Optima Tax Relief

After my husband and I paid Optima to represent us for an IRS tax audit, the Optima representative assigned to our case, and who we gave Power of Attorney to, missed the meeting with the IRS due to miscommunication within Optima. My husband and I then received a letter from the IRS stating our case would be closed due to Optima representative being a no show, unless we responded within a short period of time. We set a second meeting with our Optima representative and the IRS auditor. Then, the night before our second meeting, the Optima representative emailed and called me to let me know he couldn't make the rescheduled meeting, because he got called into jury duty. He then encouraged me to handle the IRS audit on my own. When it was time for the rescheduled meeting, I waited for the IRS auditor to call, however he never did until four hours after the scheduled meeting. He let me know he couldn't meet with me without the Optima rep because I had signed over Power of Attorney. During those four hours, I called the IRS auditor several times and called Optima staff as well to try and determine what the problem was - only to finally learn that what our Optima representative encouraged me to do was not even possible. We paid Optima over $5000 to represent us, and we prepaid for Optima to do our 2022 taxes. Working with Optima has been a waste of time, and has worse, has been a very unprofessional experience as far as the IRS audit is concerned. We not have to schedule a third time with the IRS auditor, for which he has to get manager approval. As of yesterday, we have revoked Power of Attorney with Optima and we want a refund. We do not trust moving forward with your company, nor do we trust Optima to complete our 2022 taxes.

So far I am not seeing the light at the end. They effectively put us on an IRS payment plan, which we could have done. That payment plan is taking a lot of money out of our account. We have been doing this for almost 2 years and honestly we could have taken the fee and applied it to the actual IRS balance and knocked it down. I feel like we will end of just paying it off in time since it is literally taking forever.

We hired them to assist us in tryig to negotiate with Irs or other plans we qualified for. We owe over 30,000. Everything seemed great got set up with them found out fee, 890 monthly for their services. So we did, paid every month then very little contact. They would ask for our financial information multiple times and we provided. Or something needed signed. I called them in May to ask why we have no case manager on portal and nothing has been done since. They again asked for financial information sent rigt away. Hesrd nothing, now I have called multiple times due to try see whats status as well as inform them my husband had suffered a traumatic brain injury in June and not working and won't be for awhile. Now in Nov I receive a letter that you have removed power of attorney, without even a call a meeting, something. We paid 8900 and have nothing, no negotiation with irs no payment plan, nothing. With my husband's condition and health currently we cannot afford for our home or what little money we have to be taken someone needs to fix this issue Lisa Wages Moline IL

At this point the only thing I can say that I like about this company is the initial action they do to keep Irs from garnishing your pay, or levying your income assets, etc….which I discovered I personally could have done that free of charge. This company has been dragging me along for over 5 years now and haven’t done a damn thing to resolve my taxes. They take your money and bounce you around like a yo-yo making no personal on contact with you and just sit on your case. Once you finally talk with someone they tell you , oh there is documents in your client portal that needs to be submitted. You do that wait for a response, contact them a month later and get the same run around, finding out they never checked the portal for your response. My last contact was okay we have everything, I’m pushing your case forward today, only to find out a week later, oh there is more documents in your client portal that you need to submit. At this point I’m at the verge of taking the loss on the money I paid this folks and contact IRS myself and handling my own case. I do not and will not recommend Optima Tax Relief to no one. It’s a business to get your money and frustrate the hell out you by no absolutely nothing. Those glorious advertisements, my experience at this point is all lies.

In 2018 my husband and I made the greatest mistake of reaching out to Optima Tax for help. We already had a payment arrangement with IRS which was working well. These people took almost $6000 from us after which you could not get anyone to talk to you about what was going. Kept throwing us from one place to another only to finally tell us that because of our income we do not qualify for any reduction. They knew from the beginning what our income was because they ask for it. It was only after the last payment to them that the realized we earn too much. They are not good. Watch out. I pray the day someone get Theo to repay All those they have cheated out of money. I wish I could rate them at zero.

My husband and I hired Optima in Sept 2018, it is now May 2021. They blatantly lied to me on many occasions. The new firm that hired said the reconsideration they told me several time was NEVER filed. They also said that Optima has an entire department dedicated to giving refunds in exchange for removing bad reviews. In the end I asked for proof that the reconsideration was actually filed 3 or 4 times and, though promised, they never sent it. They were trying to get me to agree to a payment plan for the full amount the IRS said I owed. They told me it was only for my protection and that when the reconsideration decision was made, I would get refund of monies paid over the amount IRS determined I still owed. They lied! If I would have done this, I would have owed the original amount determined by the IRS. They also told me that the collections department of the IRS does not communicate with the audit department that reviews reconsiderations. Yet another lie. I received several notices that the IRS was going to place a levy, because they never filed a Power of Attorney after the 1st one was retracted due to a bankruptcy my husband had to file. They retracted first Power of Attorney and were supposed to file a new one that applied to only me until the bankruptcy was discharged, they didn't. They also did not file a new one once bankruptcy was discharged like they said they would. Bottom line, they are manipulative and just tell you what they think you want to hear. Not saying they are not successful in simpler cases. Mine is complicated, but Optima almost cost me $32,000!

For what Optima did for me, I could have gone to H&R block. I told them I had not filed taxes since 2012, and the date I notified them was 2017. The IRS was not aware of my lack of filing. I had seen so much in emails and TV commercials about how Optima would help me, so I trusted them. They were all friendly and gung ho to start but the longer it took, the lower knowledgeable person I was assigned as my handler. Basically after two years, I paid them over $13,000.00 to have them complete my income taxes for 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018. After that they set up a payment plan to pay over $73,000.00 in taxes. I'm 65 years old today. I may not even live to pay this balance. Also, they immediately cut off my access to my Optima Portal so I could not longer communicate with my handler. Their BBB rating is worthless. Optima offered to refund my last payment if I would sign a non-disclosure. This company does not operate in good faith nor do they do the right thing, I can't say they broke any Laws, but that does not make there treatment of the client correct. I am in the pondering the idea of setting up a class action suit against Optima and from what I hear, it would not take long the get their past clients to follow suit. They do not even deserve a rating. I will give a one star but it would be no starts it this website offered 0.

If there was less than one star I would give Optima that minus one. I can't imagine how they have such a high rating on your site! They charged me $10,000.00 to file 4 years of back taxes. Communication (including several language barrier issues was virtually non-existent), My name was mis-spelled on returns which caused future problems that I had to deal with myself. I was bounced around from Optima "agents" who never seemed to have enough information although my situation was not that complex. No promises were kept, no resolutions were obtained for any penalties, no payment plans were established. The only thing they did was file my back taxes and couldn't even spell my name correct (not close) for 10K. I ended having to hire a real local tax pro to straighten out as much as I could now afford and still have problems with the same tax years. Optima Tax Relief? More like Optima Tax Scam!

They took care of my problems. They were always very professional in explaining things. When I called them about my Tax concerns they always responded back promptly.

I had reached an agreement for payment of back taxes with the IRS, although the IRS could not be specific about what I owed for so the agreement was never implimented. I asked for and received an extension to hire an outside agency that would audit my account and amend my filed tax returns if needed. In October2019, I hired Optima with a specific set of instructions. I was assured by David C, Sylvia R, Catalina H that these issues would be addressed. By January I was receiving letters from the IRS that stated that I had defaulted on an agreement and was fined an even greater amount. I called Optioma and was assured by Catallina H that they had not entered me into an agreement without my consent and never would. I began receiving more mail from IRS stating that I would be sued over delinquent account, I again called Optima and spoke with Joanna R who told me three times that I was not entered into an agreement without my consent. On the 28th of January I was sent an Email from her stating they had entered into an agreement without my consent. I was lied to several times by two different representatives and told I didn't know what I was talking about, very rudely I might add. I kept trying to contact Optima, many emails sent no answer. Many calls no call backs.So not only did the Optima representatives lie to me, which is recorded. But they entered into an agreement without my consent and with holding that information from me ( I had to call the IRS and find out myself). But instead of getting me out of debt with the IRS they got me into MORE trouble and debt with the IRS. I have attempted many times via voice and E-mail to resolve this situation. No results. I tried to explain to them my daughter had just passed on Feb. 9,2020 and I had to borrow money for her funeral expenses, but they didn't care they still took payment out of my account for a job they knew they already screwed up and set me up for failure. This company cheats and lies. This company should do the right thing, and give me back the money they took over and above the initial investigative fee. The appropriate thing to do would for this company to take responsibility and also compensate me for the increased debt incurred to me by the IRS, due to Optima representative getting me into an agreement without my knowledge or consent, and the fines for not meeting the obligations of an agreement I didn't know I was in due to optima representatives lying and hiding the fact.

I started working with Optima tax relief on May 2nd 2019. I sent them every levy and seize letter that i received from the IRS. I asked them 3 times if i need to be worried about the letters or being garnished. And they told me not to worry about it the IRS knows I'm represented. 4 moths later on September 6th my check was garnished. So I contacted Optima confused on why neither them or the IRS told me that i was going to be garnished. So on September 12th they put in the power of attorney form and put me on a installment plan. 4 months after i started paying them, So i told them i no longer wanted anything to do with them they're service is horrible. And they did nothing but waste my time and charged $3,795 and did nothing for me. And you are not protected from day one. I called the IRS while i was in the middle of trying to get a full refund from Optima. The IRS told me they had no contact with Optima or with me so it seemed like i was ignoring the IRS. Optima never contacted the IRS until after i was garnished. So that led to more back and forth conversations on the phone and through the better business bureau. All the while they insist they full filled their service. Look up the complaint on the BBB site and see how they throw out BS statements and not address the facts. I talked to a rep on October 30th and she still says they did nothing wrong. On November 1st the IRS sent me the rejected power of attorney form Optima tax relief put in on my behalf. These tax professionals can't do anything right. They had me sign a abatement form to try and get the fees and penalties dropped. And they never put it in, when i called the IRS to verify any contact they had with Optima. I told the IRS rep they had me sign a abatement form and did nothing with it. The IRS rep put in 2 forms for me and told me how to put in the rest in. For free i didn't had to pay her $3,795, and on 11/13/2019 the penalties and fees have already came off reducing what i owe the IRS. Optima tax relief is a horrible service and there is no money back guarantee. They gave me no service at all just more problems and refuse to give me a full refund.

well i was searching for a great company like OPTIMA TAX . i get in contact and i have them to fix my taxes , bud never nobody explain me that my case will be take for so many hands , Mr. R do my first review after according a monthly, payment he talk me some one will take my case , well the first mistake was he lost all of my file and documents what i mail and fax him , so the next person he ask me again to send all of it one more time so i call and complaint to a management, so Mr.V help me and transfer my case to a MR. N . i HAVE TO SAY HE DO AN EXCELLENT JOB , THANKS , But the next person was doing the same mistake, and so , and so and, so . well i complain for 3th time , and a Executive of Review Board, MR. R he supost to be was designated , to help me he was so rude unprofessional and incompetent, he call by phone and leave 10 messages that i cant hear or understand what he say he talk so fast no clear , and finally, i found who was calling me but this gentleman never answer my Email's he was so busy wen i call back him no answer and after a month today i talk with him and, I have to explain Him whats apprehend whit my case in the middle of my talk he stop me and say: Well i was listening you for more then 20 minutes and your case is in hold, ........ so i get to frustrated and i answer hi IF YOU CAN HAVE THE TIME TO LISTEN MY CASE I DONT NEED YOU . After this rudeness he send me Email saying he is closing my case with no reason and now i pay more them half of the cost of the job to this company and no one can answered me what will happen so now , i'm getting letters from the IRS with treads and i have Problems in my case . i dont recommend no one to get this bad service ONLY CREATE MORE PROBLEMS WITH THE IRS . Roberto Valdez-Yanez

I’m glad I only gave them the $500 startup fee. The company was asking me for $5,700.00 to do my case. I explained to them it would take me some time to get the money together but they were trying to pressure me for a date I would have the money. I told them I would try to have it in 45 days or so because I can’t promise I will get the overtime at work, and they wanted me to sign and give them my credit card so basically they can sweep my account on that date. Nope no thanks!!!! They give you 2 weeks to get your money back but good luck I gave they the $500 and it was almost a month before I heard from them. Check some of the reviews. They also brought up stuff From 2006 (It’s 28 days from 2020) that was over 10 years old saying I was responsible for it like some type a scare tactic or to make me think that they really worked hard for me to knock down monies owed to the IRS. They’re a JOKE!!!

In March our case has been with Optima 2years! We’ve had to replace I don’t know how many POA’s. Our Offer in Compromise finally made it to IRS April 2019 but in October they couldn’t get a response from Optima so contacted us directly! I was on a payment plan with IRS but was injured in an accident & had to take an early retirement so couldn’t afford the plan any longer. This has been a giant nightmare, we will never refer anyone to them ever! You can’t get anyone there to hear what you’re saying. G of forbid they put down their “script”! They want your money now because “time is of the essence” $3500 down the freakin drain. Spend your money elsewhere.

Optimal tax has been sued several times for doing bad things to customers. I finally settled with them for 3000 out of 8800 they charged. The one thing that got Optima Tax attention was when the Better Businesses Bureau got the complaint. The first offer was 1700 and I refused.., Finally got 3000 which was hard to except. Here’s the facts... First you pay a small deposit to hire Optima. Then they made up the amount I owed. Optimal charges 10% of what your tax debt is. After 2 weeks you can not get a refund. 2016 I hired a bad accountant to do my taxes, and my income was reported on wrong line. I called the IRS and they told me how to fix. I didn’t want to take a chance so I hired Optima Tax to fix it. Optimal claimed I owed 88k, and I owed under 50k. I had no IRS liens at all the day I hired Optima Tax. After Optima Tax doing nothing for 1 hear.... I got tax lien and lost my job. Optimal Tax said it was not their fault. I can’t owe the IRS and work doing what me and my wife did. Now we both have no job and that’s why I’m so upset with Optima. I called the IRS again and they helped me fix my taxes. The IRS gave me all the forms I needed and told me what to do. This time I took no chances and I hired a real accountant. The accountant fixed my taxes for less then 100 dollars. After the IRS amends my taxes then I hope to get my job back. My opinion of Optima Tax.... If optima can’t fix a simple mistake in one year, then what good are they. During taking the settlement..... I asked the lady at Optima Tax.... Are you attorney? No. Are you licensed accountant? No. She just said she was their legal team. After refusing several times to take 1700... I finally got 3000 if I would take down the negative review. This is no negative review to me.... This is how Optima Tax treated me. The truth will set you free.. I have learned a lot about dealing with businesses. Never hire anyone without doing research. Google Optima Tax and you will find class action lawsuits. Save yourself time and money.... Hire a tax lawyer. I was told by a lawyer that he would fix my taxes for 1500, but I used a licensed CPA instead. I have used this CPA since 2017, and I should have used her instead of hiring Optima. Not one time did I ever speak to a licensed CPA at Optima. The only time Optima calls is about their payment.

DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY..I contacted Optima with a past due amt to the IRS of approx $90K. Upon my initial phone interview, I was told that it would cost me $12K for them to take me on as a client. I wired them the 12K that very day and it was down hill from that point on after they received my money. My "case" continued on for over a year and a half. During that time, my "case worker" changed over five times due to employees leaving Optima. They never contacted me about my case, I had to contact them each and every time to find out how my case was proceeding. Approximately 6 months in, and nothing near a resolution, they claimed that they "misplaced" my paperwork and we had to start the whole process over again. The following 12 months were filled with nothing buy lies and blundering mistakes, all of which were blamed on me. At the 18 month point my case was no closer to conclusion than it was from the start. I had had enough of the lies and deception. I told them I wanted my money back. They told me that their policy was money back within the first 15 days. How on earth do you know if you want your money back when they never contact you to let you know how things are going. I had to contact them to inquire after month number three. They took my case to their review board, and in their vast wisdom, told me that they would give me a $1,300 refund. Little short of the $12K that they conned me out of. I met with a local tax attorney after this fiasco and the attorney saw the IRS's mistake within 45 minutes of our sitting down together. I ended up owing nothing to the IRS due to their error. Please do not get caught in the same trap that I got caught in. STAY AWAY FROM THESE SCAMMERS!!!!!

My name is Donna Aaron and Optima Tax relief didn’t do anything to help me after paying them 8800 dollars . Optimal will give you refund for the first 14 days.... After 14 days you will find out it’s a marketing scam. Optima has been sued many times. The first thing optima will do is ask for small amount..... then your on the hook for a lot before they do anything. The rest of the year pay them 1000’s..... They do nothing. My taxes are a simple mistake that accountant made by reporting income on wrong line. . The IRS told me what the mistake was before I hired optima. Mistake was income reported on wrong line. Sounds like a simple fix for Pro like Optima. The day I hired optima I paid them down payment to review. They came back and told me I owed 88k, so it cost 10% to fix. I never owed 88K. Optima lies right from the start. After one year of Optima doing nothing..... I got IRS lien on house for 53k and was fired at work. Can’t owe taxes and work for sensitive job.. Now my life is upside down over trying to do the right thing. I complained to Optima and told them they did nothing. I wanted a refund and Optima refused. My husband David Aaron wrote a bad review after that. Optimal said if I would write a positive review to their liking then Optima would refund 1700 of my 8800 paid. I never paid Optima last 800 because they waived it. Optimal basically wants me to lie to the public for 1700 dollars. Yes I need the money,,,,,,but I care for others more then I care for Optima. I never got any money back. Ask yourself this...... If optima can’t amend a simple tax issues.... What good are they? Now my life is turned around..... I called the IRS myself. I spent 4 hours on hold, and told the nice lady I was desperate. She spends 2 hours on phone with me, then she sends me all the forms I need to fix. She gives me IRS agent name and telephone number, that will fill out forms for free at library. The IRS has agents that help people for free. I know they meet at library weekly. I did a different route though. I sent the papers to my new accountant. My taxes where amended for 40 dollars. Yes that’s right licensed accountant charged 40 dollars. Guess what I owe IRS now. 2800 for Social Security tax. Long way from the claim Optima made of 88k. After getting my taxes fixed then I can hopefully go back to making real money. . I make 1200 week now. Before optima ruined my like I made over 200k per year. Before you hire Optima.... look at their class action lawsuits. Their reviews could be fake.... lawsuits are real. I talked to a real tax Attorney, and attorneys charge around 1500.. I hope the BBB will get involved. I’m writing them next. Once I get back on my feet.... I hope to sue Optima for their scam. Remember licensed CPA fixed my taxes in 1 hour. Optima didn’t do anything after getting 8000 dollars. I had no tax lien til one year after optima. If your job counts on great credit..... Don’t take a chance and lose it over hiring these IDIOTS..... My grammar may be poor, but I don’t claim to be fixing others taxes. I’m just trying to survive like everyone else. Please investigate for yourself.

Be very aware!!! I would not recommend, not a trust worthy company!!! Do not believe the adds that infer that you can avoid liens and levies. I have both now!! They don’t care nor do they work to avoid them. I have been working with Optima for 3 years at a cost of over $8,000.00. Things have been fine but nothing really got accomplished. However, I did decide to add 2018 to the resolution which was my hold up. On October 3rd I uploaded documents from a local tax collectors and asked for a response from optima as I have been instructed by Optima that they would take care of all communications. I actually assigned power of attorney for them to do that. Guess what? They didn’t do anything. My wages are now levied and I will lose my house, my car and pretty much everything else. I am the sole provider financially and otherwise for my 3 children. I have called optima 3 times since 10/15, no one will talk to me, not only that, no one will even acknowledge that they ignored my uploads. They have basically shut me out!! I am absolutely disgusted with this company. Particularly Lindsey from the resolutions department. She had me in tears yesterday as she berated and demeaned me on the phone while not allowing me to speak to anyone who could help me.