• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
Good Financial Cents®
Content is based on in-depth research & analysis. Opinions are our own. We may earn a commission when you click or make a purchase from links on our site. Learn more.
  • Make Money
    • Get Money Now
      • Ultimate Guide to Making Money
      • Need Money Now
      • Get Free Money Fast
      • Make Money Fast
      • Make $1K Per Month
    • Control Your Destiny
      • Self Employed Jobs
      • Make Money from Home
      • Hobbies That Make Money
      • How to Become a Freelance Writer
      • Small Business Ideas to Start
      • How to Become an Independent Contractor
      • Best Online Jobs
    • Passive Income
      • Passive Income Ideas
      • Multiple Streams of Income
      • Extra Income
      • Residual Income Ideas
      • Learn to Sell e-Books
      • Make Money on Facebook
      • Make Money on Tiktok
      • Best Online Survey Sites to Make Money
    • Explore More
      • Make Money for Teens
      • Best Online Colleges
      • Best Jobs No College Degree
      • Become a Millionaire
      • Careers for the Future
  • Manage Money
    • Best Of
      • Budgeting Tools
      • Personal Finance Software
      • Best Cashback Cards
    • Company Reviews
      • Personal Capital vs Mint
      • Personal Capital Review
      • SmartAsset Review
    • Guides
      • Buy or Lease a Car
      • What is Liquid Net Worth?
      • Setting Financial Goals
      • How to Budget
      • Ways to Save Money
    • Explore More
      • How Much Car Can I Afford?
      • Best Auto Refinance Companies
  • Invest
    • Best Of
      • Best Short and Long-Term Investments
      • Best Low Risk Investments
      • Best Online Stock Brokers
      • Best Crypto Exchanges
      • Best Short Term Investments
      • Best Long Term Investments
      • Best Trading Platforms
      • Best Investment Apps
    • Company Reviews
      • Lending Club
      • Robinhood
      • M1 Finance
      • Ally
      • TD Ameritrade
      • Fundrise
      • Betterment
      • Etrade
      • Wealthfront
    • Guides
      • Investing for Beginners
      • Investing Small Amounts of Money
      • Investing in Real Estate
      • No Money Down Real Estate
      • Bonds vs Stocks
      • Peer to Peer Lending
      • Best Hedges Against Inflation
      • Safe Bitcoin Investing in 2022
    • Explore More
      • Bitcoin vs. Real Estate
      • Betterment vs Wealthfront
      • Investing for College Students
      • Stock Market Alternatives
    • By Investment Amount
      • How to Invest $100
      • How to Invest $1K
      • How to Invest $5K
      • How to Invest $10K
      • How to Invest $20K
      • How to Invest $50K
      • How to Invest $100K
      • How to Invest $200K
      • How to Invest $500K
      • How to Invest $1M
  • Taxes
    • Best Of
      • Best Tax Relief Companies
      • Best Tax Software
    • Guides
      • Federal Income Tax Guide 2022
      • Taxes and Cryptocurrency
      • How to Do Your Own Taxes
      • How to Invest Your Tax Refund
      • Hiring a Professional Tax Preparer
      • Tax Tips for Freelancers
    • Company Reviews
      • TurboTax Review
      • H&R Block Review
      • Taxslayer
      • Tax Act
  • Insurance
    • Best Of
      • Best Life Insurance
      • Best Home Insurance
      • Best Auto Insurance
      • Cheap Term Life Insurance
      • Car Insurance For Young Adults
    • Guides
      • Term vs Whole Life
      • Different Types of Car Insurance
      • Average Cost of Car Insurance
    • Explore More
      • Life Insurance Over 50
      • Life Insurance Over 80
      • $1 Million Life Insurance
      • $2 Million Life Insurance
      • $3 Million Life Insurance
    • Company Reviews
      • Banner Life Insurance
      • Ladder Life Insurance
      • Health IQ
      • Haven Life
      • Policygenius
      • State Farm Auto Insurance Review
  • Retirement
    • Roth IRA
      • Best Places to Open a Roth IRA
      • Best Investments for Roth IRA
      • 7 Roth IRA Secrets
      • Roth IRA Conversion Guide
      • Roth IRA Rules
      • Roth IRA vs Roth 401k
      • Are Roth IRA Contributions Tax Deductible?
    • 401(k)
      • 401(k) Limits
      • 401(k) to Roth Rollover
      • Is 401(k) Enough for Retirement?
      • Maxed Out 401(k): What's next?
    • Traditional IRA
      • Traditional IRA Rules and Limits
      • Traditional IRA vs. 401(k)
      • Simple IRA Rules
      • SEP IRA Rules
      • How Much Do You Need to Start an IRA?
    • Explore More
      • SEP IRA vs. Roth IRA
      • 457 Plan for Successful Retirement
      • 401a Rollover Rules
      • How to Retire at 50
      • How to Retire at 55
  • Banking
    • Best Of
      • Best National Banks
      • Best High-Yield Savings Accounts
      • Best Checking Accounts
      • Best Savings Accounts
      • Best CD Rates
      • Best Money Market Accounts
    • Company Reviews
      • BBVA
      • Synchrony
      • Wells Fargo
    • Explore More
      • 9 Banking Alternatives for 2022
      • What is a Credit Union?
  • Home
    • Best Of
      • Best Mortgage Lenders
      • Best Mortgage Refinance Companies
      • Best Home Warranties
      • Best Homeowners Insurance
      • Best VA Loans
      • Best Mortgage Rates
      • Best Moving Companies
      • Best Home Security
    • Guides
      • Home Buying Checklist
      • Online Home Appraisal
      • How Much House Can I Afford?
      • First-time Homebuyer Programs
      • How to Get Approved for a Home Loan
      • Save Money When Building a House
      • How to Save for a Downpayment
      • When to Refinance Your Mortgage
    • Explore More
      • 15 vs. 30-year Mortgage
      • Home Warranty vs. Home Insurance
      • Veterans United Home Loan Review
      • Quicken Loans Review
      • HELOC vs Second Mortgage
      • DCU Mortgage Review
      • Costco Mortgage Program Review
      • USAA Mortgage Loan Review
  • Credit
    • Best Of
      • Best Credit Repair Companies
      • Best ID Theft Protection Services
      • Best Credit Report Options
      • Best Bad Credit Loans
    • Guides
      • How to Build Your Credit Score
      • How to Raise Your Credit Score in 5 Months
      • How to Dispute Your Credit Report
      • Hot to Remove Collections from Your Credit Reports
      • How Identity Theft Destroys Your Credit Score
    • Explore More
      • What is a Good Credit Score?
      • What is a Bad Credit Score?
  • Debt
    • Best Of
      • Best Debt Consolidation Loans
      • Best Personal Loans
      • Best Student Loans
      • Best Student Loan Refinance
    • Guides
      • What is Debt Consolidation?
      • How to Get Out of Debt
      • How to Get a Personal Loan Approved
      • How to Pay Off Student Loans Faster
      • Should I Consolidate My Debts?
      • Should I File for Bankruptcy?
    • Company Reviews
      • Credible
      • Sofi
Advertiser Disclosure (How We Make Money)
GoodFinancialCents.com has an advertising relationship with the companies included on this page. All of our content is based on objective analysis, and the opinions are our own. For more information, please check out our full disclaimer and complete list of partners.

Optima Tax Relief Review: Transparency and Clarity Take Priority

Jolene Latimer | January 13, 2022

  • Key Takeaways:
  • – Clear timeline for the tax relief process.
  • – Fully remote appointments available.
  • – Offers a suite of services including tax preparation and consultation. 
  • – Client bill of rights sets clear expectations.
Learn More

For the many Americans who owe a tax debt to the federal or state government, even just thinking about filing a return or sorting out how to pay their taxes can take an emotional toll. IRS numbers show that in 2019 there were $121 billion in unpaid assessments which includes unpaid taxes and accrued penalties and interest.

Knowing how much tax you owe — and how to pay that debt — can be overwhelming, which is why many people turn to tax relief services when trying to get out of tax debt. 

Since there are so many tax relief services in operation, it’s important to carefully review candidates before moving forward with any company. If you’ve been considering Optima Tax Relief, here’s what you need to know. 

Ads by Money. We may be compensated if you click this ad.AdAds by Money disclaimer
If you owe more than $10k in taxes, tax relief can allow you to break down your debt into payments.
Tax Relief Services provide a full menu of tax relief services to help clients get out from under the yoke of tax debt. Click on your state to get started.
HawaiiAlaskaFloridaSouth CarolinaGeorgiaAlabamaNorth CarolinaTennesseeRIRhode IslandCTConnecticutMAMassachusettsMaineNHNew HampshireVTVermontNew YorkNJNew JerseyDEDelawareMDMarylandWest VirginiaOhioMichiganArizonaNevadaUtahColoradoNew MexicoSouth DakotaIowaIndianaIllinoisMinnesotaWisconsinMissouriLouisianaVirginiaDCWashington DCIdahoCaliforniaNorth DakotaWashingtonOregonMontanaWyomingNebraskaKansasOklahomaPennsylvaniaKentuckyMississippiArkansasTexas
Get Started

About Optima Tax Relief

Like many of its competitors, Optima Tax Relief offers tax negotiation and settlement services in addition to tax preparation. They’re experienced in IRS audit defense and committed to a smooth, honest client experience. Optima Tax Relief takes its free consultation a step further than competitors by involving tax specialists and chartered accountants who create a clear, transparent plan so you know what to expect upfront.

Optima Tax Relief Services

Optima Tax Relief can help you negotiate or resolve a tax debt, and offer other services to explore.

Tax Consultation

Optima Tax Relief offers a free tax consultation to people who are experiencing difficulties with their tax situation. For example, if you’re potentially facing wage garnishment from the IRS. The goal of tax consultation is to provide you with a road map forward to solve your tax problems. Optima draws on its team of attorneys, enrolled agents and chartered accountants to review your plan. 

During your consultation you’ll discuss topics such as removing tax liens, ending wage garnishment, tax planning, initiating an installment plan or even help with tax preparation. You can use the information from your discussion to move forward with resolving your tax issues on your own, with a different service, or with Optima Tax Relief. 

To get started, you can call Optima Tax Relief at 800-536-0734 or you can fill out their online form. You’ll need to answer questions such as how much tax debt you’re in, how you earn your income, how many years of unfiled taxes you have, and what state you live in.  

Tax Protection Plan

Optima’s tax protection plan is a multi-tiered service that combines IRS protection with tax preparation and identity theft monitoring. 

All tiers of the service offer what Optima calls “IRS protection”. What it includes as part of this service is monitoring IRS collections and balances, and performing a tax withholding analysis. If you need help with a tax resolution, you’ll also qualify for lower fees if you’re a subscriber to its protection plan. 

The tax preparation component is where the basic, standard and professional plans separate themselves. In the Basic Plan ($29.99 a month), you’ll have to prepare your taxes on your own, but you’ll have access to Optima’s software. You can use the software for one return annually. For additional returns, you’ll have to pay another fee. Note, if you’re just planning to use the product for their tax software, be sure to compare it against top tax software competitors first.  

With the Standard Plan ($49.99 a month), Optima will file your taxes if you’re a wage earner. It also offers a $2,000 preparation guarantee. If you’re an independent contractor, you’ll need to get the Professional Plan, at $69.99 a month. In this tier, Optima will also help you determine your estimated quarterly payment amounts. 

Each tier also comes with a level of ongoing ID theft protection, with the Standard and Professional plans offering credit monitoring. 

Tax Resolution

Tax resolution is where Optima’s expertise truly rests. They’re equipped to help with many tax resolution scenarios. Here are just a few of the areas they are equipped to help clients in:

  • Audit representation
  • Levy release
  • Innocent spouse relief
  • Offer in compromise
  • Tax lien removal
  • State tax issues

To get started with Optima Tax Relief, you’ll complete your initial consultation. Then, you’ll enter phase one, the “Investigation Stage” which lasts about two to four weeks. During this step, they’ll make contact with the IRS and review your options. After that, you’ll enter the “Resolution Stage” which takes about three to nine months. After the resolution, you’ll have established IRS compliance. 

Once you’re a client with Optima, you’ll have access to an online client portal so all of the work you’re doing with your representative stays organized. 

Get Started With Optima

Unique Features

There are many tax relief services on the market today — here’s what makes Optima Tax Relief stand out. 

  • Highly transparent: Optima Tax Relief is upfront about each stage of the tax relief process, the work they’ll do on your behalf, and how long they expect this to take. 
  • A+ Better Business Bureau rating: Optima Tax Relief has an A+ rating with the BBB and they have been accredited since 2012. 
  • Protection plan: Not all tax relief services offer ongoing IRS protection and identity theft protection or credit monitoring. 
  • Client bill of rights: Optima Tax Relief has established its own client bill of rights that includes rights such as clear expectations, straight talk and innovative, smooth client experience. 

When to Use Optima Tax Relief

Even though you can technically pursue tax relief by yourself, the tax code can be complicated to decipher. It’s easy to make mistakes when it comes to your taxes and it can be hard to fix problems that occur. That’s where tax relief companies come in, and some are more genuine than others. 

Tax relief companies know you’re probably desperate when you’re coming to them for help, and sometimes they can take advantage of that. What’s positive about Optima Tax Relief is their transparency. 

Its two-phase process presents a clear strategy for clients: first, they’ll help stop any urgent issues with your taxes, and next, they’ll fix your problems long term. 

Optima Tax Relief is positioned to help clients anywhere in the country. It works with clients in a variety of scenarios — even if you don’t have tax issues. But its greatest expertise is in helping people resolve IRS or state tax debt. 

If you’re overwhelmed or mystified by your taxes, Optima Tax Relief’s two-phase process could offer necessary clarity. 

Optima Tax Relief vs. Other Tax Relief Competitors 

The tax relief industry has a lot of competitors. Here’s how to compare some of the most popular companies. 

CompanyBBB ratingFree consultation?Services
Optima Tax ReliefA+YesTax resolution, tax preparation, tax settlement, protection plan
Anthem Tax ServicesB+NoTax preparation, tax resolution, bookkeeping
Larson Tax ReliefA+YesEmergency and long-term tax relief

What You Should Know About Tax Relief Services

A lot of people use tax relief services to resolve their lingering tax issues and leave positive reviews, but this isn’t the case for everyone. Sometimes, tax relief can cause additional headaches.  

This is because there are a lot of bad players in the tax relief world. So many people are duped by tax scams that the IRS continually updates its website with new scams as they occur. These can range from “ghost” tax preparers to fraudulent emails claiming to represent the IRS or a popular tax software preparation company. These scams are popular year-round, but particularly at tax time. In 2016, for example, the IRS saw a 400% increase in phishing schemes at tax time. 

Keep in mind that if your situation is simple enough, you might be able to resolve it on your own. The IRS has many online tools, such as their Offer in Compromise Pre-Qualifier, that you can use to get started. Resolving your tax debt yourself can save you money. If you don’t feel comfortable trying on your own, there are several free government-sponsored and nonprofit tax resources that you can access. 

The Bottom Line

If you’re going to use a tax relief company to help you with your tax issues, Optima Tax Relief offers a clear, transparent approach and their client bill of rights puts the client experience front and center. 

However, be sure to shop around before moving forward with any tax relief service. It’s smart to get a free consultation when offered. Then, compare each plan you’re presented with and go with the company that not only works best for your budget but who you feel is best aligned with your working style. 

Not sure where to start? Compare the top companies online before moving forward with a consultation. 

Learn More About Optima

Optima Tax Relief FAQs

The initial consultation is free, after that Optima charges a fee based on your situation.

Yes, Optima Tax Relief helps with state taxes in addition to federal taxes.

Optima Tax Relief has an A+ rating with the BBB.

Facebook LinkedIn Twitter

About the Author

Jolene Latimer has her Master's in Specialized Journalism from the University of Southern California. She writes about personal finance, sports and marketing.


You Might Also Enjoy

How is Passive Income Taxed?

How is Passive Income Taxed?

SEP IRA vs. Roth IRA: What's the difference?

SEP IRA vs. Roth IRA: What's the difference?

Best Tax Software Programs for 2022

Best Tax Software Programs for 2022

8 Best Tax Relief Companies of 2022

8 Best Tax Relief Companies of 2022

How to Handle Taxes and Cryptocurrency

How to Handle Taxes and Cryptocurrency

3 Simple Ways to Do Your Own Taxes

3 Simple Ways to Do Your Own Taxes

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Make Money
  • Manage Money
  • Invest
  • Taxes
  • Insurance
  • Retirement
  • Banking
  • Home
  • Credit
  • Debt
  • About
  • Contact
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
  • Facebook LinkedIn Twitter

© 2022 Good Financial Cents®. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | Licenses & Disclosures

All written content on this site is for information purposes only. Opinions expressed herein are solely those of AWM, unless otherwise specifically cited. Material presented is believed to be from reliable sources and no representations are made by our firm as to another parties’ informational accuracy or completeness. All information or ideas provided should be discussed in detail with an advisor, accountant or legal counsel prior to implementation.

All third party trademarks, including logos and icons, referenced in this website, are the property of their respective owners. Unless otherwise indicated, the use of third party trademarks herein does not imply or indicate any relationship, sponsorship, or endorsement between Good Financial Cents® and the owners of those trademarks. Any reference in this website to third party trademarks is to identify the corresponding third party goods and/or services.