The Web of Tax Resolution Companies and the IRS: How Tax liens generate mail and phone calls

We at Washington Tax Services will be the first to admit -- in our inception - year 1989 -- mailing letters to people with Federal tax liens was a core form of marketing for us. In fact, back then, we were one of the few tax resolution companies organized as a national operation and one of the very few that used letters to people with tax liens as our central form of marketing. Well almost 24 years later -- the quantity of new players in the game of tax resolution of varying quality and experience is astounding -- The List of 138
This list was a mere 50 or some companies just over a year ago.


Tax resolution marketing is now a game where a Federal tax lien on yourself or your business prompts an avalanche of phone calls from the following tax resolution companies in Colorado and elsewhere:

Omni Financial or OFS Tax Resolution -- Colorado
20/20 Financial
Berkshire Capital Partners
The Core Consulting Group
Union Tax Consulting, New Century Tax Consulting, Taxcut 2010 or Incline Group:
Clear Creek Tax Consulting
Larson Financial
Tax Resolution Center
M & M Financial -- Illinois
Federal Tax Relief Commission, Unknown location.
Safe Harbor Financial Consultants, Chicago, IL.

(I have written previously on whether cold calling tax liens is legal or not -- The Legal Case Against Cold Calling )

The cold callers also called "openers" try to get people on the line who are then transferred to a "closer." Neither the "openers" or the "closers" are licensed tax professionals -- Enrolled Agents, CPAS or Attorneys -- but rather commissioned salespeople and telemarketers. Nor in most cases do they play any eventual role in the resolution of your case. But you can be assured: they are often very charming and very good at conveying the utmost URGENCY in handling your tax problem. Check them out on my list The List of 138.


You might also receive a flood of mail from some of these companies including Washington Tax Services.

Community Tax Relief, Chicago, IL
Tax Defenders,Chicago, IL
Advocate Tax Solutions - ATR Tax Lien
American Tax Solutions, Chicago, IL
Tax Network USA
U.S. Tax Resolution, LLC

Many of these companies are totally legit. However, some are very new in this business and so unproven. Others send really potentially fraudulently IRS imitation letters. See here: Misleading Tax Lien Letters Others letters from legitimate companies are just trying to get your attention like us. You would be wise also to check them out on the list here: The List of 138

Based on some comparison interviews I have been doing against some of the companies listed above, I have concluded that the biggest giveaway is how much they charge!? Any one charging you $4000 or more to represent you on a tax problem better have a good justification for it: What if Someone Charges $4000 or More I have seen these companies rarely charge below $2000.00.