Updated
Jun 01, 2023 Dealing with tax debt can be stressful—both financially and emotionally. We recommend starting with Tax Hardship Center if you’re looking for tax relief help for the first time and want to review helpful resources online before a free consultation.
6 best tax relief companies to consider
- Best tax relief guidance: Tax Hardship Center
- Best all-around tax experience: Community Tax
- Best money-back guarantee: Anthem Tax Services
- Best for one upfront fee: Precision Tax Relief
- Best free consultation: Larson Tax Relief
- Best for small debts: Tax Rise
These firms work with the IRS on your behalf to resolve overdue taxes and can help you repay your debts and minimize the financial penalties that come with them.
Below, you’ll find the best tax relief companies based on hours of research into costs, expertise, customer satisfaction, customer service, benefits, and more.
Compare the best tax relief companies
| Company | Best for | Minimum debt | Our rating |
| Tax Hardship Center | Best tax relief guidance | $10,000 | 4.7 stars |
| Anthem Tax Services | Best money-back guarantee | $10,000 | 4.6 stars |
| Tax Rise | Best for small debts | $5,000 | 4.6 stars |
| Community Tax | Best all-around tax experience | $10,000 | 4.3 stars |
| Precision Tax Relief | Best for one upfront fee | $10,000 | 4.9 stars |
| Larson Tax Relief | Best free consultation | $25,000 | 4.6 stars |
Reviews of the best tax relief companies
For a more in-depth review of each company and the services they offer, continue reading below, or you can click on a specific company in the list below to jump to that review.
Best tax relief guidance: Tax Hardship Center
- Rated a 4.7 out of 5 by our editorial team
- Get started with a free consultation with a tax resolution expert at 844-332-3001
- 14-day money-back guarantee
- Must have at least $10,000 in tax debt
Tax Hardship Center offers various tax relief solutions to individuals and businesses, including offers in compromise, partial payment agreements, installment agreements, penalty abatement, and tax audit representation. In addition to tax relief services, the company can also help those in need of tax preparation services.
How it works
The company’s website outlines a three-stage process for getting your tax debt under control.
- You’ll have a free consultation with a tax resolution expert. You don’t need to schedule an appointment; just call when you’re ready.
- The company and its team of experts will communicate with the IRS on your behalf to investigate the situation. The team will conduct a financial analysis and, when ready, review case options with you.
- The final step is to establish filing compliance with the IRS and reach the best resolution. The company will advise you on the steps needed to remain in good standing with the IRS moving forward.
Customer satisfaction
Tax Hardship Center has received excellent ratings from its customers. These ratings include a 4.7 out of 5 on Trustpilot and a 4.88 out of 5 on the BBB as of September 3rd, 2021.
Additionally, the company has received an A+ rating (the highest offered) from the BBB. This rating represents the BBB’s opinion on how likely a business is to interact with its customers. If you’re worried about having your questions answered or dealing with complaints, this rating is encouraging.
Benefits
In addition to strong customer reviews, Tax Hardship Center has several other benefits. First, the company’s CEO is an “enrolled agent,” the highest credential the IRS awards. You’ll also work with licensed tax professionals so you can trust the expertise of the team.
Second, you can take advantage of a free consultation to discuss your situation and see how Tax Hardship Center can help. If you aren’t a good fit or you don’t like the process, you can pass on working with them at no loss to you.
Third, all clients enjoy a 14-day money-back guarantee. This gives you peace of mind knowing that you’ll have two weeks to work with the company before having to commit fully.
Best for small debts: Tax Rise
- Rated a 4.6 out of 5 by our editorial team
- 100% resolution guarantee or your money back
- Guarantees you’ll be compliant with the IRS and state when they’re finished
Tax Rise employs a team of tax professionals that can help individuals and businesses deal with tax debt from both the IRS and the state. Tax Rise stands out for its low minimum debt requirement of $5,000 because most tax relief companies require you to have at least $10,000 of debt.
How it works
There’s a two-step resolution process with Tax Rise.
- Discover and strategy: Beginning with a free consultation, you’ll speak to a tax relief professional from Tax Rise to discuss your situation to determine what the best plan of action is.
- Resolution: Tax Rise will establish compliance with the relevant tax authority and then communicate with the IRS or the state on your behalf to achieve the best possible outcome.
Customer satisfaction
Tax Rise has pretty good ratings from its customers. These ratings include a 4.3 out of 5 on Trustpilot and a 4.24 out of 5 on the BBB as of April 20, 2023.
The company has also received an A+ rating (the highest offered) from the BBB.
Benefits
Tax Rise offers several guarantees to clients. These guarantees include your money back if your situation isn’t resolved, 100 percent compliance, and no added costs to appeal any Offer in Compromise rejections.
Best money-back guarantee: Anthem Tax Services
- Rated a 4.6 out of 5 by our editorial team
- 100% money-back guarantee if your situation isn’t improved
- Must have at least $10,000 in tax debt
Anthem Tax Services offers tax relief and tax preparation services to individuals and businesses. These services include but are not limited to offers in compromise, installment agreements, tax resolution services, penalty abatement, and levy releases.
How it works
While the company doesn’t outline the steps it takes to resolve your tax issues, its process is similar to others.
- Take advantage of a free consultation with a tax expert to discuss your situation and hear how the company can help.
- Agree to let a team of experts from the company investigate your situation further by reaching out to the IRS on your behalf.
- If the team determines you have options to reduce your tax debt, they’ll reach out to you to discuss your options.
- Once an option is chosen, a filing will be made to the IRS to reach the best resolution.
Customer satisfaction
Anthem Tax Services has pretty good ratings from its customers. These ratings include a 3.9 out of 5 on Trustpilot and a 3.73 out of 5 on the BBB as of September 3rd, 2021.
The company has also received an A+ rating (the highest offered) from the BBB. This rating represents the BBB’s opinion of how likely a business is to interact with its customers. This can include complaints, amongst other things.
Benefits
The standout benefit of Anthem Tax Services is the 100% money-back guarantee. This guarantee promises to return anything you paid if you don’t save money or have your debt reworked. The guarantee doesn’t include bookkeeping and tax preparation services or the minimum deposit.
Another benefit includes working with an experienced company with accreditation from the National Association of Tax Professionals, California Tax Education Council, National Association of Enrolled Agents, and more.
Lastly, the free consultation is a great way to decide whether or not the company is right for you.
Best all-around tax experience: Community Tax
- Rated a 4.3 out of 5 by our editorial team
- Not available in all 50 states
- Must have at least $10,00 in tax debt
Community Tax is a tax resolution firm for individuals and businesses. It can help you establish payment plans, installment agreements, offers in compromise, and more. The company also offers accounting, bookkeeping, and tax preparation services.
How it works
According to the company’s website, there is a three-step process to get your tax debt resolved.
- Have a free consultation with an experienced professional who will hear your case and provide a free tax analysis discussing your potential options.
- An investigation will occur where the team assigned to your case will reach out to the IRS or state on your behalf. This allows the team to gather a record of your account to determine the best path forward.
- Once you and your team choose how you’d like to resolve the issue, the resolution stage begins. This included submitting a proposal to the IRS or state to resolve your tax debts.
Customer satisfaction
Community Tax has received excellent ratings from its customers. These ratings include a 4.4 out of 5 on Trustpilot and a 4.33 out of 5 on the BBB as of September 3rd, 2021.
In addition to the ratings above, the company has received an A+ rating (the highest offered) from the BBB. This rating represents the BBB’s opinion on how likely a business is to interact with its customers.
Benefits
All clients of Community Tax enjoy a service guarantee that refunds you your investigation fee if the company determines that it can’t help you resolve your tax debts. You can discuss this with someone from the company during your free consultation.
Anytime you consider a third party to help you with financial issues, it’s essential to review that company’s credibility. With Community Tax, you’ll have access to a team of tax attorneys, licensed professionals, and other experts.
Best for one upfront fee: Precision Tax Relief
- Rated a 4.9 out of 5 by our editorial team
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Charges one flat upfront fee
Precision Tax Relief specializes in resolving and reducing IRS or state tax debt for individuals and businesses. Its services include negotiating an installment agreement, penalty abatement, wage garnishment release, and more.
How it works
The company’s website outlines a three-step process for getting your tax debt resolved.
- Have a free consultation with an expert to discuss your tax troubles and learn more about the company and its services.
- Receive protection from the IRS while the Precision Tax team works on your case.
- Get your tax debt resolved
Customer satisfaction
Precision Tax Relief has received excellent ratings from its customers. These ratings include a 5 out of 5 on Trustpilot and a 4.98 out of 5 on the BBB as of April 20, 2023.
The BBB has also given the company an A+ rating (the highest offered).
Benefits
If you are looking for a company with a lot of experience dealing with tax debt, Precision Tax Relief may just be for you. The company has 55 years of experience and excellent reviews from its clients.
In addition to its experience, Precision Tax Relief offers a free consultation and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Best free consultation: Larson Tax Relief
- Rated a 4.6 out of 5 by our editorial team
- Free consultation to look into your situation
- Minimum tax debt of $25,000
Larson Tax Relief offers tax relief services to individuals and businesses dealing with business or personal tax debts. The company has been helping its clients since 2005.
How it works
The company doesn’t have a step-by-step process outlined on its website, but its process seems to be similar to other tax relief companies. You’ll schedule a free consultation with a tax professional from the firm and work with its team to determine the best strategy and outcome for your situation.
Customer satisfaction
Larson Tax Relief has received excellent ratings from its customers. These ratings include a 4.7 out of 5 on Trustpilot and a 4.75 out of 5 on the BBB as of April 20, 2023.
The BBB has also given the company an A+ rating (the highest offered).
Benefits
The biggest benefit we found looking into Larson Tax Relief is the consultation it offers. While most companies offer a free consultation, Larson will look into your tax debt with the IRS or state for free during this period. Other companies typically charge a discovery fee for this.
How we chose the best tax relief companies
In our most recent evaluation of tax relief companies, our team compared 16 companies to determine what they were the best for and how they stood out in the industry.
Here are the six categories that we reviewed to score each company:
- Eligibility
- Cost
- Expertise
- Customer experience
- Consultation
- Benefits
Once we scored each company, we then determined which was the best for different situations. If a company wasn’t the best for anything, it was not included on this page.
How tax relief works
Working with a tax relief company usually starts with a free consultation. You’ll chat with a representative, give them details on your tax issues, and the company will do a quick analysis of your situation to determine which tax relief service can help you.
Next, the company will contact the IRS or your state tax authority to get the updated records of your account. They’ll review this, determine the best solution, and walk you through the process and costs before moving forward.
Finally, they’ll work to resolve your tax debts. This might include using any of the following relief options:
- Offer in Compromise: This is a way of settling tax debts without paying off the full amount. Check out our guide on how to negotiate an Offer in Compromise with the IRS.
- Installment agreements: These agreements let you pay back your tax debts in smaller increments without incurring interest or penalty. Setting up an installment agreement can halt wage garnishment as well. Check out our guide on how to set up a payment plan with the IRS.
- Penalty abatement: If you meet certain requirements, you may be able to have any IRS penalties waived or reduced.
- Innocent spouse relief: This can keep you from being penalized for your spouse’s tax mistakes.
- Fresh Start program: The IRS Fresh Start Program lets you spread your debts off over a five-year period. It requires a minimum debt of at least $50,000.
Tax relief firms can also help you qualify for Currently Not Collective status, which puts any collections efforts by the IRS on hold — at least temporarily.
>> Read More: What is tax relief?
Is tax relief worth it?
Tax relief assistance comes with potentially high fees, so it’s usually best reserved for people with high amounts of debt. For example, according to the Tax Hardship Center, the average client pays $3,750 for its services. Consumers already struggling financially may find fees in this range hard to bear. You’ll want to be sure the savings will outweigh the fee before moving forward.
If you’re not prepared to pay the fees for help from tax professionals, you can work with the IRS directly to file for Currently Not Collectible status, set up an installment plan, or apply for any other relief programs. The Federal Trade Commission has detailed instructions on many of these options, as well as how you can apply online.
You can also use the IRS’ Taxpayer Advocate Service for help, or contact the National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers, and Treasures for state-related tax assistance.
It’s also recommended you speak with a financial advisor who can review your situation before you decide to work with a tax relief company.
How to avoid tax relief scams
Not all companies offering tax relief are reputable. In fact, scams are common in this industry. Before you pay for professional tax relief services, take steps to verify the company you’re using is legitimate and trustworthy.
You should:
- Talk with a specialist on the phone to confirm their experience and skills
- Check their reviews and ratings, especially with the Better Business Bureau
- Avoid paying any upfront fees until you’ve verified their capabilities
- Beware of too-good-to-be-true claims
When in doubt, consult a local CPA or accountant for guidance. They can point you toward legitimate solutions for your needs.
Recap of the tax relief companies above
| Company | Best for | Minimum debt | Our rating |
| Tax Hardship Center | Best tax relief guidance | $10,000 | 4.7 stars |
| Anthem Tax Services | Best money-back guarantee | $10,000 | 4.6 stars |
| Tax Rise | Best for small debts | $5,000 | 4.6 stars |
| Community Tax | Best all-around tax experience | $10,000 | 4.3 stars |
| Precision Tax Relief | Best for one upfront fee | $10,000 | 4.9 stars |
| Larson Tax Relief | Best free consultation | $25,000 | 4.6 stars |