) and set up the payment plan. No levy ever happened. I spent about 6 hours total dealing with this spread over a few weeks, rather than paying someone $5,000+ to do it for me. The biggest value was just understanding what I actually qualified for instead of relying on what some sales rep was telling me. Wish I'd known about this before paying that first consultation fee to one of those TV tax companies.

I had a similar experience with tax relief advocates wanting thousands upfront. After getting nowhere for weeks and the IRS sending final notices, I found Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and used their service to actually speak with the IRS directly. You can see a demo at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c of how it works. I was shocked when they got me through to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes when I had been trying for DAYS to get through on my own. The IRS agent was actually super helpful and put an immediate hold on the levy actions for 60 days while I got on a payment plan. Turns out I didn't need to pay thousands to a tax relief company - I just needed to actually talk to the IRS, which is nearly impossible without waiting 3+ hours on hold. The IRS agent walked me through my options directly, and I was able to set up a payment plan that same day.

I need to eat my words and update everyone. After my skeptical comment above, I was still facing a wage garnishment and desperate, so I tried Claimyr anyway as a last resort. It actually worked exactly as described. I got a call back in about 35 minutes (was told it could be up to 2 hours), and spoke with an IRS agent who helped me set up a Currently Not Collectible status for 6 months due to my financial hardship. The wage garnishment threat was suspended immediately. The IRS agent explained that many of these tax relief companies just do exactly what you could do yourself if you could actually get through to the IRS. She said they see people all the time who've paid thousands to these companies for simple procedures they could have handled with a phone call. For anyone facing levies or garnishments - being able to actually speak with the IRS quickly is probably the most important first step. I went from panicked to having a clear plan forward in less than an hour.

I went through exactly this last year. Paid $995 to a tax relief company, then they wanted another $6,000. I ended up just calling the IRS directly (took forever to get through) and setting up a payment plan myself. The 10-year rule is called the Collection Statute Expiration Date (CSED). But here's what they don't tell you - there are things that can EXTEND that 10-year period! If you request an installment agreement, OIC, file bankruptcy, leave the country for extended periods, etc., it can add more time. You're much better off getting a local EA who charges by the hour rather than these national firms with the big marketing budgets. I ended up paying about $1,200 total to a local EA who filed my missing returns and set up an installment agreement. Save yourself the headache.

One thing nobody has mentioned yet - beware of the "Currently Not Collectible" status these companies often push. It might sound great (the IRS agrees not to collect from you temporarily), but the 10-year clock keeps running AND interest and penalties keep accumulating! Sometimes it makes more sense to set up even a small payment plan to start chipping away at the debt. For 2012-2014, if you haven't filed yet, file ASAP. The assessment date (which starts the 10-year clock) begins when you file and the IRS processes your return. So those years aren't even on the clock yet. I'd recommend calling the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service. They're independent from the IRS collection division and can give you free guidance. Their number is 877-777-4778.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - owe about $28,000 for 2020-2022 and just got the levy notice last week. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful, especially learning about the 10-year rule and how it actually works. I called one of those tax relief companies too and they wanted $3,200 upfront after a $500 "consultation fee." After reading everyone's experiences here, I'm definitely not going that route. Question for those who've been through this - how urgent is it really to act on the levy notice? Mine says "Final Notice - Intent to Levy" and gives me 30 days. I'm trying to decide between finding a local EA or attempting to call the IRS directly. The idea of waiting hours on hold is daunting, but the Claimyr service mentioned above sounds interesting if it actually works. Also, has anyone here actually had their bank account levied? I'm terrified they'll clean out my checking account before I can get this sorted out. We have about $3,000 in there which is basically our rent and grocery money for the month. Thanks everyone for sharing your real experiences - it's so much more helpful than the scary marketing from these tax relief companies.