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Tax Defense Network- Basics: Based in Jacksonville, Florida, Tax Defense Network helps individuals with their tax debts with the IRS (and/or state tax agency).
- Pros: The company appears to charge no initial fee and has a relatively minimum tax debt threshold for working with you.
- Cons: Several reviewers complained about the company’s lack of responsiveness and expertise in handling their cases. The company also does not appear to have a refund/money back guarantee.
- MINIMUM DEBT:
Based on third-party sites, between $5,000 and $7,500
- LOCATION AVAILABILITY:
All 50 U.S. States
- INITIAL FEE:
None
- YEAR fOUNDED:
2007
- Basics: Based in Jacksonville, Florida, Tax Defense Network helps individuals with their tax debts with the IRS (and/or state tax agency).
Tax Defense Network, a tax resolution firm based in Jacksonville, Florida, boasts that it has consulted on over $23 billion of tax debt and helped thousands of taxpayers find tax debt relief.
But do the company’s services actually measure up to its sales pitch? After all, tax relief companies are notoriously known for promising to reduce or eliminate your tax debts without investigating whether you actually qualify for such relief. In many cases, these companies fail to settle the debt and/or send in the necessary paperwork to the IRS to request this relief on behalf of their clients.
In light of these circumstances, I decided to do a deep dive into Tax Defense Network’s services and what its former customers are saying about the company. Below is what I found.
- BBB Accredited: A+ Rating With 5/5 Rating
- Guarantee: 30-Day Moneyback Guarantee
- Reasonable Fees: Lower than Industry Averages
- CPAs and Former IRS Officers: Decades of Combined Experience
Table of Contents
How Does Tax Defense Network Work?
Tax Defense Network lays out a three-step process on its website for resolving your tax debts:
Tax Defense Network’s process is that much different than its tax relief competitors, but I was struck by how vague the company is in describing each step in the process.
Does the client have to pay the entire fee after the consultation phase or after Tax Defense Network presents the options for resolving his or her case?
What’s the difference between the second and third step?
Does the second step involve notifying the IRS of the company’s representation and taking immediate actions such as stopping bank levies and wage garnishments?
Tax Defense Network’s vagueness is an ominous sign for any potential client who will likely be forking over thousands of dollars for the company to handle their tax debt case.
In any event, the company’s process can be broken down into the consultation, investigation, and resolution phase.
- BBB Accredited: A+ Rating With 5/5 Rating
- Guarantee: 30-Day Moneyback Guarantee
- Reasonable Fees: Lower than Industry Averages
- CPAs and Former IRS Officers: Decades of Combined Experience
Free Consultation
To retain Tax Defense Network’s services, you must first submit a request for a free consultation with a “trained tax professional” who will evaluate and lay out the options for resolving your case.
This professional will, however, likely be a salesperson trained to pitch you on tax debt reduction or elimination, even if they lack the necessary credentials or experience to evaluate the merits of your case.
Indeed, this is implied by a number of customer reviews and complaints.
For example, in one complaint filed with the BBB, one former client claimed that the company’s “sales pitch was that they would stop letters from the IRS, wage garnishments, levys [sic], liens, etc.”
According to the client, Tax Defense Network ultimately failed to do “anything to resolve our problem” despite charging over $10,000 in fees, leaving the client with a tax lien on her house and a levy on her husband’s income.
The client’s experience goes to the heart of what is wrong with many tax relief companies – that is, the disconnect between what salespeople are promising and the results that their tax practitioners are able to deliver.
If you retain Tax Defense Network’s services (and pay its fees), the company will begin working with the IRS (or state tax agency) on your behalf.
Representation before IRS (or State Agency)
In this phase, Tax Defense Network claims that it will turn “personalized recommendations” into “reality” as “we work with the IRS and state agencies on your behalf.”
The company is saying the right things, but it is not entirely clear what Tax Defense Network is doing at this stage. Will the company take actions which require immediate attention like stopping bank levies and wage garnishment? Or is Tax Defense Network merely informing the IRS (or state agency) of its representation of your case?
What is equally troubling is that there is little mention of the company’s initial investigation into the merits of your case before agreeing to represent you before the IRS (or state tax agency).
In many cases, you must meet highly specific criteria to qualify for certain IRS relief programs such as an offer in compromise. Therefore, a proper evaluation of the merits of your case is critical to (i) managing the expectations of clients and (ii) effectively representing your case against the IRS (or state tax agency).
Resolution
During the resolution phase, Tax Defense Network boldly claims that a case advisor will “do what it takes” to resolve your case or “find a solution to get your life back on track.”
The customer reviews, however, seem to undermine this claim. In particular, two general themes emerge from the reviews. First, former clients complain of poor communication with the company once the fee is paid. For instance, in one review, one client claimed that two representatives “ghosted” her for months; she had to leave countless emails and voicemails in order for someone to provide an update on her case.
Several reviewers on BBB also claimed that, upon receiving its fee, the company failed to advance their case with the IRS and/or made careless errors in the course of its representation. For example, one customer who worked with Tax Defense Network for 3 years complained that she “[n]ever could get the help or response needed” despite paying thousands and believed “[t]hey will take the money quickly and don’t do a thing.” Ultimately, upon receiving an IRS levy on all her assets, the customer reached out to the Service and negotiated an affordable installment payment plan herself.
In another review, a client complained that the IRS received a levy due to the company’s untimely handling of her case. The client also claimed that the company erroneously assured her that, under its negotiated installment plan with the IRS, the monthly payment would be $430, when the actual payment was $1,650 per month.
Again, these reviews suggest that the company’s quality of its services is far below the promises its representatives make in the initial consultation phase.
How to Qualify for Tax Defense Network
If you want to retain Tax Defense Network’s services, you must first request a free consultation with a “trained tax professional.”
Tax Defense Network does not disclose the minimum tax debt for the company to work with you, although third-party sites indicate the threshold is between $5,000 and $7,500, which is relatively lower than its competitors.
Apart from this minimum debt threshold, the company does not appear to have any other specific requirements.
Tax Defense Network At a Glance
| Free Consultation | Yes |
| Services | Tax Resolution
Tax Return Preparation Bookkeeping |
| Fees | $3,000 - $7,000 |
| Minimum Debt Required | Not disclosed on company website, although third party sites show a required minimum debt of between $5,000 to $7,500 |
| Turn Around Time | Not Disclosed |
| Refund Policy | Not Disclosed |
| Dedicated Case Manager | Yes |
| Speed of Service | Not Disclosed |
| Location Availability | All 50 U.S. States |
| Phone Number | (833) 921-0320 |
Services Offered
Tax Defense Network provides similar services as other tax relief companies, including:
- Offer in compromise
- Installment agreement
- Wage garnishment/bank levy
- Tax audit services
- Currently not collectible
The company also offers tax preparation (including back tax filings) and bookkeeping services.
Tax Defense Network Cost
The company does not disclose the fees on its website. Based solely on customer reviews on BBB and TrustPilot, the fees are as follows:
| Initial Fee | None |
| Resolution Fee | $3,000 - $7,000 |
Initial Fee
Tax Defense Network does not appear to charge an initial investigation fee to properly evaluate your tax debt case.
Resolution Fee
Based solely on customer reviews, the fees can range from $3,000 to $7,000, which is in line with other tax relief firms. That said, the same reviews show that clients were generally dissatisfied with the quality of services, considering the thousands they paid for help with their tax case.
How Much Could You Save with Tax Defense Network?
The amount you can save with Tax Defense Network depends on your specific tax case.
On its website, the company advertises that it has helped its clients meaningfully reduce their tax debts with the IRS (and/or state tax agency). Several reviews, however, paint a different story of the company failing to do anything for their case. Ultimately, the clients in the majority of these reviews ended up in a worse position than they were before they reached out to the company.
Tax Defense Network Pros and Cons
Pros
Pros
- Low Minimum Tax Threshold: The minimum tax threshold of between $5,000 and $7,500 for Tax Defense Network to work with you is relatively low.
- No Initial Fee: The company does not appear to charge an initial fee to evaluate your tax case.
Cons
Cons
- Poor communication: Several customers complained that, after receiving its fees, the company failed to provide updates on their case or respond to emails, calls, etc.
- Quality of services: Based on several reviews, Tax Defense Network committed several material errors in the course of their representation.
- No refund policy: The company does not appear to have a refund policy, which is not typical among tax relief firms.
Is Tax Defense Network Legit?
Guarantee Disclaimer (if applicable)
Based on my research, it does not appear that Tax Defense Network has a refund policy/money back guarantee.
Tax Defense Network Complaints and Customer Reviews
Although Tax Defense Network has a BBB rating of 4.54/5.00, the company also has several negative reviews and 200+ filed complaints with the BBB over the last 3 years. Below is a representative sample of the negative BBB reviews:
| Reviewer | Issue | (Assuming Reviewer’s Claims are True) |
|---|---|---|
| Justice D. 02/24/2022 | Tax Defense Network representatives assured Justice that they would be able to eliminate all her tax debts and penalties with the IRS (presumably during the initial consultation phase).
However, after retaining the company for its services, Justice claimed that the professionals working on her case repeatedly requested information that she had already provided and “ghosted” her for two months. After several follow-ups by Justice via email and phone calls, another representative finally reached out to inform her that the previous representatives had “moved on” and that she would be taking over the case. Although the company was able to stop the IRS from seizing Justice’s assets, the company failed to do anything for her debt/penalties, leaving her to negotiate with the IRS herself. Ultimately, she was able to resolve the debt for one year, claiming that the Service told her should have already been done by the tax lawyer representing her in the case. | If Justice’s claims are true, her experience is concerning on a number of levels.
First, the representatives initially assigned to her case were not competently handling her matter and essentially ignored her for two months. Equally troubling is the fact that Justice had to repeatedly call and email the company in order to find out a new representative had been assigned to her. The company’s poor client service is simply unacceptable, considering the thousands that she spent on its services. Additionally, despite promising Justice complete debt elimination, all the company was able to do was stop the IRS seizure of her assets, something she would probably have been able to herself.. To be fair, oftentimes the client does not qualify for debt reduction –Tax Defense Network should have informed Justice of this possibility upfront. The company, however, appeared to do the opposite when it assured her that it could eliminate her tax debt/penalties. |
| Joseph E. 10/18/2021 | Joseph reached out to Tax Defense Network to help resolve his IRS tax debts.
According to Joseph, the “communication between the team and myself was always lacking.” Among other things, Joseph claimed that the things the team told him changed after the company received his fee. He also complained that the person assigned to his case switched four times (without his knowledge) and that he was the one to follow up when getting an update on his case. Ultimately, Joseph said that if he could take it all back, he would not have had Tax Defense Network represent his case against the IRS. | Joseph’s claims, if true, highlight a common complaint against the tax relief industry of overpromising and under-delivering.
Like other former clients, a salesperson for the company probably reached out to Joseph and sold him on promises of substantial debt reduction. From Joseph’s review, the company failed to devote the necessary attention and dedication to his case, as evidenced by the lack of follow-up, the constant switch in the people assigned to his case, and the team’s change in attitude after receipt of the fee. |
| Louis R. 08/18/2021 | Louis reached out to Tax Defense Network to help resolve his $50,000 tax debt.
According to Louis, the company sent his case to “somebody else in the middle of nowhere” and “will string you along until you pay them and will not help you.” Ultimately, despite paying thousands in fees, all the company did for Louis was negotiate an installment plan where he would pay his tax debt over a specific period of time, something he claims that anybody could do themselves. | Louis’s claims, if true, are troubling. The company’s outsourcing of his case to another provider suggests that it does not devote the necessary resources or attention to actually resolving his case.
Equally concerning is the ultimate outcome of Louis’s case. Oftentimes, taxpayers do not qualify for tax debt reduction and an installment plan is the only viable option. The company, however, should be upfront with its clients about this, which Tax Defense Network did not appear to be, based on Louis’s surprise at the outcome of his case. |
Alternatives to Tax Defense Network
Below is a comparison of Tax Defense Network’s services with other established tax relief companies:
| Tax Defense Network | Choice Tax Relief (My Company) | Optima Tax Relief | Fortress Tax Relief | |
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| Dedicated Case Manager |
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Is Tax Defense Network Worth It?
In my opinion, Tax Defense Network is not worth the time or money.
Although the company had some good reviews, several former clients complained that the company was not responsive and made material errors in the course of representing their case.
Who Tax Defense Network Is Best For
Tax Defense Network is best for people who have a relatively simple tax debt case which does not require as much attention and follow-up with the IRS (and/or state tax agency).
Who Tax Defense Network Is Not For
Tax Defense Network is not for people who have complex tax cases spanning several years. Most of these cases require tax professionals with the experience and bandwidth to steer the case to a successful resolution, both of which the company does not appear to have, based on numerous customer reviews.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, the client reviews showed that Tax Defense Network failed to update its clients on the status of their case (or respond back to clients) and do much of anything to resolve their tax debt with the IRS (and/or state tax agency). Based solely on these reviews, I would not recommend retaining Tax Defense Network to resolve your IRS and/or state tax debts.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Tax Defense Network reputable?
- What is tax defense center?
- How much does Tax Defense Network charge?
- Who owns Tax Defense Network?
- What questions should I ask the Tax Defense Network?
Author:
Logan is a practicing CPA and founder of Choice Tax Relief and Money Done Right. After spending nearly a decade in the corporate world helping big businesses save money, he launched his blog with the goal of helping everyday Americans earn, save, and invest more money. Learn more about Logan.
