Advertiser disclosure We earn commissions, and the top two spots are sponsored.
Positions 1 and 2 in our rankings are sponsored placements. Those firms pay us, and their position reflects that commercial relationship — not our editorial assessment alone.
Everything from position 3 down is ordered on what we can independently verify: published pricing, guarantee terms and the credential mix on staff. No firm can buy a score or a "best for" label, and we list the same drawbacks for sponsored firms as for anyone else — including where a sponsored firm publishes less than its competitors.
Some companies also pay us a referral fee when you request a consultation through our links. That revenue keeps this site free to read. Rankings are reviewed quarterly, and you can read every review without giving us anything.
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Five questions, then we’ll tell you what your options actually are
Most firms will not take a case under $10,000, and most people do not know which IRS programme they qualify for. This narrows both in about a minute.
Step 1 of 5
How much do you owe?
Most firms will not take a case under $10,000. Pick a range and the rankings adjust.
Why this is worth a minute
What the questions are actually for
Every firm asks the same four things on the first call. Answering them here means you arrive knowing which programmes are realistic, rather than finding out after you have paid an investigation fee.
Debt amount
Whether you need a firm at all
Under roughly $10,000 the IRS approves most installment agreements online in about fifteen minutes. We will say so rather than sell you something.
What a firm charges for →Debt type
Whether it is specialist work
Payroll and 941 debt can attach to you personally through the trust fund recovery penalty. That is a different problem from personal income tax.
Who handles payroll →Unfiled returns
What has to happen first
The IRS will not negotiate with anyone out of filing compliance. Missing years get cleared before any settlement is possible.
Who does prep in house →Collection stage
How urgent it is
A final notice starts a 30-day window that is the strongest right you have. A levy already running is a different conversation.
The first 72 hours →Before you give anyone your number
What we won’t do
Positions 1 and 2 on our rankings are sponsored placements, held by firms that pay us. We say so in the advertiser disclosure at the top of every ranking, and the drawbacks we list for them are the same drawbacks we would list for anyone else — read the first two cards and you will find what each firm does not publish.
Everything below position 2 is ordered on what we can verify: published pricing, guarantee terms and the credential mix. No firm can buy a score, and no firm can buy a "best for" label. We do not publish a ranking in any category where fewer than three firms clear the credential floor, and when a firm's regulatory record changes we re-score it within 30 days.
Enrolled agents, CPAs and attorneys actually employed — verified against licensing boards, not counted off an About page.
Whether a real number is quoted on the first call, whether it is flat or staged, and what triggers extra billing.
Read against the contract. A refund tied to "improved payment terms" scores lower than one tied to outcome.
Response times, whether you keep one case manager, and complaint patterns across BBB, Trustpilot and CFPB filings.
State AG actions, FTC enforcement and license suspensions in the last seven years. Any open action is disqualifying.
If a firm says any of this
Four things that should end the call
The IRS warns about firms that promise to eliminate tax debt and then leave taxpayers with nothing, and the FTC has brought enforcement actions across this industry. Only the IRS can decide whether you qualify for a program — no company can know that on a first call.
- A guaranteed number"You will settle for pennies on the dollar" is a claim no firm can make before reviewing your financials. Only the IRS decides who qualifies.
- A guarantee that covers littleSeveral firms advertise money-back guarantees that apply only to the investigation phase, or exclude your deposit. Ask what percentage of your total bill it actually covers.
- Pressure to decide todayA deadline that exists only inside the sales call is a sales tactic, not a tax deadline.
- No named professionalYou should be told the name and credential of the person who will actually sign your Form 2848.
Credentials
Who is allowed to represent you
Only three professions may practise before the IRS under Treasury Department Circular 230. Any firm you speak to should name the person who will sign your Form 2848 and tell you which of these they hold.
You can verify an enrolled agent directly with the IRS and an attorney with the relevant state bar. We think you should.