The following message I sent to a TaxMasters rep after 9 months of dealing with lie, after lie, negligence, false representation, and much more. I have been strung along with the hopes that "any day" my tax issue would be resolved. I kept telling myself these are professionals, they deal with this kind of thing all the time, they know what they're doing, they even have a commercial on TV promising to resolve and releive people of their tax problems. Plus, I had paid them over 7, 000. 00 and can't afford to hire anyone else now. The IRS has garnished my wages for over 6 months now, their is a lein on my home, and now they are attempting to levy my husband's wages, and I'm starring forclosure in the face. The only service I have received from TaxMasters other than distress and many sleepless nights, ... Returns prepared. 7000.00 Returns. And theyre still holding some of them b/c they say we owe additional money. They claimed they were working deligently and efficiently to resolve my crissis; however they were only making matters worse. And stringing me along to see how much money they could STEAL from me before the well ran dry. Today I finally had had enough and broke down and called the IRS to beg forgiveness and mercy and to see if this so-called Tax "resolution" service was doing all they claimed to be doing. They contacted the IRS TWICE over 8 months. One to file a Power of Attorney, (in November)and the other...two days ago. Day before yesterday was the last time I spoke with anyone at Taxmasters, havent been able to get any one to return call, emails nada- Of course thats been the norm. with them throughout this whole experience. Yesterday I sent an email demanding answers to specific questions. Of course I have not heard a word back. The email describes the events that have taken place over the last 8months.

Nicole,
My husband and I spoke this evening and after our discussion we both decided we have questions that need to be answered/addressed specifically and in detail. Please have the the following questions answered and provide supporting documentation if available.

1) When Tax Masters was initially hired to handle our case we were told appropriate measures would be taken to prevent a levy, but if a levy was in fact put on our wages or other property TaxMasters would work diligently to have the levy removed efficiently and timely. We sent the notices we received stating the IRS was going to place a levy on my wages.

A) I want to know what actions were taken to have the levy prevented?

B)Was th RO contacted? and if so when? Who contacted her? and what was discussed? I need to know exact dates a specifics on conversations held. (My payroll dept. has informed me that when they were notified of the levy and spoke to the RO she had told them that no one had contacted her, nor had she received any response or correspondence from me or any outside agency representing me.
C) We were charged fees for negotiations/discussions with RO, if these services are not being rendered why are/have we had to pay them?

2) We were also told initially by your firm ( John Thacker and others) that if a levy was placed Tax Masters would work "efficiently and timely" to have the levy removed. I would like proof of any measures/procedures taken to remove levy. I.e. Documentation sent, date, time of phone calls made and who was spoke to and their badge numbers?
A) I contacted TaxMasters after the RO contacted me to inform me the levy was about to be issued. She had told me if I didnt want the maximum amount levied from my wages or would like to prevent the levy from happening she needed me to fill out some paperwork and send it back immediately. I forwarded the documentation to TaxMasters conveyed to them what the RO had stated and still nothing was done by TaxMasters to my knowledge nor has the notice of my hardship been sent to the IRS in efforts of even reducing the levy. I want to why? And if actions were taken I want to know what, who, when, how, and need documentation supporting those facts.


3)When we were preparing the worksheets needed to prepare our returns I had specific questions which needed to be answered in order to complete those worksheets. I called Robert Lipin several times and so did my husband, to have those questions answered, we left several voicemails, and never once received a call back. (in fact I had to call a local cpa to have my questions answered b/c your representatives told me they couldn't answer the questions I had and that I needed to speak to Robert Lipin personally) - Why were our calls never returned, questions never answered? Is that not the complete opposite of "efficiently and timely? His neglect to call return my and my husbands calls and messages delayed the preparation of our returns immensely! We're talking months!!


4) You told me Several correspondences were sent to us from your billing dept via email (matters that needed immediate attention to be handled "efficiently and timely") When those notices sent by your billing dept were returned "undeliverable" why were we not contacted by another method? Especially since the sup. agreement that needed our attention and signatures was the reason for our returns not being sent to me!

A) also I stated and requested for my account to be notated that given the severity of this issue and situation please send all future correspondences from your firm to the email address I'm sending this letter from, along with a phone call @ the 940-594-1264 to inform me of any action, documentation needed to proceed with our case in a "timely and efficiently" matter. That as well has still not been done.

5) I have informed Taxmasters on numerous occasions of the strain and hardship this levy has created for me and my family and never was I told by your firm that if the levy applied to wages and was causing a personal hardship could we request to have it lifted, stopped, or reduced. (recently informed by an IRS Publication) Why was I not informed of this? And how is that not a form of negligence in handling my case? And how would such negligence considered "efficiently and timely''?

6) Due to the hardship the levy has caused I have called TaxMasters several times to see what was being done to resolve the issue and what could I do to speed up the process. On several occasions I was given false information from your service reps. I.E.

a) I was told not to communicate with the IRS in any way prior to my levy being put on my wages----I didn't, and neither did your firm-- which I'm told now if the RO would have been contacted by me or TaxMasters prior to the levy being issued, the levy could have been prevented.

b) I was also told once Tax Masters received our worksheets/ documentation for our return preparation, steps/actions would be made/taken; the RO/ IRS would be informed the proper documentation was in hands pf your firm and that the returns were soon to be filed...Which I was told at that time the levy would be lifted. (That was in August Melody Johnson was the Rep. that stated these false allegations and misrepresentations)

c) I was told after I sent all nec. docs and worksheets for return prep. that our returns would be overnighted to me. (which I requested) They weren't, instead they weren't sent to me at all so I called to check the status after waiting for their arrival for well over 2 weeks and was told Tax Masters was needing an additional payment made for additional schedules that were completed for tax yrs 02-05. Why was this notice not brought to my attention in an expedited matter given the circumstances? Especially after your firm knew the severity of the issue and hardship I was experiencing due to the wage garnishments?

D) I was then told yet again, after the prior issue was resolved, that the returns would be mailed to me and once again, they were not. Why? And why were they sent standard mail after I had Requested they be overnighted?

E) I was misinformed again when told I did not need to file for the yrs 00-01 because the IRS was showing those years to already have been paid. Therefore those yrs weren't sent to me, 02-08 were filed, stamped and faxed to RO. Then shortly after that I was told I did need to file those years but TaxMasters wasn't going to send them to me until an additional sup. agreement was signed.. I signed the requested agreement, sent it back (this was wed last week and I still havent received the return. Why?

F) I was also mis-informed once again that once I had the returns filed/ stamped by the IRS and sent back to your office or to the RO the Levy would be lifted immediately. (granted I didn't have them emailed to you, but that was because i received a fax confirmation stating they had been received by the RO) How does a fax go through a phone line that when a building is vacant and there's no one/machine there to receive it? And if that is the case and the prior RO is no longer handling my case should I not have received notice of that?

7) If Tax Masters had been in contact with the RO intitially and throughout, shouldn't someone at your firm been informed in some way that my case was now being handled by the ACS?

8) who was contacted today, Dec. 1, at the IRS/ACS. What are their bage numbers, Who said we have ingaged in a payment plan with the IRS and what steps are being made to proceed and get this levy lifted?


Please dont take my questioning personal Nicole, like I've said before your continued patience and diligence is appreciated greatly. And though, the majority of the noted altercations and issues in this letter have not been a result of your actions or guidence or verbal instructions, however, these instances have occurred due to the continual neglect, insufficient/incorrect instruction, mis-guidance awful and unprofessional customer service/ representation (or lack there of rather) that we've received from others in your firm. And due to the service we've received I feel that our issue w the IRS has worsened severely since we hired Taxmasters, It definitely hasnt relieved or resolved our tax Issues like the commercials and website promise. In fact when it comes to the customer service you have been the one and only shinning star w.i that entire organization that we've dealt w/ so far. I hope you understand my concerns and reasons for my questions.

I would like for my entire case to be reviewed by the "higher powers that may be" and would like to know what if any compensation will be given for the the services that have been provided (or lack there of), the poor customer services received, and the additional tax issues that we are now incurring due to no representation or action on your firm's part?

Please return as soon as possible.

Thanks,

I've still not heard from them!!! Nevertheless, I've contacted the IRS Sent the Power of Attorney Revocation, and after a couple hrs. of speaking with an Agent and sorting through all the mess, I was told who to call First thing tomorrow and the levies should be lifted by end of business day tomorrow. I went through 8 months of agony and quite frankly poverty, they charged me a fortune for nothing but return prep. and now I have assumed more penalties and interest due to their negligence. My tax problems are not completely resolved yet, thanks to the giant hole TaxMasters was digging for me, but for the first time in 8 months I feel I'm finally headed in the right direction, and may be able to sleep tonight.

Please let me know if any class-action suit is in the works. Any help would be a blessing.

I paid for myself and my husband to have them do my taxes for the past 2 years and they only did it for me. They would not answer my calls and then when I did speak to someone, I was told that I must now pay another fee to have them do the correction.They did not do the job right in the first place and now they want more money to correct a problem that Tax Master's created. I am not satisfied with them and I hope they get reported and loose their license to practice. I am out of over $1, 000.00. and still have to do my taxes for those years instead of paying them the money. I wish I did not do business with these people.

Oct 2008, IPaid $900 deposit, they wanted $1800, to file 2005/2006/2007 Federal and Virginia forms which I didn't file due to missing records.

Since they fail to return phone calls or answer emails. Each time I did contact them they had another case rep handiling the file. Jan 2009 they sent detailed forms requesting all the info I was missing. I called and told them this. They did nothing for months and I was busy moving from VA to NY.

During the move I found most of my missing records and by Aug I was able to complete all my returns. At that time Tax Masters sent me their "returns" which might have been helpful in Jan but were useless in August.

I returned their forms unopened and requested a refund and was told that they had done their service and no refund.

Yesterday, I received anothe letter from them that they had completed my returns and were sending them and that I should sign them and send to the IRS etc.

What idiots and thieves...

Don't even think of working with them

I talked with a SALES man at Tax Masters (who SOLD me) on tax relief. He ask for my bank acct info to set up FEE payment. I post-dated the payment for a week out. Then they FAXED me the Documents to sign and fax back.. BUT.. I went to the BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU
before I sign, and lucky I did... OUCH. they have a "F" rating..

This is the problem... I called them to let them know I was going with another FIRM and they said they could NOT stop payment.

THEY WOULD NOT STOP PAYMENT>??

Tax Masters has taken payment from us for over $6, 000 promising to lower our tax debt of just over $32, 000 to pennies on the dollar. It looks like I'm going to be charged by the IRS 100 pennies on the dollar. Tax Masters promised that the IRS would not touch my disability checks and they have. Tax Masters promised that our bank account would not get into our bank accounts. Yesterday our account showed a zero balance because the IRS took everything we have. I can't even buy groceries. I feel so sick. They have not kept their promise to us thus far. I want my money back but don't know the steps to take to get it back. Please do your background checks on this company. Do not trust Tax Masters.