After dealing with a difficult time with a death in my family, I realized that I had made some financial mistakes during a period of about 5 months and had failed to maintain payroll taxes being submitted. When I realized what had happened I panicked when I read how the IRS could and probably would come down hard on me. I did an internet search and found Effectur.
This one action was far worse than the lack of action in maintaining my payroll taxes. Effectur charged my $3500 and promised we would get an installment plan in place or an offer in compromise. I supplied all of the information Effectur asked for and did exactly as they told me to do. What did they do? Very little...
10 months after starting the process with Effectur, all of my bank accounts were levied - SURPRISE. They (mainly one of their owners - Kenneth Johnson) told me this would not happen, nor would I ever have to talk directly to the IRS (an officer showed up in my office unannounced one day) and no liens would be placed on the company (you guessed right... They placed a lien on the company). It is amazing that when you call them to tell them that something happened that they said would not, they will always tell you there is a chance. They never mention there being a chance when they are asking for your payment up front.
Fast forward a year... I just finished paying the IRS off what is owed. I did it on my own. I went to the local IRS office. Guess what?! They weren't scary. They set down with me, listen to my story and seemed somewhat empahtetic. Effectur did absolutely nothing EXCEPT help me incur an additional $20,000 worth of penalties by things not being reported on time while I was working with them. The IRS did abate these penalties for me; however, I feel a year and a half of my life was stolen in addition to the $3500. I went through much grief that was not necessary.
My advice for anyone with tax problems... Go directly to the IRS. They are not as scary as places like Effectur claim that they are.
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