I would watch out for companies that spend a ton of money on TV and radio ads. Sometimes they care more about pulling in as many customers as possible than actually helping each one. Advertising doesn’t always equal quality service so i wouldn’t trust that alone.

One company i contacted kept pushing me into signing right away. That pressure was a huge red flag. If a service is really good they will give you time to think it over instead of acting like you need to commit on the first call.

The IRS has a lot of options people don’t know about. If your case is not huge I’d try calling the IRS directly before paying a company.

I worked with a nationwide service and while they helped negotiate a payment plan i honestly think i could have done it myself if i had more patience. The cost still stings.

I tried them out and honestly didn’t see the value. They pretty much acted as middlemen between me and the IRS. If you’re comfortable making calls yourself you might not need them.

My brother used them when he was behind on payroll taxes. They got him into compliance and negotiated a schedule with the IRS. He said it was expensive but worth it for the business to stay afloat.

I used them for back taxes and my experience was okay. They weren’t miracle workers but they did get me into a payment plan i could handle. The cost of their service felt steep but i do not think I’d have managed the paperwork without them.

If your tax debt is not massive just deal with the IRS directly. These companies are more useful if you owe tens of thousands and have complicated returns. For smaller debts it’s overkill.