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I signed up and backed out after the investigation stage. They wanted another $3,500 to move forward. By then i realized i could call the IRS myself and set up a plan for free. Glad I didn’t go further.

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.

I did end up hiring Optima. They filed some old returns and communicated with the IRS on my behalf which was helpful. But the total cost was around $6k. For the peace of mind it gave me it was worth it but not cheap.

I haven’t used them but i did talk to a few tax relief companies. Most worked the same way with a small upfront fee followed by a much bigger fee if you decide to move forward. None of them promised any results.

I have heard mixed reviews. A friend of mine swears they saved him thousands while another said it was a waste. Seems like it depends a lot on your situation and how complex your tax issues are.

One thing to keep in mind these tax relief companies often just act as middlemen. They use the same IRS programs available to the public. Unless you have no time or patience I’d try handling it yourself.

I actually had a decent experience. My case was messy with multiple years unfiled. Optima organized everything and got me into a settlement i don’t think i could have achieved alone. But yeah it was pricey.

I had a consultation with them. They told me they could possibly reduce my debt by 70% but only after i paid them around $5,000 to work my case. That sounded like too big a gamble for me, so I passed.

If you are comfortable making the call I’d suggest reaching out to the IRS first. They offer programs like Fresh Start and payment plans that might fit your situation. Unless your case is really complicated, handling it yourself could save you a lot of money.

I went with Optima because i didn’t want to deal with the IRS myself. They did all the paperwork and represented me which helped with my anxiety. But financially the outcome was not drastically different than if I’d just set up my own plan.