Tax Relief Company vs DIY vs Free Clinic vs Advocate

By the Tax Relief Answers editors · Sources checked November 3, 2026 · How we check

The short answer

There are four common ways to deal with an IRS balance: hire a tax relief company, handle it yourself, get help from a Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC), or ask the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS). A company sets its own fees and can represent you only through staff who are enrolled agents, CPAs or attorneys; doing it yourself costs only the IRS's own fees; LITCs work for free or a small fee for people under an income limit; TAS is a free, independent organization within the IRS for problems you cannot resolve through normal channels. Sources: Taxpayer Advocate Service, LITC, TAS, Contact us and IRS, preparer credentials, checked November 2026.

How do the four compare?

Question	Tax relief company	Doing it yourself	Low Income Taxpayer Clinic	Taxpayer Advocate Service
What it is	A private business	You deal with the IRS directly	Independent clinics, partly funded by the IRS but independent of the IRS and TAS	An independent organization within the IRS
What it costs	The company's own fee; IRS fees, such as the $205 OIC fee or a payment plan setup fee, still apply	Only IRS fees: $0 to $178 to set up a payment plan, $205 plus a first payment for an Offer in Compromise unless low income	Free or a small fee	Free
Who can represent you	Only staff who are enrolled agents, CPAs or attorneys have unlimited representation rights	You; Circular 230 lets individuals appear on their own behalf	Clinic attorneys, CPAs and enrolled agents, and qualifying students or law graduates working under them with TAS permission; clinics can represent you before the IRS or in court	No one represents you; a case advocate works your problem inside the IRS
Who it serves	Anyone the company accepts	Anyone	Generally income at or below 250% of the federal poverty guidelines ($39,900 for one person in the 48 contiguous states and D.C. in 2026), with an amount in dispute usually under $50,000; each clinic decides	Taxpayers facing financial hardship, delays of more than 30 days past normal processing, missed IRS response dates, or an IRS process that failed
How to start	Contract with the company	IRS online account, the payment plan page, or the number on your notice	Publication 4134 or the clinic finder	Form 911, or 1-877-777-4778

IRS fees are from the payment plans page and the Offer in Compromise page, as of November 2026. The representation rules for students and law graduates are in the Form 2848 instructions.

How do fees work?

The IRS fees on its payment plan and Offer in Compromise pages are the same set of amounts whoever files. A company's fee is separate, and fee structures vary; see tax relief company fees. Practitioners who practice before the IRS are bound by Circular 230, whose section 10.27 bars an "unconscionable fee" and allows contingent fees only in limited situations, such as an IRS examination of an original return or a refund claim solely about interest or penalties. Individuals who meet the IRS low-income rules pay no OIC fee, and low-income taxpayers can have the payment plan setup fee waived with direct debit.

When does each one tend to apply?

Doing it yourself tends to apply when the balance fits an online payment plan or when the IRS notice spells out a simple next step. An LITC tends to apply when your income is under the clinic limit and you want a representative, including in a dispute, an appeal or court. TAS tends to apply when the IRS process itself has stalled or a collection action is causing financial hardship. A paid representative, from a company or an independent enrolled agent, CPA or attorney, tends to be used when someone wants a licensed person to handle the case and is willing to pay a fee. Each route uses the same IRS programs. Before hiring anyone, check the credential in the IRS preparer directory. More: free tax debt help and how tax relief companies work.

FAQ

Is the Taxpayer Advocate Service free?

Yes. TAS is an independent organization within the IRS and describes its help as free TAS assistance; you can request it with Form 911 or by calling 1-877-777-4778.

Who qualifies for a Low Income Taxpayer Clinic?

Generally people with income at or below 250% of the federal poverty guidelines, $39,900 for a single person in 2026 in the 48 contiguous states and D.C., and an amount in dispute usually under $50,000; each clinic makes the final decision.

Can I set up an IRS payment plan without a company?

Yes. Individuals can apply online for a long-term plan if they owe $50,000 or less and filed all required returns, or a short-term plan if they owe less than $100,000.

Can anyone at a tax relief company represent me before the IRS?

No. Only enrolled agents, CPAs and attorneys have unlimited representation rights; you can check a name in the IRS preparer directory.

Which route is right for me?

It depends on the facts of your case; a credentialed professional (enrolled agent, CPA or attorney) or the Taxpayer Advocate Service can look at yours.