What is your experience using the paid tax resolution services from IRS? Worth it?

The "pennies on the dollar" marketing is definitely overblown, but legitimate tax resolution services do exist. I've worked with taxpayers in similar situations, and here's what you should know: The IRS already has established programs you can access yourself for free - installment agreements, Offer in Compromise, Currently Not Collectible status, etc. For a $12,000 debt, you can easily set up a payment plan online without any help. That said, resolution companies can be helpful if: 1) you have a complex situation with multiple years or business taxes, 2) you have significant assets the IRS might target, or 3) you're overwhelmed by the process and need someone to handle communications. The catch is that many charge $3,000-5,000+ for services you could potentially do yourself with some research. If you do hire someone, look for a licensed tax professional (Enrolled Agent, CPA, or tax attorney) rather than a "tax resolution" company with pushy sales tactics.

After getting hit with a surprise tax bill of $15k last year (missed some crypto gains reporting), I was totally lost navigating the IRS notices and options. Tried calling the IRS for weeks with no luck. A friend recommended I check out https://taxr.ai and it honestly saved me so much headache. The service analyzed all my tax notices, explained exactly what the IRS was claiming, and walked me through my options step-by-step. What I really liked was how it translated all the confusing IRS language into plain English - turns out I actually qualified for a first-time penalty abatement that reduced my bill by almost $2k! They have this feature where they analyze your financial situation and show you which IRS programs you qualify for. In my case, I was able to set up a reasonable payment plan without having to pay thousands to some tax resolution company.

Just wanted to follow up about my experience with taxr.ai since I decided to try it after asking about it here. My situation was pretty complicated (owed taxes in multiple states from remote work during 2020-2021), and I was getting tons of confusing notices. The system immediately identified that I qualified for abatement on some penalties in two states. It also showed me exactly how to respond to each notice with templates and explanations of what each paragraph meant. I ended up saving almost $3,700 in penalties I would have just paid because I didn't know I could get them removed! What impressed me most was that it clearly showed which "tax relief" options I wouldn't qualify for - saved me from wasting money on those TV advertised services that would have taken my money knowing I didn't actually qualify for what they were promising.

If you need to actually talk to someone at the IRS (which you probably will for a $12k debt), good luck getting through on your own. I spent THREE WEEKS trying to reach someone about a levy notice, calling 20+ times a day and always getting the "due to high call volume" message. Finally used https://claimyr.com to get through (saw it in a YouTube video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c). They basically wait on hold with the IRS for you, then call you when an agent picks up. Thought it sounded fishy at first, but I was desperate. It actually worked though - got a call back in about 1.5 hours with an IRS agent on the line. Was able to get on a payment plan and stop the levy process. Talking to a real person made all the difference because they explained options I didn't see online.

I need to come back and eat my words about Claimyr. After being completely skeptical in my previous comment, I ended up trying it myself out of pure frustration after spending 6 days trying to reach someone at the IRS about a payment plan. I was 100% convinced it was going to be a scam, but I was wrong. The service called me back in about 2 hours with an actual IRS agent on the line. I was shocked. Got my payment plan set up in one call that I probably would have never been able to make on my own. The IRS agent I spoke with was actually helpful once I finally got through to them. They walked me through my options and helped me set up a plan I could actually afford. Saved me from having to pay one of those resolution companies thousands of dollars.

I used one of those "pennies on the dollar" tax resolution firms about 2 years ago and it was a COMPLETE waste of money. They charged me $4,800 and literally just filled out the same Offer in Compromise form I could have done myself. Worst part is they knew I probably wouldn't qualify (which I didn't) but took my money anyway. When I was denied, they just shrugged and said "well, the IRS is tough." Total scam. If you're remotely capable of filling out forms, just DIY your payment plan. The IRS website has gotten way better in the last few years. Save your money!

has anyone used those IRS tax advocates? i heard they're free and can help if youre struggling. not sure how to get one tho

For $12k, just set up a payment plan yourself. I had about $18k in tax debt from a business that failed and I set up a 72-month payment plan online in about 20 minutes. The interest rate is actually lower than most credit cards. Those resolution companies prey on people's fear of the IRS. The reality is the IRS just wants their money and they're pretty reasonable about payment plans. The horror stories are mostly from people who ignored notices for years.

I went through something similar last year with about $8k in back taxes from some 1099 work. After doing a ton of research, I ended up handling it myself and it was way easier than I expected. The key thing is to not panic - the IRS actually wants to work with you if you're proactive. I called their main number early in the morning (around 7 AM when they opened) and got through in about 45 minutes. The agent was actually really helpful and walked me through setting up a 60-month payment plan. One thing I learned is that you can request "first-time penalty abatement" if you've been compliant in previous years. This can wipe out a big chunk of the penalties (not the actual tax owed, but the penalty fees). For me, this saved about $1,200. My advice: try the DIY route first. If you get stuck or overwhelmed, then consider getting help. But for a straightforward situation like yours, you can probably handle it yourself and save thousands in fees.

I went through a very similar situation about 18 months ago - owed around $14k from some consulting work where I messed up the quarterly payments. The stress and panic you're feeling is totally normal, but honestly the IRS is much more reasonable than those scary letters make it seem. I initially got quotes from three different tax resolution companies and they ranged from $3,500 to $6,200 just for their fees. One place literally told me they could "probably" get my debt reduced to $2,000 but couldn't guarantee anything. When I pressed them on specifics, it became clear they were just going to submit the same forms I could do myself. Instead, I ended up going the DIY route and it saved me thousands. Set up a 72-month payment plan directly through the IRS website for about $205/month. The whole process took maybe 30 minutes online, and I didn't have to deal with any pushy salespeople or worry about getting scammed. The reality is that for most people with straightforward tax debt like yours, those expensive services just aren't worth it. The IRS has gotten much better about working with taxpayers who are proactive about resolving their debt. Save your money and try handling it yourself first!