Many or all companies we feature compensate us. Compensation and editorial research influence how products appear on a page. Personal Finance Tax Relief Advocates Review Updated Apr 22, 2024 10-min read Reviewed by Taylor Milam-Samuel Reviewed by Taylor Milam-Samuel Expertise: Student loans, credit cards, debt, budgeting Taylor Milam-Samuel is a personal finance writer and credentialed educator who is passionate about helping people take control of their finances and create a life they love. When she's not researching financial terms and conditions, she can be found in the classroom teaching. Learn more about Taylor Milam-Samuel 3.3 /5 LendEDU Rating Free Consultation Tax Relief Services Uses IRS tax relief programs and helps you navigate the systemMoney-back guaranteeEasy to use Fees vary depending on the complexity of your taxes, but they are usually $2,000 or higherTwo-part process begins with a $795 retainer fee and investigationLack of transparency on website Tax Relief Advocates helps clients navigate the tax system. The company’s resolution tactics—offers in compromise, hardship relief, and installment agreements—are available for every taxpayer through the IRS. You don’t need to work with a tax relief company to access the programs. However, working with a company like Tax Relief Advocates can help simplify the process and make it easier, especially if you’re busy or overwhelmed. Tax Relief Advocates might be right for you if you have tax debt, wage garnishment, a bank levy, or other tax issues and don’t want to handle them on your own. If you need additional expertise and can afford the fees, the company can streamline the process and handle it on your behalf. But if you can’t afford the fees or need to take out a loan, you can try to resolve it yourself first. Table of Contents Skip to Section About Tax Relief Advocates How does Tax Relief Advocates work?How much can Tax Relief Advocates save me? More about Tax Relief Advocates About Tax Relief Advocates Founded in 2017, Tax Relief Advocates (TRA) helps taxpayers navigate the tax system, including tax debt, bank levies, wage garnishments, and IRS audits. As tax relief experts, the company specializes in finding solutions for federal and state tax debt. Tax Relief Advocates might be the right solution for taxpayers who owe thousands of dollars, have an active bank levy, or are undergoing an audit. Tax Relief Advocates aims to help you find a solution and advocate on your behalf if you’re in an overwhelming or confusing tax situation. How does Tax Relief Advocates work? You can call 800-388-3664 to start the onboarding process with Tax Relief Advocates. The representative will ask about your tax situation, including how much you owe. You must also provide information about your income, assets, expenses, and other personal information. Once you prequalify with the company, you must pay the $795 retainer fee to begin the process. The retainer allows the company to investigate your tax situation, which typically takes one week. After it’s complete, you will receive a full report with the next steps for resolution and the total fees for working with Tax Relief Advocates. The retainer is a flat fee, but the rest of the fees are specific to your situation. The cost of working with Tax Relief Advocates depends on the complexity of your case and how long it will take to resolve. After the initial investigation, resolving your tax issues can take weeks or months. What services does Tax Relief Advocates offer? Tax Relief Advocates helps clients determine which tax repayment program makes the most sense. The company uses IRS and state tax programs to resolve tax debt and other issues. Even though the programs are readily available to taxpayers and anyone can apply, the process can be confusing. That’s where Tax Relief Advocates can assist—the company helps taxpayers navigate the tax system and find the best solution. Tax debt: If you owe money and don’t pay it by the deadline, it starts to accrue interest and penalty fees, which can add up fast. Tax Relief Advocates can help you find a solution for your tax debt, including an offer in compromise or payment plan. Bank levies: Bank levies allow creditors, including the IRS and state tax board, to collect payment from your bank account. If you don’t pay your tax debt, the IRS will eventually establish a bank levy to collect what you owe. Tax Relief Advocates can help stop bank levies and find a less invasive solution for paying taxes. Wage garnishment: When the IRS or state tax board garnishes your wages, money is taken from your paycheck. Wage garnishments can create financial hardship and other issues. Tax Relief Advocates can help you file an appeal, submit a hardship exemption, or set up a payment plan. IRS audits: If you receive a request for an audit, the IRS or state tax board wants to review your documents for the previous tax year. Some audits are random, while others are due to discrepancies with your tax return. Tax Relief Advocates can help you navigate the audit process, request an extension, and ensure that you respond correctly. How much does Tax Relief Advocates cost? The total cost of working with Tax Relief Advocates varies depending on the complexity of your case and how long it will take to resolve it. But the initial cost is always the same: $795. The retainer fee allows the investigation process to begin. One week after the investigation, a tax expert from TRA will report their findings, including the total amount of money you can save by working with the company. You will also get the total service fee, which is how much you must pay to implement the company’s plan. The company deducts the $795 retainer fee from the total cost. For example, let’s say the total cost is $3,000, but you’ve already paid $795 for the retainer. After the investigation, you only owe $2,205. Tax Relief Advocates also offers a money-back guarantee, which you can use if the company can’t save you more than the initial retainer fee. If that’s the case, the company will refund your deposit. But once you move forward and pay the total cost, you can’t get a refund. CostDetailsInitial fee$795; payment plans and $100 first-time customer discount availableService feeVaries; sample fees range from $2,500 to $4,800 for $20,000 in tax debtOther feesNone How much can Tax Relief Advocates save me? Tax Relief Advocates can help you save money on interest fees and penalties by reaching a solution with the IRS or state tax board on your behalf. The company can also help you apply for a monthly payment plan or an offer in compromise, which allows you to settle your IRS debt for less than you owe. Based on the company’s money-back guarantee, you can expect to save at least $795. When you decide to move forward after the initial investigation, you will know how much the company can help you save. But here’s the deal: You don’t need to work with a tax relief company to access the IRS programs or services. You can apply for an offer of compromise, hardship relief, and installment plan on your own. The primary perk of working with a tax relief company is that the company navigates the process for you and might be able to use programs you didn’t know about. Pros and cons of Tax Relief Advocates Tax Relief Advocates can help you navigate overwhelming tax situations and find practical solutions, but the services have a cost. Here are potential benefits and drawbacks. Pros Money-back guarantee Tax Relief Advocates offer a money-back guarantee if you can’t save more than the retainer fee of $795. The guarantee ensures that it’s risk-free to learn more about how the company can help. Easy to use The process is simple: Call 800-388-3664, provide information about your tax situation, pay the initial fee, and the process begins. It’s easy to get started. Quick investigation The initial investigation takes one week, which is faster than the timelines for other companies. During the investigation, the company reviews your unique situation, makes a plan, and determines how much money you can save. Cons Pricing is variable Tax Relief Advocates only provides pricing information after you start working with the company. The lack of price transparency makes it difficult to determine whether the services are within your budget and reasonably priced. You can resolve it on your own You don’t need to work with a tax relief company to resolve your tax issues. You can work with the IRS or state tax board, saving you hundreds or thousands of dollars. Information not easily accessible The company’s website doesn’t provide many details about pricing, onboarding, or what to expect once the process begins. As a consumer, it can be challenging to gauge whether the company is the right fit with limited information. If you’re unsure whether Tax Relief Advocates is right for you, check out our resources: Best tax relief companies List of reviewed personal finance companies How do you start working with Tax Relief Advocates? The process of starting to work with Tax Relief Advocates is straightforward. Here’s what you can expect. Call or request a call: You can call 800-388-3664 to speak with a tax relief expert and learn more. You can also request a call by sharing how much you owe and completing a few questions online. The company asks for your full name, phone number, ZIP code, and email address. A representative from Tax Relief Advocates will follow up via email and text to schedule a time to talk. Prequalify with the company: During the initial phone call, the tax relief expert will ask for your income, assets, expenses, location, and how much you owe. You can proceed with the investigation if the company seems like a suitable fit. The phone call is relatively quick, especially if you have the necessary information. Pay the retainer fee: Tax Relief Advocates requires a retainer fee to start the process. The fee is $795, but first-time customers might be able to get $100 off. You can also set up a payment plan. Review the plan: One week after paying the retainer fee, you will receive your report. The report details how much the company can help you save, the total cost of working with Tax Relief Advocates, and the recommended repayment program.Pay the service fee: If you’re happy with the proposed plan, you can pay the service fee. Once you pay, the company starts working to resolve your tax issues. Begin the process: Depending on the situation and complexity, resolving your tax situation could take weeks or months. Tax Relief Advocates will keep you updated on the process. Is Tax Relief Advocates a reputable company? SourceCustomer ratingNumber of reviewsYelp2.6 out of 5121Google4.7 out of 52,067Better Business Bureau4.21 out of 5636Collected on April 1, 2024. Tax Relief Advocates has thousands of reviews on Google and several hundred on other sites, including the Better Business Bureau. Most reviewers are satisfied with the company’s service and state that many of the client teams are friendly, responsive, and knowledgeable. Negative reviews, on the other hand, are often from customers with ongoing cases. Multiple reviewers mention that it’s been over a year since they started working with Tax Relief Advocates, and there has yet to be a resolution. Other customers state that they work with multiple representatives, some of whom know nothing about their case, which prolongs the process. Does Tax Relief Advocates have a customer service team? Tax Relief Advocates has a customer service team located in Irvine, California. You can reach the company by phone, email, or mail. Calling the customer support number is the quickest way to make contact, especially if you have urgent questions. Once you’re working with a team member, you will have their direct email and phone number, which makes it easier to connect. Here’s the general contact information for Tax Relief Advocates. Email: [email protected]Phone number: 800-388-3664Mailing address: 16808 Armstrong Suite 215 Irvine, CA 92606 Tax Relief Advocates FAQ Can Tax Relief Advocates eliminate all my tax debt? Tax Relief Advocates has a successful track record of lowering tax debt, but it doesn’t guarantee the complete elimination of all tax liabilities. Its outcomes vary depending on individual tax situations and the IRS’s final decisions. Why aren’t the costs listed on its website? Like many similar organizations, Tax Relief Advocates does not provide upfront costs on its website. The reason behind this is simple: The cost of its services can vary significantly based on many factors, including the complexity of your tax debt situation, your financial situation, and the amount of time needed to resolve your case. So, exact costs can only be estimated after a detailed analysis of your unique tax situation. Recap: Our take on Tax Relief Advocates ProductOur ratingTax relief3.3 out of 5Free consultation