Collections Agencies
Keystone Collections GroupHeadquarters
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Complaints
This profile includes complaints for Keystone Collections Group's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see
Customer Complaints Summary
- 215 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 63 complaints closed in the last 12 months.
If you've experienced an issue
Submit a ComplaintThe complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. 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.
Initial Complaint
Date:08/14/2023
Type:Billing IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Filed local tax return on 4-16-23 and paid $185.13 via VISA card. After filing, I realized my employer didn't send me the correct W-2. I called Keystone to see how much was collected and it was over $600.00. After my employer sent me my corrected W-2, I refiled my Local Earned Income Tax return showing that I only owed $1.00. I movernighted the Amended Form on 4-29-23 and attached a note stating that I overpaid by 184.73. Tracking via USPS showed that it delivered on May 2nd. On 5-11-23 I called to make sure the ameneded return was received. I was told it wasn't. I asked how long that would take to get it into my file. Rep says "no time frame". I called back on 5-22-23. I was on hold so long thaty I had to hang up. I called back on 5-26-23 and was told it was in my file and to allow 60-90 days. Today, 8-14-23.I called back and was told by Barb, that she doesn't see that I am owed a refund because my Amended Return doesn't show refund. Comparing the Amended Return to the original return shows that I am due a refund., I am now advised that I have to resubmit showing a refund being requested. The Amended Return is to show what I paid and the payment I made when I submitted my orginal return. To further confuse the situation, the are charging me $3.20 in pentalites saying I filed late. I filed a day before the due date electronically. They aren't showing the full amount taken out of my paychecks as shown on my W-2 plus my payment on 4-16-23. This place is a mess and they are quick to take your money but not return it.Business Response
Date: 08/25/2023
Dear *** ******:
Thank
you for contacting Keystone Collections Group (“Keystone”) regarding this
complaint ID number. In her complaint, the complainant advised that she filed a
local earned income tax return with Keystone based upon a W-2 inaccurately
issued by her employer. As a result, the complainant’s tax return did not
reflect all of her local earned income tax withholdings, resulting in a balance
due. As a result, she remitted payment based on that return. Subsequently, the
complainant’s employer issued her a corrected W-2, and the complainant filed an
amended local tax return accordingly. In
her complaint, the complainant advised that Keystone has not refunded her the
monies remitted with her originally filed tax return. Please know that I have
thoroughly reviewed the complainant’s account.
Per
my review of the complainant’s account, the complainant’s amended return lists
local earned income tax withholdings satisfying her liability. That is, the
amended return does not reflect monies the complainant previously remitted with
her originally filed tax return. The complainant did not request a refund on
her amended return; rather, the return lists a de minimis balance due (in
the amount of $1.00) to Keystone. Accordingly, no refund has been issued to the
complainant.
The
complainant has been in communication with my office and has been instructed to
further amend her tax return, including a refund request based upon payment she
previously remitted. A written refund
request is necessary for proper account reconciliation. The complainant advised
that she would be faxing the return to my office on August 15, 2023, per the
memorandum on her account. Once this is
completed, Keystone will review the return, and provide a refund if
necessary.
I appreciate the opportunity provided by the BBB to
resolve the concerns of taxpayers and improve our processes.
Thank you
for your attention to this matter.
Very
truly yours,
KEYSTONE COLLECTIONS GROUP
By:
Christopher *. V******
General
CounselInitial Complaint
Date:08/11/2023
Type:Billing IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Since 2018, I've been contacted by Keystone Collection Group to pay Harrisburg taxes, which my jobs have automatically paid from my paychecks, which I began living in Harrisburg at the end of 2017 in October, which I have relayed this to them, but they were seeking collection on the entirety of 2017. I informed them that I did not live in Harrisburg and left it at that. In September of 2020, my employer received a garnishment of the wage notice, and I again called them and let them know that I did not live in 2017, but now they wanted for 2019, which I was unemployed for a portion of that year, but allowed the garnishment to occur, and also sent them proof of residency in 2020, with confirmation numbers, and was contacted in November of 2020 for them to tell me my driver's license wasn't enough, so I sent them my old contract and did not hear from them after my wages were garnished until 2023, where they wanted to assess me for 2017, 2018, and 2019, which, I again told them that I did not live in Harrisburg for a large portion of the year and they again asked me to send them documentation (which at this point I no longer have) and gave them the document numbers that I did provide and they said they would get back in contact with me, and then FIVE months later, they send yet another letter in the mail for 2017, without contacting me to confirm those documents. They again sent a letter to my employer without first resolving the issue of whether or not they have my previous documents.
I have previously paid the School Tax, which I was unaware of at the time because I was an apartment renter, but all others I have paid according to my W-2s.Business Response
Date: 08/21/2023
Dear *** ******:
Thank
you for contacting Keystone Collections Group (“Keystone”) regarding this
complaint ID number. In her complaint, the complainant advised that Keystone
garnished her wages to recover payment for delinquent local earned income taxes
(“EIT”). The complainant further advised that she does not owe the taxes based
upon residency. Please know that I have thoroughly reviewed the complainant’s
account.
As a preliminary matter, Keystone serves as the Act
32 Tax Officer for the Dauphin County Tax Collection District and the local
taxing bodies therein. In this capacity,
Keystone is tasked with the administration, collection, and reconciliation of
local EIT for all communities within Dauphin County that assess an EIT.
The Local Tax Enabling
Act (“LTEA”) requires all Pennsylvania resident
taxpayers making earned income and/or net profits to file a local EIT return with
their resident Tax Officer. 53 P.S. § 6924.502(c). It is important to note that
local EIT, like all other income-based taxes, are self-reporting. That is, it is the taxpayer’s legal
obligation to file a tax return, report all income, and remit any outstanding
tax, if necessary.
Per my review of the complainant’s account, she has
never filed a tax return with Keystone. Pursuant
to the information exchange mandate of the LTEA, Keystone is supplied with
limited earnings information from the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue
(“DOR”) used to identify unpaid or underpaid accounts. See 53 P.S. §
6924.509(g). The income figures listed on the complainant’s delinquent notices
were taken directly from the earnings information supplied by the DOR, which
represents figures the complainant listed on her PA 40 personal income tax
returns.
Understanding that the information supplied by the
DOR may be inaccurate, Keystone provides taxpayers with ample notice prior to
the initiation of adverse legal or collection action. Through the LTEA, Tax
Officers such as Keystone are vested with the right to request documentation to
verify the accuracy of a tax return, or if no tax return was filed, to
ascertain the amount of tax due. See 53 P.S. § 6924.509(f). The LTEA explicitly authorizes the collection
of delinquent EIT by wage garnishment.
53 P.S. §§ 6924.702-703.
Further, the complainant was issued an initial
delinquent notice on March 3, 2020. A
Notice of Intent to Garnish Wages was sent on August 5, 2020, via certified mail. Additionally, a second Notice of Intent to
Garnish Wages was sent on September 11, 2020, via first class mail. Following
the notices, the complaint reached out to my office. In the complainant’s
correspondence with Keystone, the complainant was advised to provide
documentation indicating that she did not live in the tax district during the
tax year. The complainant provided a copy of her Pennsylvania issued Driver’s
License. My office advised that this was
not sufficient proof for full-year residency, as people may move without
updating the address on their identification cards. My office advised her to send in further, adequate,
documentation. As this was not done, my
office proceeded with garnishment.If the
complainant further disputes the imposition of the tax, or the income figures
contained on her delinquent notices, she may provide documentation, such as
W-2s or her PA 40 Personal Income Tax Return.
Keystone’s online Pay system allows taxpayers to upload documents
conveniently and securely. Upon receipt,
my office will review and adjust the account, if necessary. It is crucial that taxpayers file tax returns
with their resident Tax Officer in accordance with their statutory obligation.
The filing of a tax return would avoid issues the complainant has outlined in her
complaint.
I appreciate the opportunity provided by the BBB to
resolve the concerns of taxpayers and improve our processes.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Very
truly yours,
KEYSTONE
COLLECTIONS GROUP
By:
Christopher
*. V******
General
CounselInitial Complaint
Date:08/10/2023
Type:Product IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Company is not paying 2022 local tax refunds. My taxes were filed with Keystone on 4/3/23 with a refund due of $291. Five months later and Keystone has yet to issue refunds. No one answers the phone at the business and the website has no way of contacting anyone regarding statusBusiness Response
Date: 08/30/2023
Dear *** ******:
Thank you for contacting
Keystone Collections Group (“Keystone”) regarding this complaint ID number. In his complaint, the complainant advised that
he is due a refund for an overpayment of 2022 local earned income taxes. The
complainant contended that Keystone “is not paying 2022 local tax refunds.”
Further, the complainant alleged that “no one answers the phone at the business
and the website has no way of contacting anyone regarding status.” Please know
that I have thoroughly reviewed the complainant’s account.
Please be advised that
the complainant is not due a refund for 2022 local earned income taxes. Per my
review of the complainant’s 2022 local earned income tax return, the
complainant and his spouse erroneously filed their local earned income tax
return as residents of the City of Bethlehem / Bethlehem Area School District
((as indicated by Political Subdivision (PSD) Code 480202)), which assesses an
earned income tax at the rate of 1.0%. However, the complainant’s resident
address is located in East Allen Township / Northampton Area School District
(as indicated by PSD Code 480504), which assessed an earned income tax at the
rate of 1.2% in tax year 2022. Please note that East Allen Township /
Northampton Area School District assess an earned income tax at the rate of
1.45% for tax year 2023. The complainant and his spouse have filed
their local earned income tax returns to the same address since at least tax
year 2013.
Accordingly, the
complainant and his spouse were withheld correctly at 1.2%, resulting in no
local earned income tax overpayment. No refund is due.
Keystone makes every
effort to expediently and accurately reconcile local earned income tax filings.
If a refund is due, Keystone issues the refund as soon as possible. In this
case, the complainant and his spouse were not due a refund.
Finally, I have
investigated the complainant’s assertion that “no one answers the phone
at the business and the website has no way of contacting anyone regarding
status.” Keystone has experienced no telephone service interruptions within the
past several months. Further, pursuant to a review of Keystone’s call logs
dating back to July 1, no phone calls were placed to Keystone from the
telephone number the complainant listed on his complaint.
Furthermore,
Keystone’s website affords taxpayers the ability to electronically contact us.
Under the “contact” button on the bottom of Keystone’s home page (or at
keystonecollects.com/contact/) taxpayers can submit an online inquiry in which
a Keystone representative will respond within three (3) business days. Often,
such inquiries are responded to within 24 hours. Nevertheless, per my review,
the complainant did not submit an online ticket for further assistance.
As
the complainant is not due a refund, my office considers this matter resolved.
I appreciate the opportunity provided by the
BBB to resolve the concerns of taxpayers and improve our processes. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Very truly yours,
KEYSTONE
COLLECTIONS GROUP
By:
Christopher *. V******
General
CounselInitial Complaint
Date:07/30/2023
Type:Product IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
This agency that collects local taxes just sits on refunds that are due to the taxpayer. This is a yearly issue for me and requires constant futile attempts to communicate. Their website is not set up for anything other than to make a payment so that it can sit in their interest bearing accounts. My local taxes were prepared by my CPA and filed almost 6 months ago. No refund of the $3,487 due to me. My CPA tells me that they are unresponsive and known for delaying refunds as long as possible. My next call is to my local representative and my member of congress to notify them of the horrible service and totally unwarranted delays in refunds.Business Response
Date: 08/09/2023
Dear *** ******:
Thank
you for contacting Keystone Collections Group (“Keystone”) regarding this
complaint ID number. In her complaint the complainant advised that Keystone has
not yet issued her a refund for an overpayment of 2022 local earned income
taxes. Please know that I have thoroughly reviewed the complainant’s account.
As the local earned income Tax Officer responsible
for numerous Tax Collection Districts, Keystone handles a high volume of tax
returns, many of which necessitate the issuance of refunds. Keystone makes
every effort to process taxpayer refunds in a timely fashion. However, because
of the high volume of returns that Keystone processes, there is sometimes an
unavoidable processing delay associated with issuance of refunds. Keystone
strives to provide prompt reconciliation for taxpayers whose accounts warrant
refunds, but this is unfortunately not feasible in every instance.
Nevertheless, upon reviewing the complainant’s
account, my office was able to determine that the complainant is due a refund
based upon the information provided in her 2022 local earned income tax return.
Accordingly, my office issued the refund to the complainant on August 2, 2023.
As a result, my office considers this matter to be resolved.
I appreciate the opportunity provided by the BBB to
resolve the concerns of taxpayers and improve our processes.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Very
truly yours,
KEYSTONE
COLLECTIONS GROUP
By:
Christopher
*. V******
General
CounselInitial Complaint
Date:07/27/2023
Type:Billing IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
This company is randomly sending out tax bills without evidence of owed taxes. Then garnishing wages if I don't prove to them that I don't owe any money. This is an astonishing abuse of power and the law.Business Response
Date: 08/04/2023
Dear *** ******:
Thank
you for providing Keystone Collections Group with the above-referenced
complaint. In his complaint, the
complainant alleged Keystone initiated a wage garnishment against him for
unpaid local earned income taxes for the 2019 tax year. In alleging “an abuse of power and the law,”
the complainant claims, without evidence, that Keystone’s mailing practices are
“random and without evidence of owed taxes.” Please know that I have reviewed the
complainant’s account.
As
a preliminary matter, Keystone serves as the Act 32 Tax Officer for the Chester
County Tax Collection District and the local taxing bodies therein. In this
capacity, Keystone is tasked with the administration, collection and
reconciliation of local earned income taxes for all communities within Chester
County that assess an earned income tax.
The Local Tax Enabling Act (“LTEA”) requires
all Pennsylvania resident taxpayers making earned income and/or net profits to
file an annual local earned income tax return with their resident Tax Officer.
53 P.S. § 6924.502(c). It is important to note that local earned income taxes, like
all other income-based taxes, are self-reporting. That is, it is the taxpayer’s
legal obligation to file a tax return, report all income, and remit any
outstanding tax, if necessary.
Per my review of the complainant’s account,
he did not file a tax return with Keystone. Pursuant to the information
exchange mandate of the LTEAKeystone is supplied with limited earnings
information from the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue (“DOR”) used to
identify unpaid or underpaid accounts. See 53 P.S. § 6924.509(g). The income
figures listed on the complainant’s delinquent notices were taken directly from
the earnings information supplied by the DOR, which represents figures the
complainant listed on his PA-40 personal income tax returns.
Understanding that the
information supplied by the DOR may be inaccurate, Keystone provides taxpayers
with ample notice prior to the initiation of adverse legal or collection
action. The Notice itself provides taxpayers with common examples of situations
in which the tax may not be due. Through the LTEA, Tax Officers such as
Keystone are vested with the right to request documentation to verify the
accuracy of a tax return, or if no tax return was filed, to ascertain the
amount of tax due. See 53 P.S. § 6924.509(f). The LTEA explicitly authorizes the
collection of delinquent earned income taxes by wage garnishment. 53 P.S.
§§ 6924.702-703.
Per my review the complainant was issued an
initial delinquent notice on October 8, 2021.
This letter was sent to the address listed in the complaint to the BBB
and was not returned as undeliverable. A
Notice of Intent to Garnish Wages was sent on February 5, 2022, via certified
mail. A second Notice of Intent to
Garnish Wages was sent on March 18, 2022, via first class mail. Each mailing included an account summary and
served a specific purpose of notification.
These notices all went unanswered, and thus my office proceeded with
garnishment. The complainant’s employer
withheld and remitted wages until the account balance was satisfied in
accordance with the LTEA. The
complainant was released from garnishment on June 14, 2022.
Complainant sent
in documentation for the referenced tax year on July 25, 2023. This complaint followed. On July 31, 2023, the complainant contacted
Keystone, in writing, to advise that he resided within the taxing jurisdiction
for three (3) months, and was therefore entitled a refund for funds previously
garnished. A customer service representative advised that his request was sent
to Keystone’s processing department for review.
Upon review, the complainant will be notified accordingly.
Thank you for
providing Keystone with the opportunity to address the complainant’s concerns.
Very
truly yours,
KEYSTONE
COLLECTIONS GROUP
By:
Christopher *. V******
General CounselInitial Complaint
Date:07/24/2023
Type:Billing IssuesStatus:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I received a statement today for the first time from this company saying that I must pay them in 15 days for tax issues. I HAVE NOT LIVED IN BESALEM since 2012. I live in Delaware Co. ON the ******* page, my balance for 2020 is $0.00. I find this highly unprofessional and will be obtaining a lawyer if I continue to receive these bills. This is unfair.Business Response
Date: 08/04/2023
Dear *** ******:
Thank
you for providing Keystone Collections Group (“Keystone”) with the
above-referenced complaint. In his
complaint, the complainant alleged that Keystone mailed him a delinquent tax
notice requesting payment within fifteen (15) days. The complainant further alleged that he did
not live in the Bensalem Township during the 2020 tax year and disputed the
imposition of tax. Finally, the
complainant disputed that tax is due, as his federal tax balance with the IRS
is satisfied. Please know that I have
reviewed the complainant’s account.
As
a preliminary matter, Keystone serves as the Act 32 Tax Officer for the Bucks County
Tax Collection District. In this
capacity, Keystone is tasked with the administration, collection, and
reconciliation of local earned income taxes for all communities within Bucks County
that assess an earned income tax.
The Local Tax Enabling
Act (“LTEA”) requires all Pennsylvania resident taxpayers making earned income
and/or net profits to file an annual local earned income tax return with their
resident Tax Officer. 53 P.S. §
6924.502(c). It is important to note
that local earned income taxes, like all other income-based taxes, are
self-reporting. That is, it is the
taxpayer’s legal obligation to file a tax return, report all income, and remit
any outstanding tax, if necessary.
Per my review of the complainant’s account,
he did not file a tax return with Keystone or otherwise remit payment. Pursuant to the information exchange mandate
of the LTEA, Keystone is
supplied with limited earnings information from the Pennsylvania Department of
Revenue (“DOR”) used to identify unpaid or underpaid accounts. See 53 P.S. §
6924.509(g). The income figures listed on the complainant’s delinquent notices
were taken directly from the earnings information supplied by the DOR, which
represents figures the complainant listed on his PA 40 personal income tax
return. Based on a comparison between
this information and Keystone’s records, this complainant was identified and
placed in Bensalem Township. If this is incorrect, the complainant may send in
documentation showing that he was not a resident of Bensalem Township during
2020.
In fact, Keystone
understands that the information
supplied by the DOR may be inaccurate. As such, Keystone provides taxpayers
with ample notice to dispute taxation prior to the initiation of adverse legal
or collection action. The Notice itself provides taxpayers with common examples
of situations in which the tax may not be due. Through the LTEA, Tax Officers
such as Keystone are vested with the right to request documentation to verify
the accuracy of a tax return, or if no tax return was filed, to ascertain the
amount of tax due. See 53 P.S. § 6924.509(f).
Per my review the complainant was issued an
initial delinquent notice on September 20, 2022. This letter was sent to the address listed in
the complaint to the BBB and was not returned as undeliverable. A second delinquent notice was sent on
January 17, 2023. Receiving no response,
from the complainant, a Notice of Intent to Garnish Wages was sent on July 18,
2023, via certified mail. This notice is
referenced in the complaint, as the notice states “[i]f your account is not
reconciled within fifteen (15) days from the date of this notice, the employer
referenced herein will be directed to deduct from your pay…until the balance
due on your account is paid in full.”
Please note that the LTEA explicitly authorizes the collection of
delinquent earned income taxes by wage garnishment. 53 P.S. §§ 6924.702-703. All notices sent have been unanswered, and the
account has not been reconciled.
If the complainant
believes this information is in error, he may send in documentation proving that
he did not live in Bensalem Township during the tax year at issue. Finally, please know that the complainant's
federal income tax liability and standing, as determined by the IRS, is not
relevant to this matter, as it concerns Pennsylvania local earned income
taxation.
Thank you for
providing Keystone with the opportunity to address the complainant’s concerns.
Very
truly yours,
KEYSTONE
COLLECTIONS GROUP
By:
Christopher *. V******
General CounselCustomer Answer
Date: 08/05/2023
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.1. I have a Tax form 1040 from 2020 where I have included in my taxes all my work in the year. I never worked for Vita Education in 2020.
2. I have check stubs from the company from when I left in 2017 and I just came back recently in 2022.
3. I have house records stating that I bought the house in Ridley, PA in 2018. Prior to that I lived in an apartment in Ridley from 2012. I haven't lived in Bensalem since 2012 or even before that.
4. I never received those prior letters just this one dated 7/18/2023.
5. The company should do its job correctly and check their information before sending out threatening letters that they do not have correct. I find their letter unprofessional and a disgrace.
6. Everytime I call the company I get to stay on hold for a very long time. I am done with Keystone Collection Group. If they continue to pursue this then I will consider it harrassment and I will seek retribution for their mistakes.
*** ****** ** ** ******** **** ****** ** * ****** ** ***** **** ** **** **** **** ** *** ********
Regards,
***** ****Business Response
Date: 08/30/2023
Dear *** ******:
Thank you for providing my office with the complainant’s response. Please allow me to
address each of his five points in turn.Complainant states that he has a tax form 1040 and that he never worked for Vita
Education in 2020. Please know that the federal tax form 1040 is for federal earned income tax.
Federal income tax is a separate and distinct tax from Pennsylvania Local Earned Income Tax.
Residents of Pennsylvania can be subject to three (3) different income taxes; Federal, State and
local. A separate tax return/form needs to be submitted to the appropriate entity for each tax. As
stated previously, complainant did not file a local earned income tax return with Keystone for the
2020 tax year.The complainant states that he did not work for Vita Education in 2020. Claimant is
referencing the Notice of Intent to Garnish Wages that he received. Pursuant to the Local Tax
Enabling Act Keystone is authorized to initiate a wage garnishment to collect unpaid tax. In
other words, Keystone is attempting to garnish the claimant’s wages from his current employer
to satisfy the outstanding tax. It does not matter that complainant did not work for the identified
employer in 2020.As stated in the prior response, if complainant alleges that he did not reside or work in
Bensalem Township in 2020 the complainant must provide proof that the information supplied to
Keystone from the Department of Revenue is inaccurate. This could be a copy of the
complainant’s PA-40 with supporting documentation such as a W-2.As stated previously, the complainant is required by law to file a local earned income tax
final return annually with all supporting documentation. When this is not provided, Keystone is
forced to rely on the limited earnings information provided by the Department of Revenue.
Keystone provides taxpayers with every opportunity to supply documentation to resolve an
identified discrepancy. As of today, Keystone has not received any of the requested
documentation from the complainant.Finally, Keystone provides individuals who call in with the option to receive a call from
Keystone rather than staying on hold. Further, individuals who do not wish to call Keystone can
communicate their concerns electronically by visiting Keystone’s website.Thank you for the opportunity to address the complainant’s concerns.
Very truly yours,KEYSTONE COLLECTIONS GROUP
By:
Christopher *. V******
General Counsel
Customer Answer
Date: 09/01/2023
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.I would like to directly talk with Chris who responded to this complaint. My cell phone number is ************. I have employment record, tax record, and place of residence during 2020 that I can send to him for documentation. Also, I went on Google Reviews and other sites and other people have the same complaints as me about not living in the area in a certain year, and I never worked for Vita Educational Services in 2020.
I have lived in DELAWARE COUNTY (Ridley, PA) since I owned my house in 2018.
I left Vita Educational Services in 2012 and moved out of the area. After 2012, I never lived in Bensalem nor worked for Vita. I never earned any wages from Vita in 2020.
*** ****** ** ** ******** **** ****** ** * ****** ** ***** **** ** **** **** **** ** *** ********
Regards,
***** ****Business Response
Date: 09/07/2023
Dear Ms. Folino:
Thank
you for providing the complainant’s response to my office. Please allow me to address the complainant’s
concerns in turn.
The
complainant can supply Keystone with documentation showing where he lived and
worked in the 2020 tax year. Specifically, Keystone is looking for
documentation showing where the complainant worked, where he lived, his earnings
and whether local earned income tax was withheld. This information would be contained in the
individuals PA-40 and supporting documents such as a W-2. The fastest way to deliver these documents for
review is to upload them to Keystone by visiting Pay.KeystoneCollects.com and
using the invoice number found on the Notice of Intent to Garnish Wages that resulted
in this complaint.
Importantly,
local earned income tax can be assessed against wages at two locations; where
the taxpayer is domiciled and where the taxpayer works. For instance, if a taxpayer is domiciled in
Ridley Township, where there is no local earned income tax, but works in
Bensalem Township, where there is a 1.0% tax on non-resident income, the
individual would still be liable for earned income tax owed to Bensalem.
Next,
the complainant states that he did not work for the employer listed on the
Notice of Intent to Garnish Wages in 2020.
This is irrelevant. Wages can be
garnished from any current employer to satisfy an outstanding tax liability. In other words, an individual’s 2020 tax
liability can be satisfied by garnishing wages from a current employer.
Should
the complainant provide documentation showing that no tax is owed, my office
will gladly adjust his account.
Thank
you for your assistance in working to resolve this matter.
Very truly yours,
KEYSTONE
COLLECTIONS GROUP
By:
Christopher
*. V******
General
CounselCustomer Answer
Date: 09/07/2023
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********* and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
I have included images from my 2020 1040 form. You can see the address, reported income, and employers I worked for in 2020. I would prefer to supply the documentation here so that we can see how wrong Keystone company is at this point.
Regards,
***** ****Business Response
Date: 09/11/2023
Dear *** ******:
As you are
aware, the complainant submitted documents for review via the BBB. My office has reviewed the documents and
determined that the Philadelphia withholdings reported resolve the previously
identified discrepancy. Accordingly, my
office will issue the taxpayer a separate notice that the account has been
resolved.
Importantly,
the original notice sent to the complainant explained why they were receiving
the notice and what steps they could take to resolve their account. In fact, the back of the original notice sent
to the complaint clearly provides common scenarios that could resolve the
identified discrepancy, including paying tax to Philadelphia.
Regardless,
my office has closed the taxpayer’s account and considers this matter
resolved. Thank you for the opportunity
to address the complainant’s concerns.
Very
truly yours,
KEYSTONE
COLLECTIONS GROUP
By:
Christopher *. V******
General
CounselCustomer Answer
Date: 09/11/2023
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
My employer contacted me from payroll and said my wages will begin to be garnished. This is not resolved as of Friday. They reached out to me. Can you or someone verify if this can be stopped?
Regards,
Brian LariBusiness Response
Date: 09/12/2023
Dear *** ******:
Thank you
for providing me with the complainant’s response. A release of the garnishment will be issued
to the employer in the near future.
Please know that it can take some payroll departments multiple pay
cycles to end the garnishment after a release has been issued. In such circumstances, Keystone will issue a
refund of any payment(s) garnished in error directly to the employee.
In an
effort to fully resolve this matter, my office has emailed Mr. **** a letter
which he can present to his employer’s payroll department in the interim.
Thank you
for your attention to this matter.
Very
truly yours,
KEYSTONE
COLLECTIONS GROUP
By:
Christopher
*. V******
General
CounselCustomer Answer
Date: 09/12/2023
** ******* ****** ** ******** **** ***** ********* **** ********** ** *** ********** ********* ** *** ***** *** *** ****** ** ****** ******* ****
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Regards,
***** ****Initial Complaint
Date:07/24/2023
Type:Service or Repair IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Keystone Collections Group should be audited by the government. I moved outside of North Lebanon Township 12/31/2022. I called to confirm I did not owe any taxes. March 2023, I called with my new address and was told I needed to go on line for an exemption. I did this and received an approval email on 3/12/23. I filed my taxes on time as well for 2022. On 3/19/23, I paid them $36.39. I was told I owed nothing additional. On Friday, 7/21, I received a certified letter dated 6/21/23 stating I was delinquent on a tax of $31.50 and if I didn’t pay by 7/6/23 they were going to do a wage garnishment. I called and spoke with Samantha who never even asked why I was calling but asked my account number, name and address. Put me on hold and told me I had to go on line and ask for an exemption. I told her I already did that and that was not why I was calling. When she finally listened to why I was calling, she placed me back on hold. Then she came back and said they would research. I asked if she was going to stop the garnishment while it was being researched and she said they can’t do that but not to worry because they would pay me back. I was getting understandably upset and told her that would not stop the fact that it would be an embarrassment. I asked to speak with a manager and she said there were none available but I would get a call back in 24-48 hours. I told her I would hold and to get me to the next level above a supervisor. She said they would call me back. I said I would hold so she ended the call. Really? This is not the only issue I have had with them. My niece passed away last year. They had me go online for an exemption but it would not allow me to upload proof. When another notice came in the mail, I was told to mail a copy of her death certificate. I did this months ago. Last week I received another notice addressed to my niece asking for her capital gains tax. I called and was told they would update their system. I need my issue resolved. Thanks.Business Response
Date: 08/04/2023
Dear *** ******:
Thank you for contacted Keystone Collections Group
(“Keystone”) regarding this complaint ID number. In her complaint, the complainant
advised that Keystone issued her a Notice of Intent
to Garnish Wages for delinquent per capita taxes. The complainant
did not explicitly dispute this delinquency; rather, she advised that her issue
was not immediately resolved and Keystone needed to research the matter.
Finally, the complainant advised that Keystone issued her deceased niece a
notice “for capital gains tax.” Please know that I have thoroughly reviewed the
complainant’s account.
As a preliminary matter, please be advised that
Keystone serves as the current and delinquent per capita tax collector for
Palmyra Borough and the Palmyra Area School District. The taxing authorities each assess a per
capita tax on all adult residents of the Borough and School District. Borough
bills are mailed annually on March 1 in the amount of $5.00 and School District
Bills are issued on July 1 in the amount of $10.00.
Per my review of the complainant’s account, she was
issued a 2022 Palmyra Borough per capita tax bill on March 1, 2022, and 2022
Palmyra Area School District per capita tax bill on July 1, 2022. Neither bill
was returned to Keystone as undeliverable, and the complainant did not remit
payment of either per capita tax. Accordingly, on April 26, 2023, the
complainant was issued an initial delinquent tax notice for both the Borough
and School District. The complainant did not respond to this notice, and was issued
a Notice of Intent to Garnish Wages by Certified Mail on June 21, 2023. Please be advised that the LTEA
permits the collection of delinquent occupation taxes by wage garnishment. 53
P.S. §§ 6924.702-703.
The
complainant was also issued a 2023 Palmyra Borough per capita tax bill on March
1, 2023. The complainant submitted documentation to Keystone evidencing her
move from Palmyra to her current address outside of the taxing jurisdictions.
On July 24, 2023, the complainant contacted Keystone in response to the Notice
of Intent to Garnish Wages and spoke with a customer service
representative. The customer service representative advised that Keystone
received the complainant’s documentation and would have the matter reviewed.
Evidently dissatisfied without an immediate resolution, the complainant filed
this complaint.
On
July 27, 2023, a customer service supervisor contacted the complainant and
advised that the tax liability for the 2023 tax year was removed based upon the
complainant’s residency change. However, the delinquent 2022 taxes remained
outstanding because the complainant resided in the Borough and School District
on March 1, 2022 and July 1, 2022, respectively. The complainant remitted
payment in full, and her account has been satisfied. Accordingly, no wage
garnishment was issued to her employer. Keystone therefore considers this
matter resolved.
Finally,
the complainant advised that Keystone issued her deceased niece a notice for
“capital gains tax” after she previously sent Keystone a copy of her death
certificate. Please know that without any name or account number my office is
unable to address this aspect of the complaint. However, I note that Keystone
does not collect capital gains tax, as there is no Pennsylvania local level
capital gains tax. A tax on capital gains is assessed for both Federal Income
Tax and Pennsylvania state level Personal Income Tax purposes. Accordingly, no
such capital gains tax notice could come from Keystone.
I appreciate the opportunity
provided by the BBB to resolve the concerns of taxpayers and improve our
processes.
Thank you
for your attention to this matter.
Very
truly yours,
KEYSTONE
COLLECTIONS GROUP
By:
Christopher
*. V******
General
CounselInitial Complaint
Date:07/10/2023
Type:Billing IssuesStatus:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
This business is knowingly charging taxation to citizens that do not live within its jurisdiction - then refusing to close accounts when all correct action has been taken with the township, real estate taxes, deed transfer, etc....Business Response
Date: 07/13/2023
Dear *** ******:
Thank
you for contacting Keystone Collections Group (“Keystone”) regarding this
complaint ID number. In his complaint, the complainant advised that Keystone
“knowingly charging taxation to citizens that do not live within its
jurisdiction.” By way of further explanation, the complainant received a 2023
Bethlehem Area School District per capita tax bill from Keystone. Please know
that I have thoroughly reviewed the complainant’s account.
As
a preliminary matter, Keystone serves as the current and delinquent per capita
tax collector for the Bethlehem Area School District. The School District
assesses a per capita tax pursuant to Act 511 (Local Tax Enabling Act),
53 P.S. § 6924.101 et seq. and the Pennsylvania School Code, 24 P.S. §
6-679. Per capita taxes are head taxes assessed on all adult residents
of a political subdivision.
Per
my review of the complainant’s account, a representative from my office has
contacted the complainant and provided multiple ways to correct this issue via
an exemption. The taxpayer refused to file an exemption. Typically, this situation is resolved through
one of the following, as previously advised:
Completing and returning the exemption form conveniently located at KeystoneCollects.com (Individuals-Pay/File-Per Capita Tax- Current Exemption Request) or,
Completing the exemption information on the back of the bill received and uploading it to ************************ or via fax at ***** ********.
My
office has performed an independent verification of the complainant’s address
and removed billing from his account. Since
the taxpayer has moved out of the School District, he should no longer receive
bills in the future.
However, the
generally required practice is to complete an exemption form as described above
and to provide necessary supporting documentation. Upon
the proper filing and review, the contested account(s) may be closed following
this accepted practice.
I appreciate the opportunity provided by the BBB to
resolve the concerns of taxpayers and improve our processes.
Thank you
for your attention to this matter.
Very
truly yours,
KEYSTONE
COLLECTIONS GROUP
By:
Christopher
*. V******, EsquireCustomer Answer
Date: 07/14/2023
** ******* ****** ** ******** **** ***** ********* **** ********** ** *** ********** ********* ** *** ***** *** *** ****** ** ****** ******* ****
Better Business Bureau:
Thank you so much for your support! I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Regards,
****** ********Initial Complaint
Date:07/06/2023
Type:Billing IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I received a tax collection notice from this company for a payment that was made on 7/6/2021. I have the receipt, and they continuously send me mail stating that it is due. This was over 2 years ago. I have called them and they do not stop sending the same collection. I even received a collection request for an entire year when I was not residing in Phoenixville! This company is terrible and my brother has been receiving notices from them when he moved from the area 3+ years ago.
Invoice Number: *** *** *** Amount: $183.32
Paid: 7/6/2021
Most recent letter received: 5/24/2023
Every time I call no one responds to my inquiries. I am not the first person to have issues with this companies and they need a strong investigation. I can not even imagine the amount of people who have overpaid this company.Business Response
Date: 07/17/2023
Dear *** ******:
Thank you for contacted Keystone Collections Group
(“Keystone”) regarding this complaint ID number. In his complaint, the complainant
advised that Keystone issued him a delinquent Phoenixville Area School District
Occupation Tax Notice seeking payment for a tax he previously paid. Please know
that I have thoroughly reviewed the complainant’s account.
As a preliminary matter, please be advised that the
Phoenixville Area School District, pursuant to the
Local Tax Enabling Act and Pennsylvania Public School Code, assesses an
occupation tax on all employed residents of the School District based upon an
occupation assessment determined by the Chester County
Assessment Office.
In his
complaint, the complainant advised that he remitted payment for the tax at
issue on July 6, 2021. However, please know that this payment represented
delinquent occupation taxes due for the 2020 tax year. The delinquent notice
received by the complainant, most recently dated May 24, 2023, concerned
delinquent taxes due for the 2021 tax year, which the complainant has not
remitted.
Occupation
taxes are assessed annually, and the complainant, as a resident of the School
District, is issued an annual bill on July 1 of each year. Per my review, the
complainant satisfied his 2022 occupation tax liability in November of 2022.
The
complainant references receiving a bill for “a tax year in which [he] did not
reside in Phoenixville]” without providing further specifics. If the complainant
disputes the imposition of tax based upon residency, he is welcome to file an
exemption application. Without specific detail concerning the disputed tax
year(s), my office is unable to independently verify if an exemption applies.
The same process applies to the complainants “brother” and other unnamed
taxpayers referenced in the complainant’s complaint.
As it stands, is appears that the
imposition of tax on the complainant is accurate. I appreciate the opportunity
provided by the BBB to resolve the concerns of taxpayers and improve our
processes.
Thank you
for your attention to this matter.
Very
truly yours,
KEYSTONE
COLLECTIONS GROUP
By:
Christopher *. V******
General
CounselInitial Complaint
Date:06/28/2023
Type:Billing IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Received mailing that they were going to garnish my wages. when i called and said to never received others as the page claimed I was told they sent 7. there was no explanation as to when they were sent. When I asked why it wasn't on my account that I paid taxes for my current township I was told I didn't file a local tax return. I did file a local tax return, hence me paying my local taxes. When asked about the year 2021 I was told the same. I file a local tax return every year through turbo tax. I have no idea how much money I need to pay for the year 2021 as she only told me that it was not delinquent yet. Why was I not told the number for the amount of money that I will owe for taxes? How much will I owe for 2021?Business Response
Date: 06/29/2023
Dear *** ******:
Thank you
for providing Keystone Collections Group with the above-referenced
complaint. The complainant alleges that
Keystone initiated a wage garnishment against him for unpaid local earned
income taxes for the 2020 tax year. The
complainant further alleges that he never received a prior notice regarding the
garnishment. Finally, the complainant alleges that he files his local taxes
through TurboTax. I will address each
point in turn. Please know that I have
reviewed the complainant’s account.
As a
preliminary matter, Keystone serves as the current and delinquent collector of Local
Earned Income Tax for the Delaware County Tax Collection District and the local
taxing bodies therein. Pursuant to the information exchange mandate
of the Local Tax Enabling Act (“LTEA”), Keystone is supplied with
limited earnings information from the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue
(“DOR”) used to identify unpaid or underpaid accounts. See 53 P.S. §
6924.509(g). There is unfortunately an unavoidable delay in the provision of
this limited earnings information. Based on a comparison between this
information and Keystone’s records, this discrepancy was identified.
Understanding that the
information supplied by the DOR may be inaccurate, Keystone provides taxpayers
with ample notice prior to the initiation of adverse legal or collection
action. The Notice itself provides taxpayers with common examples of situations
in which the tax may not be due. Through the LTEA, Tax Officers such as
Keystone are vested with the right to request documentation to verify the
accuracy of a tax return, or if no tax return was filed, to ascertain the
amount of tax due. See 53 P.S. § 6924.509(f).
Per my review the complainant was issued an initial delinquent notice
on September 20, 2022. This letter was
sent to the address listed in the complaint to the BBB and was not returned as
undeliverable. A Notice of Intent to
Garnish Wages was sent on September 30, 2022 via certified mail, but was
returned by the Post Office as unclaimed.
A second Notice of Intent to Garnish Wages was sent on April 18, 2023, via
certified mail but was again returned by the Post Office. A third Notice was sent via First Class mail
on June 22, 2023, resulting in this complaint.
Accordingly, Keystone did send multiple notices to the taxpayer.
Next, the complainant alleges that he has filed tax returns with
Keystone every year using TurboTax. Unfortunately, TurboTax, and similar companies, do
not prepare or file local earned income tax returns in Pennsylvania. TurboTax, however, does prepare Pennsylvania
Income Tax, a separate tax that is filed with the Pennsylvania Department of
Revenue, not with Keystone. Keystone’s records indicate that the
complainant did not file a tax return with Keystone for any year except for
2022.
Complainant correctly points out
that Keystone was unable to determine how much, if any, local earned income tax
he will owe for 2021. Keystone has not
yet received the 2021 earnings information (see above) from the Department of
Revenue. Complainant can file a local
earned income tax return for the 2021 tax year, which if properly completed
will detail any tax liability or refund that may be due.
If the complainant believes that not
2020 tax is owed he can submit documentation showing that his local earned income
tax liability has been satisfied.
Thank you for providing Keystone
with the opportunity to address the complainant’s concerns.
Very
truly yours,
KEYSTONE
COLLECTIONS GROUP
By:
Christopher *. V******
General CounselCustomer Answer
Date: 06/29/2023
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
Falling to deliver messages and having them returned to you is not ample notice to garnish wages. You admitted in your response I did not receive the letters and yet still saw that as an acceptable way of sending notices. Your employee did not tell me they were returned, she just said they were sent. An undelivered message should not count as notice.
Regards,
******* *********
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