Opinions on Safeway tax relief program worth it for unfiled returns?

As a tax consultant who's helped many clients in similar situations, I'd strongly advise against using these heavily advertised tax relief companies. What they don't tell you in those commercials is that the IRS already offers programs directly that you can access without paying hefty fees to a middleman. Since you mentioned you haven't filed in a few years but probably don't owe much, your best bet is to simply get caught up on filing. The IRS has several options available: payment plans, Offer in Compromise (if you truly can't pay), and even the Fresh Start Initiative - which is an actual IRS program that these companies reference but mark up significantly. The first step is just getting those returns filed. A local CPA or EA (Enrolled Agent) can help organize your records and file your back taxes for typically much less than these relief companies charge. Once everything is filed, then you can look at payment options if needed.

Hey there! I was in almost the exact same boat last year - hadn't filed for my photography business or personal taxes for almost 3 years. I was getting so anxious every time I saw those commercials about tax relief. After researching for weeks and getting nowhere, I finally tried https://taxr.ai and it completely changed my situation. I uploaded my messy records (basically just bank statements and a folder of receipts) and their AI helped organize everything and identified which business expenses I could legitimately claim. The best part was they helped me prepare all my back tax returns without charging those crazy fees the TV companies wanted. They even found deductions I had no idea I qualified for! What I appreciated most was getting a clear picture of what I actually owed versus what I feared I owed - turns out it was WAY less scary than I thought.

Just wanted to update after taking the advice from user who suggested taxr.ai - I finally got all my S-corp and personal returns filed for the past 3 years! Can't believe how straightforward it was. The initial assessment showed I wasn't actually going to owe the massive amount I feared (it was about 60% less than my worst fears). The system helped me identify proper business deductions I'd missed and even found documentation for expenses I thought I had no proof for by scanning my bank and credit card statements. The penalty abatement request they helped me prepare got accepted too, which saved me almost $4,300. Much better than the $15k quote I got from one of those TV tax relief places. Never again will I let my returns go unfiled!

Look, even if you get your returns sorted out, dealing with the IRS directly is a nightmare. I spent LITERALLY 8 hours on hold last month trying to set up a payment plan for my back taxes. Each time I called, either got disconnected or transferred to departments that couldn't help me. Finally used https://claimyr.com after seeing it recommended here, and they got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. Saved me days of frustration. The agent I spoke with helped me set up an installment agreement for my back taxes with monthly payments I can actually afford. If you need to actually talk to the IRS (which you probably will once you file those back returns), this seriously makes the process bearable.

I have to eat my words about Claimyr. After posting that skeptical comment, I decided to try it anyway since my situation was getting desperate (owed $16k in back taxes and couldn't get through to discuss options). Within 47 minutes of using their service, I was talking to an actual IRS representative who helped me set up a payment plan. I was fully prepared to wait all day like my previous attempts. What really surprised me was how much more helpful the IRS agent was than I expected. She even suggested I might qualify for an Offer in Compromise to reduce the total amount owed based on my current financial situation. Without that conversation, I would have just assumed I had to pay the full amount plus all penalties. If you're dealing with unfiled returns, getting on a proper payment plan ASAP after filing is crucial to stop additional penalties from accumulating.

Forget those tax relief companies. They just take the information you give them and submit the same forms you could fill out yourself. Total ripoff. I didn't file for 4 years and just called the IRS directly, explained my situation, and they were actually pretty helpful. Had to pay what I owed plus some penalties but it wasn't the end of the world. Those companies charging thousands for "tax relief" are just middlemen filling out standard IRS forms.

Has anyone tried just going into an IRS office in person? I'm wondering if that would be faster than all these phone calls and online stuff.

Just a warning - if the IRS filed Substitute for Returns (SFRs) for any of those years you missed, you're probably looking at a much higher tax bill than if you file yourself. The IRS doesn't include most deductions or credits when they file for you. I didn't file for 2 years, and the IRS created SFRs that said I owed $22k. When I finally got my act together and filed proper returns with all my legitimate deductions, my actual liability was only $7,800. Huge difference! Either way, filing properly is always better than those tax relief companies. They'll charge you thousands just to do what an accountant can do for a few hundred dollars.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - 2 years behind on both personal and business filings. One thing I learned from my research is that the IRS actually has a Voluntary Disclosure Practice that can help reduce penalties if you come forward before they contact you. The key is getting those returns filed ASAP. I've been gathering all my bank statements and receipts, and honestly it's not as overwhelming as I thought it would be once I started organizing everything by year. For what it's worth, I called a few local CPAs and got quotes ranging from $800-1500 per year for business returns, which is way less than those TV companies were quoting me. Most said if my records are reasonably organized, they could have everything filed within 2-3 weeks. The penalty structure someone mentioned earlier is accurate - it's based on what you actually owe, not what you think you might owe. So if you end up with refunds or small balances, the penalties aren't nearly as scary as they sound.

I went through something very similar about 18 months ago - 3 years of unfiled personal and LLC returns. Those Safeway tax commercials were everywhere and honestly made me consider it out of desperation, but I'm so glad I didn't go that route. What really helped me was breaking it down year by year instead of trying to tackle everything at once. I started with the oldest year first since that's where the penalties were adding up fastest. For my LLC, I was able to reconstruct most of my business expenses just from bank statements and credit card records - it wasn't as impossible as I thought. I ended up working with a local EA (Enrolled Agent) who charged me $400 per personal return and $600 per business return. Total cost was about $3,000 to get completely caught up, versus the $8,500 quote I got from one of those relief companies. The biggest surprise was that I actually got refunds for two of the three years once everything was properly filed with all my deductions. The IRS was also much more reasonable about payment plans than I expected - they let me spread the remaining balance over 36 months with pretty low interest. My advice: skip the TV companies, find a local tax professional, and just get started. It's never as bad as your worst-case scenario brain makes it out to be.