Where is She?

[Snaggletooth]

The TV advertisements for the Tax Settlement companies rage on.

I would say that part of our industry is alive and well, judging from the voluminous advertisements we see on TV. I actually referred a guy to J K Harris. Guy was bugging me to do 433s for nothing.

In my part of the country, however, one of the more familiar voices is no longer heard. Hi! My name is Roni Deutsch and I'm here to tell you YES YOU CAN SOLVE YOUR IRS TAX PROBLEMS etc etc.

Is it just my part of the country? Has she not renewed her license in TN, AL, GA?

Where is She? Alive and well??

[kaimana]

Maybe, so far anyway

[erchess]

Google Her

Numerous websites including her official one still come up. She is around but apparently temporarily absent from your airwaves.

[geekgirldany]

I looked her up also. If you have time to waste read the rip off report website about her. I did notice on her website she has changed her hair color again. It was black.. then blond... now it is a mixture of blond and black.

[Black Bart]

Roni Baloney

In my part of the country, however, one of the more familiar voices is no longer heard. Hi! My name is Roni Deutsch and I'm here to tell you YES YOU CAN SOLVE YOUR IRS TAX PROBLEMS etc etc. Is it just my part of the country? Has she not renewed her license in TN, AL, GA? Where is She? Alive and well??

She's also disappeared from TV around here, Snag. Maybe money problems and can't afford to advertise so much.

I would say that part of our industry is alive and well, judging from the voluminous advertisements we see on TV. I actually referred a guy to J K Harris. Guy was bugging me to do 433s for nothing.

Now that is getting revenge on your cheapskate 433er. One of my guys went to Harris and I asked him how it went. He said (and I quote) "They're crooks!"

Harris is doing a lot of avertising here lately -- I see at least two TV ads every day now.

[WhiteOleander]

Actually, I did see one of her ads last week or so. I was suprised because I thought she had gotten in trouble and had to quit.

I'm in South Texas. Maybe her budget is very low and she only targets certain areas.

[newbie]

Maybe she's made enough money rippin people off she's retired.

[JSLATER]

She opened a franchise in mid January in my city, but never did any advertising. In my area of northern California, the "problem solvers" only seem to advertise in late March until April 15, then they are gone until next year.

[Snaggletooth]

Lots of Testimonies

on the "Rip-Off" website. More than I expected. Lots of people who paid several thousand up front and didn't even get their phone calls returned or anything else done.

Over the last thousand tax returns I have prepared, there may be some 1-2 clients that thought they were ripped off. Simply put, you can't please everyone. The mere existence of a couple posts on this "rip-off" website may not be a balanced perspective.

But the sheer volume and consistency of these complaints forge a powerful judgement from the public. Of particular interest is one of them who suspects that a real-life Roni Deutsch may not even exist, and the woman on the advertisements is a paid actress.

The monitors have expressed concern that this should not become a "bash board." In fairness to the "tax settlement" industry, it is not a foregone conclusion that all of these firms are unscrupulous. I do think most of the public would be better served by first going to their own tax preparer first and being given a balanced opinion about just how much of a chance they stand of getting IRS obligations reduced.

[erchess]

Rip Off

I assisted a client who had been far enough along with one of these companies (don't remember which one and wouldn't post it if I did) to have a contractual offer but not have put down any money. I still don't know where the taxpayer's mother got me but she called me, met me in a public place, interviewed me, and since I passed she took me to what was at that time the home of her adult son and his wife. She also paid my fee, made it clear that they and not she was my client, and left.

I reviewed the contract and basically the company in question wanted $3K. For that fee they were going to try to work out an OIC and if that was rejected they would set up an installment agreement. I rendered the opinion that they would come out cheaper just doing a $50 installment agreement with me and that they had no chance of getting an OIC because the two drivers had between them three vehicles and the cheapest of them, a custom Harley, could be sold for enough to come close to paying off the debt. I later questioned myself on that and got confirmation from this board.

Anyway I think the other company wanted to rip them off. $3K may actually be too low for an OIC that is made in a good faith belief that it could be accepted but in this case I do not think such belief existed. 3K is way too much for an installment agreement. I would love to hear from anyone who thinks I am being too hard on this company or who thinks that this company is not typical of its industry.

[geekgirldany]

I had a customer that went to one. He paid $3,500 for them to see if he qualified for an OIC. He said they asked questions on his assets, liabilities, bank accounts, etc. Then they did a calculation. He did not qualify for an OIC. So they setup an installment plan for him. I talked to him and explained some things about OIC and installment plans. He said they made it sound like he could not get on on his own. I told him to let me know the next time he is thinking about an OIC... I can help.

Another customer owes ALOT in back taxes. Info filed with the court house so they are calling the guy all the time. He said it was everyday that these companies are calling him. He said he spoke to one about it his situation to see what they would say. He told me he never said he would sign up with them. Well he got a packet in the mail to sign a contract with them. $5,000 down payment and other charges may occur later. No guarantee of penalty removal. I talked to my customer and showed him their included testimonials where all but two were setup on installment agreements. Customer told me the other day that the guy from that company got very very angry that he did not sign up. Said he called and "fussed" him out.

I believe the above shows what type of companies these are. I think there maybe some that are okay. I am glad the IRS has put a warning on their site discussing OICs and those offering "pennies on the dollar" settlements.

[Black Bart]

bashing

...The monitors have expressed concern that this should not become a "bash board." In fairness to the "tax settlement" industry, it is not a foregone conclusion that all of these firms are unscrupulous. I do think most of the public would be better served by first going to their own tax preparer first and being given a balanced opinion about just how much of a chance they stand of getting IRS obligations reduced.

You make a good point, Snag. I don't actually know a thing about Roni Deutsch other than assumptions drawn from TV ads and reading about her. While it's a good bet she's similar to Harris, you're right that principled companies helping distressed taxpayers probably do exist and all should not be tarred with the same brush.

Still, my ex-Harris client (a "reliable source") consulted me first. While I advised he didn't have a prayer (owed only $10K/ had steady $50K W-2 job), he gave it a shot -- paid $1,200 up front and calls were not returned. Numerous complaints later, they refunded $300. This client is now inclined to skip bashboard and take them directly to waterboard.

I wish I could find an authenic one for my PITA cases. My doctor once put it like this -- "I have a couple of clients I'd like to refer to Dr. Kevorkian."

[gkaiseril]

She opened a franchise in mid January in my city, but never did any advertising. In my area of northern California, the "problem solvers" only seem to advertise in late March until April 15, then they are gone until next year.

That means she uses local talent to do the leg work and pay her a fee. If the local talent does well they can make a profit and she gets a percentage. If they do not do well she has her franchise fee and then can resell her barnd locally. She wins, the clients lose and the local tanlent loses. And the local talent is most likly liable for local problems and obtaining the necessary local licenses. No different from the franchise tax preperation services. This is a way of sending the all the risk to the local franchisee.

[joanmcq]

Her franchises are for tax prep, not OICs. She's trying to set up a rivalry to Block. Actually, more like Liberty I'm guessing, since driving home all through tax season, I had to pass a guy in an ORANGE FRIGHT WIG with a sign for Roni Duetsch tax service. And yes, she does exist. She is so slimy she was actually selling franchises that would set up in paycheck cashing places so the RAL crowd wouldn't have to go more than a few steps to get their cash. Her offices are close to where I work, and like Rush Limbaugh, was spawned in Sacramento, What is it about this place??

I heard she was sanctioned for the pennies ads but I can't find any info on it.

[AJsTax]

Recent

I saw an ad for her this past weekend running on a local tv channel from central Ohio. First I ever saw of her in any way.

Sacramento must be a great place if it is the home or birthplace as such an accomplished and intelligent journalist as Rush Limbaugh. Thank goodness we have a few people on the right side of common sense.!!!