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Tax Relief Advocates- Basics: Founded in 2017, Tax Relief Advocates has quickly become one of the largest players in the tax debt relief space.
- Pros: The company has grown quickly, which is indicative of at least some degree of competency.
- Cons: The company doesn't share a lot about who's behind it — who owns it and who are the tax professionals who work clients' cases. Also, some client reviews indicate a lack of responsiveness to their cases.
- MINIMUM DEBT:
$5,000
- LOCATION AVAILABILITY:
All 50 U.S. States
- INITIAL FEE:
$795+
- YEAR FOUNDED:
2017
Tax relief companies advertise that they assist struggling taxpayers in reducing or erasing their tax debts.
However, the industry has become notorious for exaggerated promises about IRS settlements, unclear pricing structures, and subpar customer support.
Is Tax Relief Advocates just another company in the industry making bold claims it can’t back up? Or does it truly deliver meaningful results for taxpayers seeking relief from the IRS?
As a tax attorney who has personally guided clients through the settlement process, I understand how complicated it can be and how easily people in these circumstances can fall prey to deceptive practices, so I have taken the time to take a close look at Tax Relief Advocates (also known as TRA) and put together this detailed review.
- BBB Accredited: A+ Rating With 5/5 Rating
- Guarantee: 30-Day Moneyback Guarantee
- Reasonable Fees: Lower than Industry Averages
- Tax Attorneys and CPAs: Decades of Combined Experience
Table of Contents
Tax Relief Advocates At a Glance
| Free Consultation | Yes |
| Services | Tax Resolution Tax Returns |
| Investigation Fee | $595+ |
| Resolution Fee | $2,000 - $10,000+ |
| Minimum Debt Required | $5,000 |
| Refund Policy | Not Specified |
| Dedicated Case Manager | Yes |
| Speed of Service | 2-6 Months |
| Location Availability | All 50 States |
| Tax Relief Advocates Phone Number | (800) 501-4249 |
Services Offered
Tax Relief Advocates offers a full range tax resolution services, which include the following:
- Installment Agreements
- Offer in Compromise
- Penalty Abatement
- Wage Garnishments
- Audit Representation
- State Tax Debts
- IRS Tax Liens
And similar to other tax relief companies, Tax Relief Advocates helps folks who haven’t filed their tax return in several years get back in tax filing compliance.
The Best Tax Relief Companies
Want to see our list of the best tax relief companies for various situations? Click the button below!
How Does Tax Relief Advocates Work?
On its website, Tax Relief Advocates advertises a three-step process for resolving your tax debts.
Consultation
To begin working with Tax Relief Advocates, you must first schedule a free consultation through the company’s website.
While Tax Relief Advocates states that “one of [their] experts” will evaluate your situation and outline potential solutions, multiple client reviews indicate that the initial contact is typically a sales representative rather than a licensed tax expert.
Related: How to File Your Back Taxes, Avoid Penalties, and Get Your Life Back on Track
Research
According to Tax Relief Advocates, once you complete the initial consultation — and (this goes without saying) paid an investigation fee of typically $595 to TRA — you’ll receive a proposed plan of action outlining how the company intends to resolve your tax issue.
The firm claims that this phase begins with formally notifying the IRS and/or state tax authorities that you are now represented by a professional tax relief attorney, a step meant to halt direct collection contact and ensure future correspondence goes through TRA.
Tax Relief Advocates also states that its “dedicated team” will research and compare debt forgiveness programs for which you may qualify.
On paper, this sounds promising; having professionals evaluate your eligibility for options such as an offer in compromise, currently not collectible status, or penalty abatement can be a legitimate and valuable service.
However, it’s important to understand what this “research” really entails.
In practice, this step typically involves obtaining and analyzing your IRS transcripts, income documentation, and financial statements to determine whether you meet the IRS’s strict qualification standards.
These decisions are governed by objective financial criteria, not by a company’s discretion or its “connections” within the IRS.
If Tax Relief Advocates performs this review thoroughly, it can help you identify realistic resolution paths and avoid wasting time on programs for which you don’t qualify.
But if the process is handled superficially or used mainly as a justification for higher fees, then it risks being more of a marketing exercise than genuine advocacy.
Resolution
In the resolution phase, Tax Relief Advocates advertises that it will work to achieve the most favorable outcome based on the findings of the investigation.
Although some reviews report that Tax Relief Advocates successfully reduced clients’ tax debts, many others claim that the company simply arranged installment agreements with the IRS on their behalf.
While an installment plan is sometimes the best available option, the reviews suggest that some clients were caught off guard by this result.
If these accounts are accurate, Tax Relief Advocates should be more transparent that an installment plan may, in certain cases, be the most realistic and only outcome.
Unfortunately, it seems possible that the Tax Relief Advocates “senior tax associate” — their polished term for salesperson — did not make it sufficiently clear that the company might not actually be able to negotiate a settlement for less than what clients owe.
Naturally, the idea of settling tax debt for less than the full amount, known as an offer in compromise, is highly appealing.
Many individuals who contact Tax Relief Advocates likely do so with that specific goal in mind.
Tax Relief Advocates is surely aware of this; its marketing emphasizes stories of clients who owed the IRS significant sums and ultimately paid far less.
It’s reasonable to assume that the company’s sales messaging reflects this aspirational narrative.
Of course, I have never personally sat in on a sales call with Tax Relief Advocates, so this is simply my inference based on third-party reviews of the company’s services — reviews that, as always, may not capture the full picture.
Related: How Much to Offer in Compromise to the IRS
How to Qualify for Tax Relief Advocates
If you’re interested in working with Tax Relief Advocates, you can request a free consultation on the company’s website by providing the following information:
- Estimated amount of tax debt
- State of residence
- Contact details
Tax Relief Advocates generally requires a minimum tax debt of $5,000, which is lower than some other large tax relief firms, which require a minimum balance of at least $10,000.
As previously noted, your initial phone call will be with a salesperson, not a licensed tax professional.
This representative’s role is to assess your situation and determine whether you might qualify for the company’s services.
This structure suggests that the consultation phase is designed more to enroll potential clients in Tax Relief Advocates’ programs than to genuinely evaluate whether they are strong candidates for actual tax relief.
Tax Relief Advocates Cost
Tax Relief Advocates does not disclose its fees (at least not in any apparent place on the website), but my research showed the following:
| Investigation Fee | $595+ |
| Resolution Fee | $2,000 - $10,000+ |
As mentioned above, you pay an upfront fee of typically $595 to have Tax Relief Advocates to review your case and determine the best tax relief option.
The company advertises this as the “Research” phase.
Based on information I found, the resolution fee can vary.
This is not different from any other tax relief firm; complex cases involving an offer in compromise will typically be more expensive while simpler cases such as the removal of a tax lien will be cheaper.
How Much Could You Save with Tax Relief Advocates?
The amount of money you can save through Tax Relief Advocates depends entirely on your individual tax circumstances.
On its website, Tax Relief Advocates showcases examples of cases where it claims to have significantly reduced clients’ tax debts with the IRS or state tax authorities.
However, in many situations, Tax Relief Advocates is only able to negotiate a payment plan with the IRS (and/or state agency) rather than an actual reduction of the total debt.
In fact, a recurring complaint among negative reviews is that clients ended up with installment agreements after being led to believe they would receive a tax reduction or even full debt elimination.
At best, this suggests that the company isn’t fully transparent about the possibility that a payment plan might be the most realistic and only outcome.
At worst, the communication breakdowns described in several reviews imply that Tax Relief Advocates may collect fees before performing adequate due diligence to confirm whether clients actually qualify for more substantial forms of tax relief.
Tax Relief Advocates Pros and Cons
Pros
- Accessible: With a minimum debt threshold of $5,000, Tax Relief Advocates is more accessible than many other tax relief companies, which set their minimum higher.
- Some Favorable Reviews: Tax Relief Advocates has a good BBB rating and some good reviews.
Cons
- Opaque Pricing: A good number of reviewers claimed that Tax Relief Advocates’ actual fee ended up significantly more than estimated without an explanation as to why.
- Lack of Disclosure of Qualified Tax Professionals: On the company’s website, Tax Relief Advocates doesn’t disclose any of the names of the tax professionals it has on staff.
Is Tax Relief Advocates Legit?
Tax Relief Advocates does have a BBB rating of 4.28/5.00 and some favorable client reviews.
There were also a number of negative reviews, which tended to provide much more detail on the reviewers’ experience with Tax Relief Advocates.
Specifically, clients in these reviews consistently pointed out Tax Relief Advocates’ lack of transparency on pricing and its poor client service.
Alternatives to Tax Relief Advocates
Below is a comparison of Tax Relief Advocates’ services with other prominent tax relief companies:
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Is Tax Relief Advocates Worth It?
In my opinion, Tax Relief Advocates is not worth the time or money for most taxpayers.
While the company has received some positive reviews, a significant number of customers have complained about poor communication and a lack of transparency regarding pricing and process.
Who Tax Relief Advocates Is Best For
Tax Relief Advocates may be best suited for individuals with straightforward tax debt situations who are primarily seeking assistance in setting up a payment plan and do not require extensive communication or personalized guidance.
Who Tax Relief Advocates Is Not For
Tax Relief Advocates is likely not a good fit for taxpayers with complex or substantial tax liabilities who expect frequent updates, full transparency, and clear explanations throughout the resolution process.
Is Tax Relief Advocates a Scam?
If you or someone you know has worked with Tax Relief Advocates, feel free to share your experience in the comments — I’ll read through and respond. But in this video, I’ll give my honest opinion on whether or not Tax Relief Advocates is a scam.
Based on what I’ve seen — and keeping in mind that some online reviews can be exaggerated or even fabricated — it’s clear that some clients have not been satisfied with their experience at Tax Relief Advocates.
That said, no, in my opinion, Tax Relief Advocates is not technically a scam.
And I say that as someone who runs a competing tax relief company, Choice Tax Relief.
We do the same kind of work that Tax Relief Advocates does — though, in my biased opinion, we do it better — and while we’re smaller, I’m not here to trash a competitor or throw around the word “scam” lightly.
To me, a scam is when a company knowingly deceives people — advertising heavily, collecting money, and providing nothing of value.
I don’t believe that’s the case here. I think most of the folks at Tax Relief Advocates genuinely intend to help clients resolve their tax debt.
However, I do think that — as with some other large tax relief firms — many clients are oversold during the initial consultation phase.
People are often subjected to high-pressure sales tactics that make them believe they’ll qualify for dramatic tax reductions or an Offer in Compromise, when in reality, most taxpayers don’t.
Then, once the case reaches the back-office tax team, it becomes apparent that the client doesn’t qualify for a major settlement.
What they end up with instead is an installment plan — something they might have been able to arrange themselves for free.
Understandably, this leaves clients feeling frustrated, especially after paying thousands of dollars in fees.
Another common complaint is that clients get passed from person to person and feel their case isn’t being actively worked on.
I can’t personally verify that, but as someone who owns a tax relief company, I know how long and complicated these cases can be.
At a large firm handling huge volumes of clients, it’s easy for cases to slip through the cracks when the team is stretched thin.
So, is Tax Relief Advocates a scam? In my opinion, no. But is it necessarily the best company to work with for resolving your tax issues? Also no.
I’m obviously biased, but if you have tax debt issues — you owe a lot in back taxes to IRS or state, you have payroll tax issues, you have years of unfiled returns (individual or business) — reach out to us at Choice Tax Relief. You can:
- Email us at [email protected]
- Book an appointment at https://choicetaxrelief.com/free-tax-consultation/
- Call us at 866-8000-TAX.
Final Thoughts
When evaluating Tax Relief Advocates, it’s clear that the company’s reputation is mixed.
While some clients have shared positive experiences, a substantial number of reviews tell a different story — one of frustration, poor communication, and unmet expectations.
A recurring theme across many client testimonials is that Tax Relief Advocates often fails to communicate in a timely or consistent manner.
Several reviewers reported that after paying their initial retainer or full fee, getting updates or responses became difficult, and inquiries frequently went unanswered for weeks or even months.
In the tax relief industry, where timelines and follow-ups with the IRS are critical, this kind of breakdown can cause serious stress for clients who are already in a vulnerable financial position.
Another major concern raised in client feedback relates to pricing transparency.
Many customers claim they were not fully informed about the total cost of services before signing up.
Some say they were quoted a modest retainer only to be confronted later with additional fees or upsells once the investigation phase was complete.
This lack of upfront clarity has led several former clients to feel misled and, in some cases, worse off financially than before engaging the company.
To be fair, Tax Relief Advocates does employ qualified professionals such as tax attorneys, CPAs, and enrolled agents, and the company appears to genuinely aim to help clients resolve tax issues.
However, the execution and client experience, based on numerous public reviews, seem to fall short of the company’s marketing promises.
In the end, while Tax Relief Advocates is not a scam, prospective clients should approach with caution.
My advice? Ask detailed questions about pricing, confirm who will actually handle your case, and insist on clear communication expectations before signing any agreement.
Doing so will help ensure you know exactly what you’re paying for — and what kind of outcome you can reasonably expect.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How much does it cost to use Tax Relief Advocates?
- How long does it take Tax Relief Advocates to work?
- Who owns Tax Relief Advocates?
- Does Tax Relief Advocates help with state taxes?
- Does Tax Relief Advocates file taxes?
- Does Tax Relief Advocates hurt your credit score?
- How does Tax Relief Advocates make money?
Author:
Steve Ching, J.D., covers tax topics for Money Done Right. He is a practicing tax attorney and also has several years of experience at national accounting firms. Steve is passionate about writing and helping people understand and resolve their tax issues.
Reviewer:
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.
