Tax Resolution Fees

Jill Bridges
Expert Contributor
Last Updated:
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  • When you hire a tax resolution specialist, you may need to pay a variety of fees.
  • While some specialists charge a flat rate, others charge fees based on the services they perform.
  • Fees for businesses tend to be higher than fees for individual taxpayers.

If you have tax debt and need to hire a tax professional to help, you may be wondering how much your tax resolution is going to cost you. The quotes from different firms can vary widely, so it’s important to know what to expect.

Before you hire a tax resolution firm to provide back tax assistance services, take a look at your tax resolution options and their requirements.

Tax Transcript and Compliance Check

In many cases, a tax firm will need your tax transcript to provide you with precise fees. This will confirm your penalties, interest, and back taxes balance, as well as your compliance history. This is known as a transcript review, a compliance check, or, in some cases, an investigation.

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Financial Analysis

Your financial circumstances will also impact your possible solutions with the IRS. Your eligibility for IRS tax resolution is largely based on your personal or business financial circumstances.

Tax Resolution Fees

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Most tax resolution companies include the tax transcript and financial analysis with their other services, but others may charge a minimal upfront free. Other firms may include the tax transcript and financial analysis in the total fee for the resolution services.

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Tax Resolution Company Fees

Once a tax resolution company informs you of the fees they will charge for their services, it’s important to understand how your payments are laid out in your contract.

  • Total upfront fee or payment plan.Some tax resolution firms ask for the total fee upfront, while others will provide you with a payment plan. You may receive a discount for paying your balance upfront.
  • Part of the fees upfront. Some tax resolution firms will ask for a portion of the fee upfront. You then pay the remainder of the fee in monthly payments.
  • Continuous monthly payments until your case is closed. Some tax resolution companies will charge a monthly fee, or a retainer, each month until the case is closed. This may also be in addition to a considerable upfront fee.

The manner in which a tax resolution firm charges fees may vary by company, but they do follow a general structure.

Several tax resolution companies use flat fees, which could mean one of two different structures:

  • A flat fee for services.This includes resolution for any number of IRS issues. If you have issues with different tax agencies, however, you may have a separate fee for each agency.
  • Flat fees for specific services according to your back taxes. This is a sliding scale for your payment plan that’s based upon the total you owe to the IRS.

Some tax resolution companies and individual licensed tax professionals bill by the hour. Fees can range from $200 and $500 per hour.

How Much Do Tax Resolution Services Cost?

Depending on the extent of your back taxes and the work involved in reaching a resolution, a case can take between several months and several years. On average, tax resolution services cost around $3,500 to $4,500 total.

For a business, such as an LLC, partnership, C-corp, or S-corp, the fees for tax resolution will have a higher cost. This is especially true for businesses that file 940s or 941s. With complex tax resolution circumstances, the fees may cost as much as $7,000.

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Major tax resolution firms often charge higher rates for the same services, due to their increased overhead and marketing costs.

Other Pricing Factors

Even if the average range is $3,500 to $4,500 for tax resolution firms, you may end up paying more or less than that. Tax resolution companies can vary in the prices and services offered, and the more extensive and complex the case, the higher the overall cost will be.

Another factor in the price of tax resolution is the total back taxes you owe to the IRS. Generally, the higher the back taxes, the more complex the resolution will be. This is because the IRS requires additional documentation and financials for back taxes exceeding $50,000. If you owe more than that, you may be required to pay a higher amount than the average fee.

Tax Resolution Pricing Guide

Here are the standard services provided by a tax resolution company and the average fees for each:

Installment Arrangement

If your tax resolution firm is arranging a payment plan or installment agreement with the IRS, the average fee will be between $2,500 and $3,500. You may pay more than that if you’re looking to arrange a payment plan for a business.

Partial Payment Agreement

Partial payment agreements are a little more involved than standard payment agreements, and they often result in you paying a lower amount than your total back taxes. Because of the work involved, the average fee for a partial payment agreement is $3,500 to $5,000.

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Penalty Abatement

Penalty abatement tends to be an additional service to a payment agreement. It is also offered as a stand-alone service, however. Penalty abatement costs range from $250 to $1,000. It’s important to be sure that you’re abating more penalties than the cost of the total fee to ensure that the service is worthwhile.

Offer in Compromise

Arranging an Offer in Compromise can cost between $4,000 and $7,500, due to the work involved. Before entering into an Offer in Compromise, be sure that you won’t be charged any additional fees if the IRS doesn’t accept the offer.

Currently Not Collectible Status

Obtaining a Currently Not Collectible status costs around $2,500 to $4,000 at the average tax resolution company.

Innocent Spouse Relief

Achieving innocent spouse relief can cost between $3,500 and $5,000.

Tax-Related Identity Theft

Resolving tax-related identity theft can cost between $2,500 and $5,000, according to the complexity of the case.

If you’re shopping for a tax resolution firm, it’s important to be sure that the pricing works for your needs. Remember that although an experienced firm may have slightly higher fees than another firm, it may be worth the extra cost to get the right tax professionals to handle your case and get the best possible outcome.

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At Solvable, we have a vast network of tax professionals to help you navigate your tax resolution options and find the best solution to your tax problems. Contact us today to learn more about what we have to offer!

 

Jill Bridges
Expert Contributor
Last Updated: