Start with the IRS itself: if you owe $50,000 or less and have filed your returns, you can request a long-term payment plan online for a $29 setup fee with direct debit, and the Taxpayer Advocate Service helps for free when the IRS process breaks down. If you want a firm, start with Priority Tax Relief, which has tax attorneys, CPAs and enrolled agents and handles payroll and sales tax, then compare Alleviate Tax, 1099 Tax Problems, Five Star Tax Resolution, which names a State Bar-verified supervising attorney, and Anthem Tax Services, which offers a money-back guarantee. Tax Network USA, in business since 2009, is a fair benchmark for these quotes. Get every fee and the refund terms in writing before you pay.
Tax Network USA is a tax resolution firm in Encino, California, in business since 2009 and BBB accredited since 2020 with an A rating. Its team page names enrolled agents, a tax attorney and a former IRS revenue officer, and it handles individual and business IRS and state tax problems. It starts with a $49.99 Discovery Fee that includes its TaxApp subscription at $19.99 a month until you cancel.
We compared the free IRS payment plan and six firms worth quoting alongside Tax Network USA, on BBB ratings, upfront cost, refund terms and who works your case. Our top firm picks are Priority Tax Relief, Alleviate Tax, 1099 Tax Problems and Five Star Tax Resolution. Tax Network USA is shown as the reference point.
Below you'll find the free IRS options, how Tax Network USA works and how to compare firms, each alternative's terms, and how to switch firms and cancel the TaxApp subscription.
Free IRS options to try first
- Online payment agreement. If you owe $50,000 or less in combined tax, penalties and interest and have filed all required returns, you can apply online. A short-term plan of 180 days or less has a $0 setup fee. A long-term plan costs $29 online with direct debit or $69 online without it, and the fee is waived or reduced for low-income taxpayers. Penalties and interest keep adding up until you pay in full.
- Offer in compromise pre-qualifier. The IRS’s free tool shows whether you might settle for less. An application costs $205 plus a first payment, both waived if you meet the low-income rules.
- Taxpayer Advocate Service. The IRS describes it as an independent organization within the IRS that helps taxpayers whose problems are causing financial difficulty, including businesses. You may be eligible if you’ve tried normal IRS channels and gotten nowhere, or an IRS procedure isn’t working as it should. Its service is always free. Call 877-777-4778.
- Low Income Taxpayer Clinics. They can represent you before the IRS or in court for free or for a small fee. Income limits apply, and the amount in dispute is usually under $50,000. The clinics are independent of the IRS.
Tax Network USA and how to compare your options
Tax Network USA has worked on IRS and state tax problems from Encino, California since 2009 and has been BBB accredited since 2020 with an A rating. Its team page names enrolled agents Ebrahim Sharifan and Ming Zhuang, tax attorney Ana Kukura and Jerry Barnes, a former IRS revenue officer, and it takes business cases as well as individual ones. It starts with a $49.99 Discovery Fee that includes its TaxApp subscription, then quotes resolution work in a Service Order. In August 2025 it settled a case brought by the Sonoma County District Attorney and three other California district attorneys over the design of its direct mail for $400,000 without admitting liability, and it agreed not to send mailers that appear connected to a government agency.
If you are weighing Tax Network USA against other firms, compare them on the same points:
- Fees for every phase, in writing. Ask for the full quote and any subscription costs before you pay. Alleviate Tax quotes its resolution phase separately and says you are not obligated to continue after its first phase. None of the firms here requires a subscription to start.
- Refund terms. Read what your signed agreement says about refunds. Anthem Tax Services refunds fees if it cannot put you in a better position, and Priority Tax Relief advertises a money-back guarantee.
- Who works your case. Ask who will sign your IRS Form 2848 and check their license. Five Star Tax Resolution names a supervising attorney whose license checks out with the State Bar of California, and Tax Law Advocates names its lead tax attorney.
- How you will get updates. Ask who your contact will be and how often you will hear from them.
Our partners lead the picks because they combine A+ or A BBB ratings with clear refund terms or named professionals, and Priority Tax Relief adds payroll and sales tax for business owners.
Tax Network USA vs. the alternatives
| Option |
BBB rating |
Refund terms |
Upfront cost |
| Tax Network USA (for reference) |
A |
Discovery Fee and paid fees non-refundable unless the Service Order says otherwise |
$49.99 Discovery Fee, then a quoted Service Order |
| IRS Online Payment Agreement |
Not applicable |
No firm fee |
$0 to $29 online setup |
| Priority Tax Relief |
A+ |
10-day money-back guarantee |
Free consult; fees not published |
| Alleviate Tax |
A |
No obligation after Phase 1 |
Flat Phase 1 fee; not published |
| 1099 Tax Problems |
A+ (Priority’s profile) |
Ask during the free consultation |
Free consult; fees not published |
| Five Star Tax Resolution |
A+ |
None published |
Fees not published |
| Anthem Tax Services |
A+ |
Outcome-based money-back guarantee |
Fees not published |
| Tax Law Advocates |
A+ |
None published |
Fees not published |
BBB figures as shown on each profile, checked October 13, 2026. A rating is a starting point, so read recent reviews for any firm you pick.
How to choose a Tax Network USA alternative
- Check your IRS balance first. Sign in to your IRS online account so you know what you owe and whether you qualify for an online plan.
- Ask who signs your Form 2848. Only enrolled agents, CPAs and attorneys can represent you before the IRS. Get the name and license number and check it.
- Ask about business taxes. If you owe payroll or sales tax, confirm the firm handles it. Priority Tax Relief and Tax Law Advocates list payroll tax.
- Get every fee and the refund terms in writing. The FTC says not to do business with anyone that tells you to pay the whole fee upfront.
- Compare more than one quote. Line up who works your case, the fee for each phase and the refund terms side by side.
How to switch from Tax Network USA and cancel TaxApp
- Cancel the TaxApp subscription. Its terms say you can cancel at any time in your TaxApp portal settings. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current monthly billing period, with no charge for later periods and no prorated refund.
- Check your Service Order. The $49.99 Discovery Fee is non-refundable except where the law requires, and fees already paid are non-refundable unless your Service Order says otherwise. Ask in writing for any refund the Service Order allows.
- Call and confirm in writing. Tax Network USA lists 855-225-1040. Keep a dated record of your request.
- Revoke the power of attorney. The IRS says to write “REVOKE” across the top of the first page of the Form 2848, sign and date it, and mail or fax it to the IRS. A new representative’s Form 2848 can replace it.
- Keep handling IRS mail. Your IRS deadlines don’t pause while you switch.
Terms to know
- Offer in compromise
- An IRS agreement to settle for less than you owe when you can’t pay in full.
- Tax lien
- The government’s legal claim against your property when you don’t pay a tax debt.
- Form 2848
- The power of attorney form that lets a representative deal with the IRS for you.
- Trust fund recovery penalty
- A penalty the IRS can charge individuals responsible for unpaid payroll taxes withheld from employees.
