Optima Tax Relief is a legitimate tax relief company serving the nation through an online portal. If your tax problem is relatively simple, you may be better off dealing with it yourself, but if dealing with the IRS is too much trouble, Optima Tax Relief offers an option. Learn more about the pros and cons in this Optima Tax Relief review.
Important note: If you are considering a tax relief company, manage your expectations. No one can eliminate all tax debt. You may be able to get a better deal with professional help, but results will vary depending on your situation. If you expect magic, you may be disappointed.
Strong Points
Famous company with a national presence
Industry standard pricing and terms
Free initial consultation
In-house lawyer/tax accountant
Cons
No price disclosed
Refunds are only possible within 2 weeks after the start.
Not all services are available in all states.
Some customer reviews complain of poor results and service quality
About Optima Tax Reduction
Optima Tax Relief bills itself as the nation’s largest tax relief company. It claims to have resolved more than $3 billion in customer tax debt.
The company is headquartered in Santa Ana, California, with offices in Scottsdale, Arizona and Chandler, Arizona. Online services are available nationwide (excluding Colorado and Minnesota).
Optima Tax Relief employs an in-house staff of registered agents, CPAs, and tax advisors. Some tax relief companies may turn your case over to an outside law firm and retain a portion of their fees.
Optima Tax Relief was founded in 2010 by Harry Langenberg and Jesse Stockwell, who remain with the company as managing partners.
How Optima tax reduction works
Optima Tax Relief covers federal and state taxes, but state tax services are not available in all states. You must have a tax liability of at least $10,000 to qualify for services.
Optima Tax Relief addresses many different types of tax issues, including:
- tax liability
- unpaid tax
- Levy and Lien
- penalties and interest
- wage garnishment
- Tax payment
- audit defense
- payroll tax negotiation
The company uses a three-step process.
- consultation. The initial consultation is free and there is no obligation. A representative will review your case, present your options, and provide you with a realistic assessment of what Optima Tax Relief can do for you.
- investigation. Optima Tax Relief will communicate with the IRS, thoroughly review your records, and select the appropriate resolution option. You must authorize access to your personal financial records.
- solution. We will pursue the option selected and strive to make you fully compliant with his IRS. This does not mean that your tax debt will disappear. The goal is to reduce your debt as much as possible and come up with a repayment plan for the remainder.
There are many ways to resolve your tax debt, and you can work with Optima Tax Relief to choose the method that is best for you. Here are some of the options available:
- installment agreement It won’t reduce your debt, but it will make repayment easier.
- offer a compromise Available to taxpayers in financial need.
- Reduction or adjustment of penalties Penalties imposed for previous issues can be reduced.
- extension request You may have more time to pay without being penalized.
- Disaster related support Provide tax relief to people affected by natural disasters.
- coronavirus tax relief It may be available at both the federal and state level.
- Currently unavailable for collection Status may apply if you do not have the income or assets to pay the tax.
- of statute of limitations In some cases, it may apply when dealing with old tax debts.
- innocent spouse relief Applies to taxpayers who are responsible for their spouse’s mistakes or violations.
- a Tax lien exemption You may be able to remove tax liens from certain properties and sell the property.
- a Bank levy exemption This means the IRS will no longer seize funds from your bank account. This typically occurs when you agree to a payment plan or other settlement.
It is important to note that all of these devices are available to everyone. There is no need to apply to a tax relief company. However, the process of evaluating eligibility, selecting options that are likely to be approved, and applying can be complex and difficult.
Professional help does not guarantee success, but it can increase your chances of success.
availability
Optima Tax Relief offers federal tax relief services online in all states except Colorado and Minnesota.
State tax services are available online for all states except Arizona, Georgia, Delaware, and Connecticut.
The cost of Optima tax relief: Is it worth it?
Optima Tax Relief does not disclose pricing information on its website. The pricing information listed here is obtained from third party his website and customer reviews. Prices vary depending on the specifics of your case and may be higher or lower than the prices discussed here.
Optima Tax Relief appears to evaluate fees in two stages of the tax relief process.
- investigation: Expect to pay a survey fee of $295.
- solution: Settlement costs can vary widely depending on the circumstances of the case. Reported fees vary from $995 to $5,000, but can be higher for complex cases with large tax liability.
Although these fees are high, they are in line with fees across the tax relief industry. Optima Tax Relief doesn’t offer amazing benefits, but its pricing seems fair compared to its competitors.
The overall pricing structure seems fair, but there is no transparency. The company’s website does not disclose a consistent pricing structure. Some customer reviews include complaints indicating that customers believe they were overcharged, and some reviews report payments that were much higher than the amounts referenced above. .
Optima Tax Relief will refund your investigation phase payment within 15 days of the initiation of the investigation phase. There are no refunds for fees paid after 15 days or during the resolution stage.
Optima Tax Relief: Customer Reviews
Customer reviews are a useful tool, but they also have limitations. It’s important to understand how to evaluate customer reviews. Some reviews may be based on unrealistic expectations, and some companies are known to manipulate reviews.
See what the leading review sites can tell you about Optima tax relief.
Better Business Bureau (BBB)
Optima Tax Relief has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). BBB ratings are based on a company’s response to complaints, not an average of customer reviews.
The BBB site lists 686 complaints resolved in the past three years and 209 complaints resolved in the past 12 months. The company is responsive to all complaints, and most complaints appear to be resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Optima Tax Relief has a rating of 3.88 out of 5 stars from a total of 1,164 customer reviews on the BBB site. Reviews fall into two categories: very positive and very negative, with very little in between.
It’s important to remember that the BBB tends to attract negative reviews because it’s traditionally the place to go to complain when you’re not satisfied.
trust pilot
On Trustpilot, Optima Tax Relief has a rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars based on 3,116 reviews. 89% of reviews are 5 or 4 stars, 9% are 1 star, and only a small percentage in between.
Here are some typical positive reviews.
Below are some examples of negative reviews.
The results for most review sites seem to follow a consistent pattern of a large number of positive reviews mixed with a small number of very negative reviews. Most of the customers who leave reviews seem to be satisfied, but when problems do occur, they appear to be in serious trouble.
Some negative reviews may be from customers with unrealistic expectations, but it’s impossible to confirm that. If you’re considering sticking with Optima Tax Relief, you should be aware that while reviews are generally positive, there are a few people who have had very unsatisfactory experiences with it.
Bottom line: Is Optima tax relief right for you?
Optima Tax Relief is a legitimate tax relief company with an extensive track record. Although some customers leave negative reviews, which is true for almost all tax relief companies, this figure represents a relatively low percentage of customer reviews.
Does that mean Optima Tax Relief is the right choice for you? Maybe not. Even the best financial services company may not always be the best fit for a particular customer. To find out, ask yourself the following questions:
- How much tax do you pay? Optima Tax Relief will not consider your case unless your tax debt is $10,000 or more.
- Does Optima Tax Relief serve your state? If you live in a state where the company doesn’t serve you, you’ll need to look for other options.
- How complex is your case? If you have a simple problem, for example you just need to ask for an installment agreement or an extension, you may be better off doing it yourself. If the thought of dealing with it is overwhelming, it’s probably a good idea to get professional help.
- Have you considered local alternatives? A tax accountant or tax firm in your area may be able to offer competitive packages and provide personal contacts. If you are not comfortable with remote or online customer service, this may be a better option for you.
- Have you ever gone shopping? When entering the market for financial services, it’s always a good idea to compare multiple options. There are other tax-saving companies, but most of them offer free initial consultations. It’s always worth comparing multiple offers.
If you answered yes to all of these, Optima Tax Relief may be a good fit for you.
Remember that we are a company with many customers nationwide. Your interactions may not be personal. A free initial consultation may feel like a sales call. During the process, you’ll likely be dealing with a customer service representative rather than a tax professional.
If this is an issue, you may want to consult with a local company or law firm that actually has a presence in your area.
Optima tax reduction evaluation
Tax relief is a unique financial service. No tax relief company can change tax laws or force the IRS to cancel tax debts. Tax relief companies can only respond to existing laws and policies, and their primary service is to simply eliminate the red tape and details that characterize tax issues.
It is important to evaluate tax exempt companies according to realistic criteria. Here’s how we evaluated Optima tax relief.
- effect. While no tax relief company can eliminate your tax liability, Optima Tax Relief has a proven track record of achieving the maximum relief legally possible in certain situations. Not all customers are happy, but that’s true for almost all financial services companies.
- availability. Services that are not available to you are useless. Optima Tax Relief provides federal tax services in all but two states and state tax services in all but four states and scores highly in this category.
- customer service. Customer service is important when dealing with companies that provide services online. They need to know they can contact someone when they have a problem, and they want an automated call center to resolve it effortlessly. Optima Tax Relief generally has a good rating on this score, but a significant number of complaints regarding contact and service issues have lowered its score in this category.
- price. Optima Tax Relief does not publish pricing formulas online. According to third-party reports, the service is not cheap and appears to be similar to that of competitors.
We reiterate the recommendation that you should research and consider carefully before choosing a tax relief company. Compare shopping gives you better deals and confidence that you’ve chosen the best partner for your specific needs.