Total Tax has no fee transparency on its website, which is our main complaint about our interactions with the financial company. We know that a simple tax return will cost in the region of $100, with tax relief services costing from $2,500 upwards, but no firm prices are disclosed.
Total Tax Inc. Tax Relief Review
Total Tax offer customers the full spectrum of tax services. These services range from individual tax return preparation and filing to negotiating on clients’ behalf with the IRS. If you have a tax need, Total Tax is likely to have a solution for you.
Total Tax is a mid-sized firm that allows it to offer the best parts of both small and large tax offices. The company prides itself on providing a personal service but still having CPAs, enrolment agents, and tax attorneys at hand to answer any questions you may have.
Our main gripe with Total Tax is the lack of fee transparency on its website. While tax services are highly bespoke, it would be useful to have fee guidelines available so that customers could have an idea of expected charges.
Total Tax Inc. Tax Relief Highlights
MIN TAX DEBT REQUIRED
$0
FREE CONSULTATION
Yes
POTENTIAL EXTRA FEES
Yes
MONEY BACK GUARANTEE
Yes
BBB RATING
A+
Pros & Cons
- Outstanding customer service
- One-stop shop for tax services
- Money-back and service guarantees in place
- No fee structure visibility in place
- Competitors have more up-to-date, user-friendly websites
- Accreditations and organizational memberships are not listed on the website
Tax Relief Service Types
- Dealing with the IRS
- Payroll Tax Debt Relief
- Tax Preparation and Planning
- Federal tax
- State tax
In-House Professionals
- Tax Attorneys
- CPAs
- Enrolled Agents
Type of Fees
- service based
- complexity of case
Associated Fees
Application & Handling Process
We wanted to test just how easy engaging with Total Tax would be, so we visited the Total Tax homepage to get things underway. As the service provided to each individual is bespoke, little can be done online, with almost all interaction taking place via phone call.
The front screen of the Total Tax homepage encouraged us to contact the company by phone. If you scroll down the homepage, there is a simple form we could fill out to kickstart the process in a different way, but this simply operates to organize a call back at a later date.
We contacted Total Tax via the online form and arranged a call back with a tax expert for later that day to undertake our free consultation. The tax expert walked us through the different types of services that Total Tax offered before asking what service we were looking for.
Step 1
Welcome screen
We described our position, stating that we were looking for tax relief and resolution for our position with the IRS. Our dedicated tax expert then explained Total Tax’s process when dealing with tax relief and resolution.
- Consultation stage: The free consultation stage (the first meeting that we had organized) is used to gather information about our current tax situation, the level of IRS involvement, and an understanding of how this situation arose.
- Investigation stage: A Total Tax expert will liaise with the IRS directly to review our case file and put a short-term plan in place with the IRS to provide immediate respite.
- Resolution stage: Total Tax will negotiate directly with the IRS to settle our tax position in our best interests.
Our tax consultant explained that tax resolution could be a lengthy process that takes months, as negotiating directly with the IRS cannot be done quickly.
Our tax expert was very polite, helpful, and sympathetic to our needs, and we felt like our tax issues were in good hands. We asked about fees and were told that Total Tax would charge flat fees for each stage but that this would be established once the company had looked further into our case.
Required Information
As tax resolution can be complex, you will be required to give a lot of information and paperwork to Total Tax during the process. Expect to provide the following information when dealing with Total Tax:
- Name
- Address
- Social Security Number
- Date of birth
- Phone number
- Email address
- Bank statements
- Details of monthly income
- Employer details
- Employment history
- Copies of all IRS correspondence
State Availability
Available in all states
Privacy & Security
Total Tax has a privacy policy online that is refreshingly easy to read and understand. There is no complicated legal language, with the policy stating in simple terms how your personal information is treated.
The policy maintains that your data will never be shared with a third party without your express consent and that appropriate physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards are in place to protect your personal information. There are no adverse reports online about Total Tax’s treatment of personal data.
Customer Support
Maintaining close customer relationships and having good communication are key to a successful tax advisory practice. We contacted Total Tax to see if its customer service was as good as its online reviews indicated. We completed the online form on the Total Tax homepage stating that we were looking for help with tax resolution and provided our name, email, and phone number.
Amazingly, we were contacted by email within 5 minutes of submitting our request, which is very fast for a response to an online form. We arranged a callback later that same day to discuss our tax resolution needs. Our engagement with Total Tax was encouraging and portrayed the company in a very positive light.
Phone Support
(855) 383-4561
In Conclusion
Total Tax offers full tax solutions nationwide and has positive online feedback to support its claims of being a company that can get it done. Total Tax even provides a 30 Day Money Back Guarantee and a Service Guarantee. As such, if you need some form of tax consultancy, you should consider Total Tax. However, more transparency online about fees and fee structures would be beneficial.
FAQ
Yes, Total Tax Inc has been operating since 1991 and has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
The amount Total Tax will charge you depends on the type of service required. This could range from under $100 for tax preparation and filing to thousands of dollars for tax resolution services.
Yes, Total Tax offers a 30 Day Money Back Guarantee and a Service Guarantee.
Disclosure
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After graduating from the University of Warwick with a degree in accounting, David went on to become a fully certified accountant. Since then, he has amassed years of experience working in and
writing for various sectors, including finance, gaming, and telecommunications. Now, he uses his extensive experience and knowledge in business and finance to deliver top-quality content.
