IRS Amendment Filing Experience with Gig Worker Solutions / Anchor Financial - Any Advice?
I started working with Gig Worker Solutions and Anchor Financial back in February to file an IRS amendment for a Self-Employment Tax Credit (SETC). I submitted everything on February 12 and was told by Anchor around May 14 that I'd be getting money back for the credit. They offered to advance the money (minus a 20% filing fee) but said they needed transcripts from the IRS to verify I didn't owe anything. They asked for 15-20 days to get and verify the transcripts, then they'd release the funds which I'd receive in 2 business days. After the 20 days passed (around June 4), they claimed they still hadn't received the transcripts but said I could provide them myself. I sent them immediately, but they kept saying my transcripts needed to be submitted differently - total runaround for weeks. By mid-June, they finally admitted they had the transcripts but needed to "review" them. Then around July 1, I called to check on the status and was told they needed an ADDITIONAL 15-20 days to review (which they never mentioned before). Now they're claiming they're waiting on a "3rd party" to release the funds. For weeks I couldn't get through to anyone - straight to voicemail with no callbacks. When I finally reached someone on July 17, they first told me to "be patient," then changed their story saying the third party was no longer advancing money to anyone who filed before April 1, 2024! The IRS told me directly there are no issues with my amendment - they're just behind on processing. I should receive two separate checks (plus interest). Has anyone else worked with Gig Worker Solutions/Anchor Financial? What should I do at this point? I've already contacted the BBB, FINRA, and Virginia State Corporation Committee, but Anchor won't respond to the BBB complaints.
21 comments

Molly Hansen
What you're experiencing is unfortunately common with some tax credit advance companies. Here's what you need to understand about this situation: First, the IRS amendment for SETC is legitimate, but the processing times are extremely long right now - 20+ weeks is normal. The problem isn't with your amendment but with the advance company's promises. These advance companies operate by essentially giving you a loan against your expected refund. They're not actually speeding up the IRS processing - they're just fronting you money and then collecting your refund later (plus their fee). I'd recommend taking these steps immediately: 1. Send a formal revocation of the power of attorney to the IRS at that fax number you mentioned (855-214-7516). Write "REVOKE" clearly across the top. 2. Submit a change of address form (Form 8822) to ensure your checks come directly to you, not them. 3. Check your IRS account transcript regularly to monitor your amendment status. 4. Document all communications with Anchor/GWS from this point forward. The good news is that if your amendment was properly filed, you will eventually receive the credit directly from the IRS. The bad news is you'll need to wait for normal IRS processing times, which could be several more months.
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Brady Clean
Do you know if there's any way to speed up the IRS processing time? I'm in a similar situation but haven't used a third party. I've been waiting 16 weeks for my SETC amendment and really need the funds. Also, is there any way to verify that the amendment was properly filed without calling the IRS? Their phone lines are impossible.
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Molly Hansen
Unfortunately, there's no real way to speed up IRS amendment processing right now. They're severely backlogged with these SETC claims and are processing them in the order received. The "Where's My Amended Return" tool can give you basic status updates, but it's limited. You can verify your amendment was properly received by checking your IRS account transcript online. Look for a transaction code 971 which indicates your amendment was received. If you don't see this, then there might be an issue with your filing.
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Skylar Neal
I went through something similar with tax document issues and found that using taxr.ai really helped me sort through everything. After weeks of being confused about what was happening with my tax situation, I uploaded all my correspondence and documents to https://taxr.ai and their system analyzed everything. It showed me exactly what was happening with my case and pointed out that the company I was working with had actually made several procedural errors in how they filed my amendment. The site is really straightforward - it reads through all those complex IRS letters and documents, then explains what they actually mean in plain English. It also spotted inconsistencies in what the tax company was telling me versus what the actual documentation showed. That gave me concrete evidence when I had to escalate things.
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Vincent Bimbach
How does this actually work? Do you just upload pictures of your documents or what? I have a bunch of letters from the IRS about my SETC amendment but I can barely understand what they're saying. Would this help me figure out if my tax preparer is doing things correctly?
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Kelsey Chin
I'm a bit skeptical about giving my tax documents to some random website. Is it secure? How do you know they're not keeping copies of your tax info? Seems risky considering all the sensitive information in those documents.
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Skylar Neal
You just upload images or PDFs of your tax documents and their system analyzes them. It works with IRS letters, transcripts, forms, pretty much anything tax-related. It definitely helped me understand if my amendment was filed correctly and what stages it was actually in. Yes, they use bank-level encryption for all documents, and they don't store your information after analysis. I was concerned about that too, but they explain their security measures on the site. Plus, you can always block out your SSN on documents before uploading if you're worried. The system still works fine with those redacted.
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Kelsey Chin
I was super skeptical about taxr.ai when I first saw it mentioned here, but I was desperate to figure out what was happening with my SETC amendment after getting the runaround from my tax preparer. I decided to give it a try and honestly it was eye-opening. I uploaded all the correspondence I had - the IRS notices, letters from my tax company, and transcript. The analysis showed me that my tax company had actually missed filing a required form, which was why my amendment was stuck! They kept blaming IRS delays, but the real problem was on their end. The analysis even highlighted the specific section of my transcript that proved this. I confronted my tax preparer with this evidence and suddenly they were able to "fix" the issue they'd been denying for months. My amendment is finally moving forward now. Definitely worth checking out if you're stuck in limbo with these amendment issues.
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Norah Quay
After months of getting nowhere with the IRS phone lines about my tax credit, I found this service called Claimyr that actually got me through to a real IRS agent. I was skeptical at first (spent weeks trying to call myself with no luck), but I was desperate after waiting 19 weeks for my amendment processing with no updates. I used https://claimyr.com and they somehow got me a callback from the IRS within about 2 hours. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The IRS agent I spoke with was able to tell me exactly what was happening with my amendment and confirmed there was a small issue they needed additional documentation for - something I never would have known without talking to them directly. Totally changed my situation because the IRS was sending letters to my old address, and I would have just kept waiting forever without knowing there was a problem. If you're stuck in limbo with these SETC amendments, actually talking to the IRS is really the only way to get clear answers.
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Leo McDonald
How does this even work? The IRS phone system is completely broken - I've tried calling literally 30+ times and either get disconnected or told the wait is too long. How can some service magically get you through when the official channels don't work?
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Jessica Nolan
This sounds like a scam. There's no way to "skip the line" with the IRS. They're a government agency with set procedures. I'd be very careful about services claiming to have special access. Plus, how do you know you're actually talking to the IRS and not someone pretending to be them to get your information?
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Norah Quay
They use an automated system that keeps calling the IRS for you using their technology. It basically waits on hold so you don't have to. When they finally get through to an agent, they connect the call to your phone. It's not skipping the line - they're just waiting on hold automatically so you don't have to sit there for hours. They don't actually talk to the IRS for you or collect any tax information - they just connect you directly to the IRS agent when one becomes available. I was connected directly to the IRS's official phone system, verified through their standard identity verification process. It's just a way to avoid the constant busy signals and dropped calls.
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Jessica Nolan
I need to apologize for my skepticism about Claimyr. After my amendment sat for 23 weeks with no updates, I was desperate enough to try anything, even though I thought it sounded like a scam. I'm shocked to say it actually worked exactly as described. Got a callback from the IRS in about 90 minutes, and was able to speak with an actual human being who pulled up my file. Turns out my amendment had an issue with the documentation but the notice they sent had gone to my old address. The agent was able to update my information and tell me exactly what to fax in to get things moving again. Would have spent another 6 months waiting if I hadn't been able to talk to someone. The service essentially just handled the horrible phone system part so I could actually reach a real person. Definitely worth it if you're stuck in amendment hell with the SETC.
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Angelina Farar
I filed my SETC amendment with Anchor Financial too and had a similar experience. After months of runaround, I finally got my money directly from the IRS, but it took almost 6 months. The "advance" never materialized. I think their business model changed during the process and they stopped offering advances because the IRS started cracking down on these amendments. One thing to add - make sure you keep checking your IRS account transcript because these companies sometimes change the direct deposit information to THEIR account instead of yours. I caught Anchor trying to do this after I had already revoked their POA. Had to call the IRS (took forever to get through) to make sure my check would come to me directly.
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Connor Rupert
AuthorThanks for mentioning this! I've been checking my IRS account almost daily to make sure they don't try anything like that. Did your checks eventually come in separate mailings like the IRS told me mine would? And did you have to do anything special to revoke the POA besides faxing the form with "REVOKE" written on it?
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Angelina Farar
Yes, my refund came in two separate checks about a week apart, just like the IRS said. And I did exactly what you mentioned - faxed the POA form with "REVOKE" written across the top to that number. I also called the IRS (took several attempts) to confirm they received the revocation and updated my address. The most important thing is to monitor your transcript regularly. If you see any updates or changes you didn't authorize, call the IRS immediately. These companies are getting more aggressive as the IRS scrutinizes these amendments more closely.
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Sebastián Stevens
Has anyone actually received their SETC amendment money recently? I filed mine back in January (not through Anchor though) and I'm still waiting. The IRS "Where's My Amended Return" tool just says it's been received and is processing. No updates in months.
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Bethany Groves
I got mine last week after filing in December 2023. Took about 7.5 months total. No advance or anything, just filed directly through my accountant. The IRS is definitely processing these, just very slowly. My "Where's My Amended Return" status didn't update until about a week before I got the check, so don't rely on that tool too much.
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TillyCombatwarrior
I'm dealing with a very similar situation with Gig Worker Solutions/Anchor Financial. Filed my SETC amendment in March, got the same promises about advances and the same runaround with transcripts. What really helped me was documenting everything - every phone call, email, and promise they made. I also filed complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in addition to the BBB. The CFPB complaint actually got a response from them within two weeks, though it was mostly corporate speak about "reviewing my case." One thing I learned - these companies often use multiple business names and entities to avoid accountability. Anchor Financial might be operating under different names now. When I researched their business registration, I found several related entities with similar addresses. My advice: keep all your documentation, file that POA revocation with the IRS immediately, and consider consulting with a tax attorney if the amount is significant. Many offer free consultations for these types of cases. The good news is your amendment is likely fine - it's just these middleman companies that are the problem.
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Oliver Fischer
This is really helpful advice! I didn't know about filing with the CFPB - I'll definitely do that today. The multiple business names thing is interesting too. When I was researching Anchor Financial, I found they're also connected to something called "Tax Relief Advocates" and another entity with a similar address. It's like they're playing shell games with their business structure. Did the CFPB complaint actually lead to any resolution for you, or was it just the corporate response? I'm wondering if it's worth pursuing further or if I should focus my energy on working directly with the IRS at this point. The waiting is killing me financially, but it sounds like the direct IRS route might be more reliable than dealing with these companies. Also, do you know if there's a way to check if they've filed any additional paperwork with the IRS under my name without my knowledge? I'm worried they might have submitted something that could complicate my case.
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Lucas Turner
The CFPB complaint didn't lead to immediate resolution, but it did seem to light a fire under them - they started returning my calls more consistently after that. It's definitely worth filing because it creates an official record of their practices. For checking additional filings, you can request your complete IRS file using Form 4506-T (transcript request) or call them directly. Look for any powers of attorney or third-party authorizations you didn't sign. Also check your online IRS account for any address changes or direct deposit updates you didn't authorize. You're absolutely right to focus on the direct IRS route now. These advance companies seem to be having major issues across the board. The IRS processing is slow but at least it's reliable. I'd recommend calling that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier if you need to speak with the IRS directly - traditional phone lines are nearly impossible right now. One more tip: if you have any written agreements with Anchor/GWS, read the fine print carefully. Some of these companies have clauses that let them keep portions of your refund even if you revoke their services. Document everything and don't let them intimidate you into waiting longer.
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