Need to file a complaint?
BBB is here to help. We'll guide you through the process.
Complaint Details
Note that complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. See details.
Initial Complaint
09/09/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Product Issues
- Status:
- Resolved
ON MARCH 7 ***** WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE *** ASKING FOR A PENALTY OF $ ********* ON 6/30/24 WE CALLED OPTIMA TAX SO THEY COULD HELP US WE PAID THEM THE ORIGINAL FEE OF $ ****** ON 7/8/24 THEY ASKED US FOR $ ******** FOR THEM TO GO FORWARD WIYH THE INVESTIGATION, WE SENT THE AMOUNT REQUESTED SAME DAY 10 DAYS LATER THEY SAID WE NEVER PAID AND SENT THEM COPY OF PAYMENT AFTER 3 DAYS THEY COMFIRMED THEY HAVE IT.******************* SAID WE WOULD GET A CALL FROM RESOLUTION DEPARTMENT AND WE NEVER DID. ON 7/29/24 WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE *** TELLING US WE DID NOT OWE THE MONEY EVERYTHING WAS CLEARED UP.CALLED OPTIMA SAME DAY AND WAS TOLD WE ARE INTITLE TO REFUND AND WOULD GET BACK TO US ON 9/4/24 AND NOW REFUSE TO REFUND MONEY SAYING THE 15 DAYS CANCELLATION PERIOD WAS OVER AFTER THEY DRAG IT ON ON PURPUSE.Business response
09/16/2024
Optima Tax has reached out to the client and will keep open lines of communication until a mutual agreement is reached. At Optima Tax we strive to uphold the philosophy that clients come first and all of our representatives go through rigorous training to assure we abide by that philosophy. We take all complaints very seriously, and we do our best to turn them around when possible. Optima Tax will continue their efforts until this matter is resolved. Please do not hesitate to contact Optima Tax with any questions. Thank you.Initial Complaint
09/03/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Answered
We have reached out to Optima since the first complaint was filed. According to their customer portal they have all the documents they require. Our tax returns haven't been reviewed as of this morning. Per Amber ****** she will submit an expedited order but I was told last week that would be the case. We get no return calls or communications from them via email or their customer portal. We have already paid the necessary fee with no resolution with the *** at this point.Business response
09/10/2024
At Optima Tax we strive to uphold the philosophy that clients come first and all of our representatives go through rigorous training to assure we abide by that philosophy. We take all complaints very seriously, and we do our best to turn them around when possible. We are reviewing the clients file and will soon reach out to the client to address their concerns.Initial Complaint
08/26/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Product Issues
- Status:
- Answered
I paid Optima Tax Relief 3.395.00 to resolve a tax issue with the **** Months and Months went by without a resolution. So I decided to make an appointment with the **** The *** informed me that I did not owe them any money. So I asked Optima to Refund my money. Their refund department only offered me 300 dollars.I want my full refund of 3.395.00 back. Optima did nothing for me, they knew when they took my money, that I paid upfront, that I owed nothing to the *** .Business response
09/03/2024
Optima Tax regrets that we were unable to reach a mutually agreeable resolution in this matter. Our courtesy offer will remain on the table should the client wish to accept.Initial Complaint
08/19/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Product Issues
- Status:
- Answered
OPTIMA TAX HAS CHARGED ME 295 FOR MY TAX SOLUTION BUT THEN NO BODY FROM OPTIMA TAX EVER CALLED ME TO DISCUSS MY PROBLEM. I NEED MY 295 BACKBusiness response
08/26/2024
Optima Tax had already been in discussions with the client to address the concerns stated in their complaint. Optima Tax had reached out to address the concerns stated in their complaint.Initial Complaint
08/17/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Product Issues
- Status:
- Resolved
Optima Tax Relief was contacted in September of 2021 to negotiate an agreement with the *** to reduce the tax liability from a 2019 audit. (offer in compromise) Upon reaching out to them, I explained, in detail, my situation to the Optima Tax Representative, *****************************, and Optima Tax made statements that they could reduce the amount owed to the *** through methods used at the company. They failed to deliver such results. Instead, they continued the case for over 3 years, resulting in increased penalties to me from the *** and increased amounts due. After filing all returns for the preceding years, and having all refunds taken for the tax liability owed to the *** plus the penalties incurred, I reached out to Optima Tax Relief in disgust of their malpractices. I immediately requested a full refund of the over $3,000 in payments that were taken in installments from me. In lieu of a suitable compromise regarding my refund request, Optima Tax Relief offered me $150 as a refund amount. Optima Tax Relief had ample time and information to file at least 3 forms on my behalf to show work on my account and they did neither. Form 843 for abatement of penalties was never filed. Forms 656 and 433 (OIC) were never filed. Each of these actions would have only taken 7-10 business days to complete but Optima Tax Relief failed to submit anything on my behalf and instead, extended the time by sending out a series of requests via email and explaining that there was always a wait for someone to review what was sent and work on the account. ******************** Tax how now cost me more than what I owed before reaching out to them and I am now requesting my full refund of all monies paid via installment payments returned to me immediately. I do not want to be contacted with substandard resolution offers, yet I want to receive a FULL REFUND for the monies paid to them for work they never fulfilled and now, cannot fulfill since my tax refunds have been taken from me due to their malpractices.Business response
08/28/2024
Optima Tax has reached out to the client and will keep open lines of communication until a mutual agreement is reached. At Optima Tax we strive to uphold the philosophy that clients come first and all of our representatives go through rigorous training to assure we abide by that philosophy. We take all complaints very seriously, and we do our best to turn them around when possible. Optima Tax will continue their efforts until this matter is resolved. Please do not hesitate to contact Optima Tax with any questions. Thank you.Customer response
08/29/2024
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.
Regards,
*********************************
Initial Complaint
08/14/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Customer Service Issues
- Status:
- Answered
I hired optima tax to get my balance reduced by the *** and I've been with them about 9 years now and I haven't got any results every client that I get keeps giving me the same running around they need my check stubs w2s or something but I haven't never got anything done and now the *** is threatening to Gonish my wages because they say they haven't heard from them in 2 years! I paid them all of their money but am getting no resultsBusiness response
08/21/2024
At Optima Tax we strive to uphold the philosophy that clients come first and all of our representatives go through rigorous training to assure we abide by that philosophy. We take all complaints very seriously, and we do our best to turn them around when possible. We are reviewing the clients file and will soon reach out to the client to address their concerns.Customer response
09/04/2024
Hello to whom this time concerns am responding back to the message the reason why I want to reopen the case is because the *** is got me in collection and there wanted to garnish my check and my bank account so I need them to contact the *** because they're saying they still haven't heard from them so in the meanwhile they're telling better Business bureau that they're going to reach out but I don't have time they need to really handle this situation because they told me clearly that they could get my *** situation resolve and it's been 9 to 10 years and they haven't done nothing!Initial Complaint
08/13/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Resolved
I wanted help with a tax situation and I felt they did not help with my tax problem, instead they charged me ******* and were every bit illusive and hard to get in touch with. Once they did get in touch the told me to either sale the house, or come up with 43 thousand and make additional payments. This in no way should have cost for this advice, they could stated that without charging. I cannot see where they were any help and were more than happy to take my money.Business response
08/20/2024
Optima ************** will reach out to the client in good faith effort to address their concerns. We will continue to reach out to the client until a mutual agreement is reached.Customer response
08/28/2024
The reason we are rejecting the response is we had a conversation with the company and as stated by them they would call back Monday 26 aug 2024 at noon. No call was ever received. We initiated another call and were told ******* was on another line and would call us back. We waited for over three hours. This is what I have been dealing with the whole time.
This concerns me because I tried to launch a complaint on there website. They have the good outcomes, but nothing bad, you cant make a complaint in you wanted to. Very poor when trying to research the company.
The resolution would still be a refund. Nothing was done to warrant paying *******. This is a high cost to just state to sell her house and pay a loan. All stuff the *** will tell you for free.
No documents to provide, was never called back either.Initial Complaint
08/13/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Product Issues
- Status:
- Answered
Optima Tax Relief (OTR) advertises themselves as tax experts. Per their website, **********************************, **** service consists of 3 phases: Consultation, Investigation, and Resolution. I hired them to prepare and file my 2020 and 2021 tax returns, then negotiate a payment plan to settle the tax debts. They charged me $495 for the investigation, which I paid in full. Optima completed the investigation. They also charged me $4795 for the resolution portion of their service. I paid off the entire resolution fee in April 2023. In May 2023, OTR completed preparation of my 2020 and 2021 tax returns. They assigned resolution team (Team 125) to negotiate & setup an IRS payment plan. They asked for my 2022 profit and loss statements, 2022 tax returns, and requested I sign a new Power of Attorney agreement. These documents were not part of the original scope of work. Case manager ******************************* emailed me on 3/20/2024. Her email explained the 2022 tax documents "became required after the October 2023 extension deadline had lapsed". She did not address OTR's apparent 5 months of inactivity between May 2023 and September 2023 before the deadline lapsed. She said OTR would not proceed until I provided the requested documents. I submitted them later that day. On 4/05/24, I emailed Team 125 requesting a status update. They did not reply. On 6/10/24, ***************************** scheduled a meeting with *************** member ****************** to discuss my concerns on 6/27/24 3pm. ****************** did not show up for this meeting! ***********************, an *************** member, called me later that day. She was unfamiliar with my case but said shed be my main point of contact going forward. She emailed me asking that I sign a new power of attorney agreement (POA), provide current bank statements, and paystubs. I replied by requesting a partial refund and refused to sign any new agreements. From May 2023 until this present moment, *** has not negotiated a IRS payment plan or delivered a tax resolution.Business response
08/20/2024
Optima Tax has reached out to the client to address their concerns stated in the complaint. At this time, we are currently working with the client to reach a mutual agreement.Initial Complaint
08/10/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Sales and Advertising Issues
- Status:
- Answered
I contacted Optima Tax Relief for help with my tax liability. I've been with Optima Tax since 12/6/2021, and the total cost to retain a lawyer from them is $*****.00. I've since paid the total cost for this service in full as of early 2024. Since I've completely paid them off, they've been radio silent. I haven't heard anything from them; it's like they ghosted me. I want them to do what I paid them to do. I am asking for a resolution, perhaps an offer in compromise with the **** I feel like they are stringing me along. I've received a final 30-day letter from the *** stating their intent to levy my home of 32 years. I had no idea what to do, so I called the *** and talked to them; they then gave me an extra 21 days to resolve my tax issue. But Optima should be helping me with this as this is what I've paid them to do. I uploaded the threatening letter to the Optima portal, and I still haven't heard anything from them. I had my daughter call them on my behalf because I couldn't handle it; I had just lost my husband. She called, and spoke to a woman named *****, who told her that something was wrong with their system, and she said she would call her back. Optima never called my daughter back. I first heard about Optima from a black-owned radio station in ********. I hope they are not a scam organization because I feel that is more egregious. After all, they are praying on minority groupsthe most vulnerable population and giving us false hope. I want Optima to help me with the *** and finish what they started or give me my **** ***** dollars back.Business response
08/15/2024
At Optima Tax we strive to uphold the philosophy that clients come first and all of our representatives go through rigorous training to assure we abide by that philosophy. We take all complaints very seriously, and we do our best to turn them around when possible. Optima Tax is currently reviewing the client's case and we will reach out to the client to address their concerns.Initial Complaint
08/08/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Product Issues
- Status:
- Answered
cancellation &refund of monies sentBusiness response
08/15/2024
Optima ************** immediately reached out to the client to address the concerns stated in their complaint and are happy to report that we have come to a mutual agreement. Although it is not typical for us to offer refunds outside of our cancellation period, a generous courtesy refund was offered. The client has accepted our offer.
*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩
BBB Business Profiles may not be reproduced for sales or promotional purposes.
BBB Business Profiles are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. BBB asks third parties who publish complaints, reviews and/or responses on this website to affirm that the information provided is accurate. However, BBB does not verify the accuracy of information provided by third parties, and does not guarantee the accuracy of any information in Business Profiles.
When considering complaint information, please take into account the company's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints.
BBB Business Profiles generally cover a three-year reporting period. BBB Business Profiles are subject to change at any time. If you choose to do business with this business, please let the business know that you contacted BBB for a BBB Business Profile.
As a matter of policy, BBB does not endorse any product, service or business. Businesses are under no obligation to seek BBB accreditation, and some businesses are not accredited because they have not sought BBB accreditation.
Customer Reviews are not used in the calculation of BBB Rating
Contact Information
6 Hutton Centre Dr Ste 300
Santa Ana, CA 92707
Want a quote from this business?
Get a QuoteCustomer Complaints Summary
767 total complaints in the last 3 years.
315 complaints closed in the last 12 months.