ComplaintsforSequoia Tax Relief

• Initial Complaint

  06/14/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I hired and paid them with assurance they would negotiate a settlement with the state for my taxes owed, set payment plan, and tax forgiveness possibilities. Also stop any interest so I can pay the sum off. They did neither. I set up a payment plan, I have paid more than Ive owed due to their failure to stop interest and penalties. I spoke with the state and they said if the tax relief said they could negotiate any of that that it was a lie. The state of NM doesnt do any of that that the sequoia tax relief said they can negotiate. I paid them $1,500 and got nothing. Ive been unable to reach an attorney and when I get a point of contact, they dont last because they leave, quit, or get fired. I was never notified of a new contact for my case and its happened 4 times in 18 months.

  

  Business response

  08/09/2022

  **************** wanted a payment plan and penalty abatement with the state taxing authorities. He was concerned about levy action, wanted to make sure his past refunds were applied to his debt, and because he was medically unemployed, he wanted the lowest possible agreement.
  
  Sequoia Tax was able to work with the state to establish a good faith payment arrangement, whereby our client made payments of $75/mo and the state agreed to withhold levy action as long as he could continue making payments. This was not a formal arrangement because it did not meet the standard repayment terms to satisfy the debt within a short amount of time, but the state was happy and the client was happy. This was accomplished over one year ago, and the client left us a positive 5-star review on ****** for our promptness and professionalism. At that time, the case was inactive.
  
  In May of this year, the client reached out again to Sequoia wanting additional work. The state continues to charge him interest and penalties, and so his payments of $75/mo are not going very far toward paying down the overall debt. The state was also keeping his state and IRS refunds,and he wanted us to check on this. His email was abrasive, and demanding. He was unhappy that we could not reduce his interest, but we never stated or promised that this was an option it is not an option. Because he was unhappy in his email, we called and offered to conduct a courtesy check at the state to obtain his balance due and confirm that his refunds were in fact being applied (which would reduce his overall balance). We confirmed that this was the case.We offered to set him up on a 72-month formal plan with the state, which would have been $160/mo, and again reiterated that his account did not qualify for interest relief.
  
  To address the clients concerns that his case was transferred, this is outright false. This case has always been handled by the same team, and he was always contacted by one of two people working his case.We have returned his phone calls, returned his emails, and requested an amicable solution to his concerns, even though we resolved his case in the manner in which he hired us.  At this point, we are still willing to work with this client, but we need him to respond to reach a final resolution.

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