As our list indicates -- A List of 102 Tax Resolution Companies: you would think that the Tax Resolution and Representation Industry is experiencing a boom like the dot-coms of the '90's! This list of 102 was only 55 companies just last year! The last two years have seen dozens of companies joining the fray. Maybe they think it is easy money?! Maybe they gravitated to the tax representation business from the credit card consolidation industry which went belly-up due to regulation? Whatever the reason, we have never seen so many new companies in our 15 years in the business. And like any self-interested proprietor in the tax representation business, we are beginning to wonder: when do these fly-by-night companies start dying off and joining the The Deceased List?

Furthermore, how will the market saturation affect those companies that have been in business for many years including Washington Tax Services -- my own company? Well, our company is in no danger -- we run a good operation and our marketing continues to provide us customers that want quality service and clear analysis. On the other hand, we think the market saturation will have the most negative impact on those companies with F ratings and regulatory scrutiny: like JK Harris or Taxmasters (UPDATE 2017: Both of these companies are now closed), for example. JK Harris's financial problems chronicled here JK Harris financials show the problem for large, high volume operations -- when there is more CHOICE in the marketplace. In other words, with so much competition, you can't run an F rated business and face the well-publicized scrutiny of Attorney Generals anymore and expect to survive. In fact, we think JK Harris has had a F rating at the BBB for at least eight years and it hasn't stopped them from getting new clients until now. Taxmasters has had a F rating as long as we have known of their existence.

We guess the other question is which one of the companies that was started in 2010 and 2011 will survive? Will they conduct themselves as SALES oriented, closer-driven companies or will they put in the effort to provide the customer service, attention and proper analysis of their tax situation which their clients deserve? We will see...

So here's the freshman of the tax resolution industry: those 2009 and 2010 and 2011 newcomers listed here:

United Tax Group, Florida NOW CLOSED
Fair Tax Resolution, California CLOSED
Tax Group Center, Calabasas, CA
Tax Law Advocates, Orange County, CA
Tax Network of America , Mission Viejo, CA NOW CLOSED
Ameristar Tax Centers , East Coast, USA NOW CLOSED
Ameriguard Tax Services, Jacksonville, FL and New York NOW CLOSED
Tax Relief Foundation, Orange County, CA CLOSED
Tax Help Headquarters, Salt Lake City, UT CLOSED
True Tax Solutions, Pasadena, CA CLOSED
U.S. Tax Liberty, Newport Beach, CA NOW CLOSED
Phoenix Tax Solutions, Houston, TX
Community Tax Relief, Chicago, IL
Advocate Tax Relief, Illinois CLOSED
Pinnacle Tax Solutions, California CLOSED
Tax Relief Services, California CLOSED
Juceam Group now Omg Tax, California
Covenant Tax Resolution, S.J. Capistrano, CA CLOSED
Debt Logic U.S.A., New York, NY NOW CLOSED
Phoenix Financial Services
Front Street Tax Resolution, Michigan
National Tax Solutions, SF, CA NOW CLOSED
National Tax Awareness Center, California CLOSED
Internal Tax Resolution, Midwest/South CLOSED
Taxreliefcenter.org Southern Cal.( Tax Defense Network subsidiary site).
Classic Tax Resolution, Houston, TX
Summit Tax Relief, Thousand Oaks, CA CLOSED
Coast 2 Coast Tax Relief, Agoura Hills, CA NOW CLOSED
Tax Network USA, Los Angeles, CA NOW CLOSED

Will these companies be around in THREE YEARS? (as you can see above - apparently NOT! )

Here's how they might survive: good customer service combined with effective marketing. The companies with poor customer service won't survive. With the market for tax representation as saturated as it is -- an F or D rating at the BBB just doesn't cut it ANYMORE!

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