Who Owns the Ubiquitous “Tax Relief Alternatives” ads? Tax Defense Network.

“Tax Relief Alternatives” is an ad that shows up in various forms when you are searching for IRS back tax help online.  Tax Defense Network is the advertiser.  

This is a review of Tax Relief Alternatives ads, and their connection to the Tax Defense Network.  Tax Defense Network does not meet irs back tax help hiring criteria.  If you have questions about this review, please reference:  bp106.

• If you know you need to take action, read my article “IF” you should hire IRS back tax help.  (You should not automatically.) Titled “Owe IRS back taxes? When, who, and how do I hire IRS back tax help?” before you do anything else.

As usual, If you like the tone of this writing, I would like to refer you to someone who meets irs back tax help criteria.  Please contact irs back tax help.  Before you email me, please click on and read “About irs back tax help.”

Are the Tax Relief Alternatives ads the only way Tax Defense Network advertises?  No.

Tax Defense Network, to their credit, has many arrows in their advertising quiver.  They are somehow linked to the IRS Hitman, or IRS Tax Lien Settlement HQ as well.  Here’s a review for Tax Defense Network/The IRS Hitman/IRS Tax Lien Settlement HQ.

Tax Defense Network is also somehow affiliated with consumertaxreports(dot)org.  More on Tax Defense Network and consumertaxreports. 

Before you hire any Tax Resolution Company for your IRS back taxes, perform some quick due diligence.  If more people would research Tax Debt Relief companies before they hire them a lot of pain and heartache could have been avoided.  JK Harris, TaxMasters, Ronni Lynn Deutch, American Tax Relief, et al, would have had a much smaller negative impact on people who owe back taxes. 

Overall, if you are thinking of hiring a tax resolution company, use my reviews to help you choose, do your homework, and then listen to them and then see what the second opinion says about your tax problems. Of course, we would like to be that second opinion, but as long as you take the time to do a little homework as listed in the first link above, you’ll probably be fine.  Click “About irs back tax help” to learn about us or read irs back tax help Testimonials to see how we treat people.

If you would like irs back tax help to be your first or second opinion, I can be reached at irsbacktaxhelp@gmail.com.  I do not pressure people in an already stressful situation.

Regards,

irs back tax help

 

Is Tax Defense Network related to Consumer Tax Reports?

Why does Tax Defense Network sponsor Consumer Tax Reports on their website when no other tax resolution company does?  

This is a review of “Consumer Tax Reports (dot) org” who maintains a tax resolution company review website.  If you have questions about this review, please reference:  bp93.

• If you know you need to take action, read my article “IF” you should hire IRS back tax help.  (You should not automatically.) Titled “Owe IRS back taxes? When, who, and how do I hire IRS back tax help?” before you do anything else.

As usual, If you like the tone of this writing, I would like to compete for your business.  I can be reached at irsbacktaxhelp@gmail.com.  Before you email me, please click on and read “About irs back tax help.”

What is your experience with Consumer Tax Reports?  

I’ve been in the tax resolution industry for years.  Until 2 weeks ago, I had never seen or heard of consumertaxreports(dot)org.  I became aware of their IRS tax resolution review site one morning when I received two comments back to back on the irs back tax help blog, followed by an email to irsbacktaxhelp@gmail.com.  The comments on the blog were from “Michael Corbin” (real or pseudonym?) who poses as someone who needs tax help.  His partner in crime is “Kathy Binkwater”.  It appears it is their full time job to surf the internet and spam any comment section they can to promote Consumer Tax Reports.  UPDATE:  Karen Brightwater and Mike Helwet are spam names as well.  UPDATE 3/10/12:  We can add Mark Taylor to their list of spammers.  

Kathy Binkwater and Michael Corbin spam irs back tax help and another blog of mine, “owe IRS need tax debt help” about 2-3 times a day. 

irs back tax help, how are you any different? 

Before I go any further into reviewing Consumer Tax Reports, to be fair, I would like to tell you why I have created my blog:  Profit!  Through referral, and soon, using google adsense on the blog. Why trust my referrals?  Because I have unwavering standards that you can verify on your own, independently.  At no point do I tell you to take my word for anything.  I want to give you the tools to evaluate on your own.  I’m glad I can help people, and like it, but I also have self interest.  Not looking to get rich, but would like it to be my primary source of income.  Right now, the irs back tax help blog is not.  My review system is simple to understand:

1.  How long has the tax resolution company been in business?  I recommend at least 5 years.  It is enough time to create a track record (good or bad), and if they have a good record and made it this far, they are likely to continue.  They must be accredited as well.
2. How many complaints does the tax relief company have on their Better Business Bureau review over the three year reporting period?  I’ll give everyone one crazy complaint per year.  So no more than 3 complaints are acceptable.  There are plenty of tax relief companies, large and small who meet that standard, so accept nothing less.  Ignore the letter grade, it is useless.  It will usually be an “A”, if it is a “B” or lower, move on.
3. What does the tax relief company’s google presence look like?  There are an increasing number of review sites.  Some, like Trustlink, seem to be developing in a thoughtful and useful way.  Others like “pissed consumer”, or “ripoff report” sort of predispose the review.  Overall, if there are multiple complaints from customers who are very specific about their problems with a particular tax resolution company, it’s probably reason for concern.  If there is a minor presence that appears it may be from unscrupulous competitors, and the company went to the trouble to rebut, it’s probably not that big of a cause for concern.
   1. Bottom line:  Online complaints + more than 3 complaints on BBB = greater risk for you.
   2. I will never refer you to someone that does not meet the criteria.
4. Does the Attorney/EA/CPA who will represent you have a good record with their licensing authority?  The reason you ask for this name is twofold.
   1. How do they respond to your request?  They should leap at the chance to brag about their tax representation, and provide a name readily.  If not, red flag.  If the tax resolution company is not sure who would represent you because they are “too big”, do you really want to get lost in that crowd?
   2. Really check the reputation of your tax representative.  It is the best way for you  to take care of you.
5. Once everything above is done, listen to them, and then get a second opinion from someone who also meets the criteria.  I would like to be your second opinion.  Then pick the tax relief firm you like best.  You will be in good shape, and educated about the person who will represent you before the IRS and have a good understanding of the IRS collection process and how it will proceed for you.  

irs back tax help Summary for choosing representation:

Start with more than 5 years experience

+ 3 or fewer complaints from the BBB and accredited

 + good google track record

 + Attorney/CPA/EA in good standing

= your safest choice. 

If you’re having trouble finding a tax resolution company that meets this criteria, I’m happy to help.  I can be reached at irsbacktaxhelp@gmail.com.

How does “ConsumerTaxReports” determine their rankings for IRS back tax help? 

I do not know because they do not define their review system.  Now that I have defined why I do what I do and how I do it, I have some questions about how consumertaxreports(dot)org does it. 

Their aggressive behavior and shameless self-promotion through internet spam without adding anything to the conversation, actually made me start thinking about the motives of Consumer Tax Reports.  It also concerns me that they are assuming you should hire IRS back tax help.  That is not always the case.  It brought up more questions than answers.

• How do they make money?  The website is obviously professionally built, and they went to the trouble to do some research on other companies, and then rank those companies in an undefined way. 
• How do they pay for their advertising on Google?    They do not use advertising on their site and their ads only show up above the regular google results, or on the sidebar.  You have to pay google to be placed there and it is expensive.  Who pays for their advertising placement? 
• Why does Tax Defense Network promote ConsumerTaxReports(dot)org on their website?  Is there an undisclosed relationship?  Does Tax Defense Network pay to be placed at #1 on their rankings?  No other company features Consumer Tax Reports on their website.  Not #2, and not #22. 
• How does Consumer Tax Reports dot org determine their rankings?  There is no explanation on their website on how they determine their rankings.  Is it subjective or objective?
• Why do their spammers spend all their time pushing people towards ConsumerTaxReports(dot)org?  I woke up this morning to a fresh round of spam from Kathy Binkwater.  If you are reading this it is because people were searching for real answers and IRS back tax help and clicked on it enough for Google to deem it valuable to the end user; not because I’m paying to get to the front of the line.  I guess I will have to figure out some sort of spam blocking because of these people.  Handling their assaults is taking time away from me writing about taxpayer’s IRS back taxes and what can be done about them. 

OK, enough questions about their motivations and nondisclosure.  Let’s pop the hood on consumer tax reports rankings:

Review of Consumer Tax Reports Rankings

Their top 5:

1. Tax Defense Network.    
   1. In business since 1997
   2. BBB complaints:  31 complaints as of 2/12/12.  Should be no more than 3 complaints. 
   3. Google “Tax Defense Network complaints”.   Read these for yourself. 
   4. Google “Tax Defense Network reviews”. 
   5. Names of attorneys not listed on their website.  You will have to ask if you call.
   6. BBB complaints are enough to not meet irs back tax help criteria.
2. Tax Resolution Institute.
   1. According to Manta.com in business since 2011.
   2. BBB Review:  None.  Tax Resolution is too new to have a review with the BBB.  Maybe they will be great, but you just can’t tell right now.  It does look like the individual members have separate practices, but why not go through existing practice? 
   3. Google “Tax Resolution Institute Complaints”  Same as the BBB.
   4. Google “Tax Resolution Institute Reviews”  Same as the BBB.
   5. Names are listed.  Call to see who will handle the case for you, then check.
   6. The lack of time in business and the lack of a BBB report does not meet irs back tax help criteria.
3. Alvin Brown & Associates.
   1. In business since 1989.
   2. BBB Review:  0 complaints. 
   3. Google looks good for both reviews and complaints.
   4. Some names are listed, confirm with them.
   5. Alvin Brown & Associates meets irs back tax help criteria.
4. Segal, Cohen, & Landis.
   1. In business since 1997
   2. BBB Review:  2 complaints as of 2/12/2012.
   3. Google looks good for both reviews & complaints
   4. Some names are listed, confirm with them.
   5. Segal, Cohen, & Landis meets irs back tax help criteria.
5. Freedom Tax Relief.
   1. In business since 2003.
   2. BBB Review:  16 complaints as of 2/10/2012.
   3. Freedom Tax Relief complaints
   4. Freedom Tax Relief reviews
   5. Names of attorneys not listed on their website.  You will have to ask if you call.
   6. The number of BBB complaints does not meet irs back tax help criteria

Of their top 5, only numbers 3 & 4 meet the irs back tax help criteria.  

I am not compensated or rewarded by anyone discussed in this review.  If you would like irs back tax help to be your first or second opinion, I can be reached at irsbacktaxhelp@gmail.com.