Fortress Tax Relief
4.9
6.7
Overall Score
Author: Kaitlyn Short
Fortress Tax Relief started in 2003 and is based in Bend, Oregon. The company provides a wide range of tax relief services and solutions. Fortress Tax Relief utilizes a team of licensed tax attorneys. Mentioned in Forbes as one of "The Best Tax Relief Services of December 2023," Fortress Tax Relief was identified as the best company for complex tax issues.
Fortress Tax Relief claims to be the only sizable tax resolution company where every case is handled personally by a licensed attorney who practices back tax resolution exclusively.
The company's attorneys go through rigorous one-on-one training of 500 hours or more with one of the leading tax resolution attorneys in the industry prior to handling cases.
Additionally, Fortress Tax Relief's attorneys have over 60 years of tax resolution experience at Fortress.
While Fortress Tax Relief is a member of the National Association of Tax Resolution Companies, it does not appear to be a member of top professional associations in the industry, including the American Society of Tax Problem Solvers (ASTPS), the National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP), or the National Association of Enrolled Agents (NAEA).
However, clients can be confident that each of Fortress’ team members is a licensed attorney and brings a high-level of tax law expertise to their cases.
Top Ranked Companies
The Good
- Tax Relief Services
- Trained Attorneys
- The Process
- Money-Back Guarantee
Tax Relief Services
Clients can enjoy a free, no-obligation consultation that allows Fortress to grasp the client's unique tax situation. Fortress Tax Relief works with experienced tax attorneys that can help clients with a variety of tax problems.
The attorneys specialize in tax issues like wage garnishments, levies, seizures, business and personal assets, etc. They can also help protect bank accounts, and accounts receivable.
The company offers multiple tax resolution services, like installment agreements, offers in compromise, penalty abatements, innocent spouse relief, and more.
An installment agreement is a payment plan set up with the IRS or state tax department that allows taxpayers to meet their full tax liability over time with affordable payments.
An offer in compromise is a debt settlement agreement with the IRS. It allows taxpayers to pay the IRS less than their current tax debt if the offer is accepted.
Penalty abatement is trickier to have approved. It removes penalties for unpaid taxes. These penalties include wage garnishments, levies, and liens.
Trained Attorneys
All Fortress Tax Relief's attorneys are highly experienced in the tax industry and come from top-tier law schools. Additionally, the attorneys each go through a rigorous one-on-one training period of 500 hours with a top tax resolution attorney in the industry.
The Process
Potential clients can first take advantage of a free, no-obligation consultation. If they decide to contract with Fortress Tax Relief, they will fill out some easy intake paperwork, and then be assigned to a tax attorney.
The company guarantees that the case will personally be handled from start to finish by an experienced tax attorney. The ability to work directly with a tax attorney is one of the most valuable features of Fortress Tax Relief.
Money-Back Guarantee
If one goes through with the initial attorney consultation and does not feel comfortable, they can back out of all services within 24 hours to receive a full refund.
The Bad
- Missing Some Professional Memberships
- No CPAs or Enrolled Agents
Missing Some Professional Memberships
Even though Fortress Tax Relief does not appear to be a member of top professional associations in the industry, including the American Society of Tax Problem Solvers (ASTPS), the National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP), or the National Association of Enrolled Agents (NAEA).
Fortress Tax Relief does not employ enrolled agents, so the lack of NAEA membership should not be concerning.
Additionally, all attorneys must pass their state’s bar exam before they can practice law. The ability to pass the bar exam demonstrates a lawyer’s legal knowledge.
Fortress Tax Relief is dedicated to having effective lawyers on staff, so it also provides additional training to lawyers on its team. The opportunity to work with a licensed attorney with tax law expertise and get legal advice is an advantage of choosing Fortress' relief services.
No CPAs or Enrolled Agents
Fortress Tax Relief exclusively works with a team of six tax attorneys. The company sees this as a good thing since everyone on the team is extremely qualified and trained. It argues that attorneys usually possess negotiation skills that are superior to accountants.
However, some may be disappointed that there are no CPAs or enrolled agents on staff to help round out the team, especially if they are interested in a broad range of tax services including tax preparation.
The Bottom Line
Fortress Tax Relief offers a variety of resolution services, and the company utilizes a team of highly trained attorneys. An attorney is assigned to personally handle each client's case from start to finish.
While Fortress Tax Relief does not have all of the professional memberships in the industry, its lawyers are highly trained and qualified. Additionally, the money-back guarantee is only valid for a very short period of time; however, Fortress' pros outweigh the cons. The company is worth exploring, alongside other companies, for tax relief services.
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Sherrie Oklahoma City, OK
5 years ago
Reply from Fortress Tax Relief
Jun. 10th, 2019
