Optima Tax Relief Reviews

Optima just takes your money and gets no results. I paid 8000 $ in the year 2025 hoping all year long that I would get the help I needed and all they did for me was what I could of done for free on the irs website. Optima never called me with any updates, the only call I ever received was from the billing dept trying to squeeze more money from me. When I called Optima it was like the representative had no clue what needed to be done with my case. This was such a bad experience. Don't go with Optima if you're looking for help. I think a better option would be precision tax relief. Save your money, don't choose Optima period.

I contacted them, paid a $500 fee for them to make a plan. They came back wanting to talk to me ahead of our scheduled appointment in some frantic aggressive manner and tried to demand I pay them a $13,000 fee to handle my case. My total tax Debt is close to $25,000. At first I didn't want to, but I want to handle my taxes, so I followed up to inquire about starting and never heard back from anyone. I've sent several emails requesting refund and no response to those. This is a scam.

This company does nothing to lessen you from IRS harassment. They don’t communicate where they are in the process nor do they provide any guidance as to how to navigate and communicate with the IRS. The audit department don’t talk with the protection department, leaving the customer in the middle and in the dark. I ended up resolving my case on my own and faster than Optima Tax Relief. Stay away from Optima.

I hired Optima Tax Relief to represent me for the IRS. They did a wonderful job and I would recommend anyone that need help with the IRS to choose Optima Tax Relief, I give them 5 stars for the great job they did for me.

Do not use Optima! They're nothing more than a money grab. They promised the world and 3 years later, after we said we were contacting a lawyer optima blocked us from accessing our account and canceled our power of attorney. Our wages were garnished after they promised they wouldn't be. They never made one appointment, and always had an excuse. It has been a complete nightmare.

I wouldn't even give them a star if it were possible. The worst decision I have ever made in my life. I paid them almost $8,000 to take my on my case. All they did was drag it for over 3 years. A bill that started out at $21,000 ended up over $45,000 after penalties and interest. They think they did me a favor by negotiating a payment plan of $580 a month until the amount was collected, I contacted the IRS and within 2 weeks was able to negotiate with them to eliminate the penalties and interest and paid the original amount owed. Optima is a completed scam. WORST DECISION I EVER MADE....

I've never been more angry. I should have known from the beginning when they kept avoiding answering the direct question of how much they could reduce my tax debt. I find out now, five years later, I paid them over $8000 to string me along and not reduce my debt by one cent! They just now literally just told me they never said they could reduce my debt, this last person said if you read the contract you signed you will see we never promised we could reduce your debt. She said nothing you can do will reduce your debt, you have to pay that.

I paid Optima over $8,000 because my husband was behind on his taxes. They ended up filing all but two years (I had to file those myself). We ended up with a garnishment on his pay and a federal tax lien so basically I paid them $8,000 to do my taxes which I could have done much cheaper. I feel they give false advertising as the only way you can get a break on past due taxes is if you have NO ASSETS WHATSOEVER. The IRS doesn't just reduce your tax liability because they like you. As far as I'm concerned this place was a total rip off and I am no better off now than I was before I even filed. Now we have a garnishment and a tax lien. TWO THINGS that they promise they protect you from. So I ask Optima, What did I pay you for???

I paid the $495 so-called investigation phase. OTR came back 3 weeks later and said it will be $6100 paid out over 10 months to represent me. Without giving me the end result of what I owe the IRS. This didn’t sit well with me and I trusted my instincts. I called the IRS directly and asked them if Optimum Tax Relief ever contacted them regarding me and they stated nowhere in my case. Does it state, or is noted that Optima Tax relief contacted the IRS on my behalf. The agent from Optimum Tax Relief where I was dealing with once I sent them an email telling me this did not return any phone calls or emails. Stay far away, they are a scam.

OPTIMA IS A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY. Putting Optima Tax Relief between my tax creditors and me actually made things worse for me. I wish I had worked with the State of California, where I owed tax, rather than paid thousands to Optima while my tax debt worsened. I felt a lot of stress and disappointment working with Optima. The company tries to get you to leave a review before they get any results for you, and in my case the results were unsatisfactory so they clearly try to dodge bad reviews.