The real thing, in one table
Two different things share the name. One is a set of IRS collection policies that anyone can use directly with the IRS. The other is a sales pitch built around those policies. The pitch is not always dishonest, but it is never the IRS.
| The IRS Fresh Start Initiative | A typical Fresh Start advertisement | |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs it | The IRS | A private tax relief company or a lead seller |
| How you hear about it | You look it up, or it is mentioned on an IRS notice or IRS.gov page | A phone call, text, mailer, radio spot or social media ad |
| What it offers | Payment plans, lien withdrawal, penalty relief, offers in compromise | A reduction or settlement, often with a percentage attached |
| Deadline | None | Usually an urgent one |
| Cost | IRS fees only: $0 to $178 to set up a payment plan, $205 to file an offer | A company fee on top, often quoted before your finances are reviewed |
| Who decides | The IRS, from your balance, filings and finances | The IRS. The company cannot approve anything |
What the government has said about the marketing
The IRS publishes a list of the worst tax scams each year. Item 12 on the 2026 Dirty Dozen list is aggressive or misleading offer in compromise marketing. The IRS says these "OIC mills" often overpromise results and charge high fees to taxpayers who do not qualify, and that taxpayers can check eligibility using free IRS tools.
The Federal Trade Commission has gone further. In October 2025 the FTC and the State of Nevada sued the operators of American Tax Service. The FTC said they impersonated government agencies including the IRS, claimed they could settle back taxes for "pennies on the dollar" or a fraction of the amount owed, often before evaluating the taxpayer's circumstances, and targeted older consumers with add-on services.
The settlement announced on June 2, 2026 imposed a $77.7 million judgment, required the operators to surrender about $8 million in cash, and banned them from debt relief services, tax preparation and telemarketing. The existing guide on how to spot a tax relief scam covers the patterns in more detail.
A legitimate firm can use the words Fresh Start. The warning sign is not the phrase. It is a promised result, a deadline, or a fee quoted before anyone has looked at your IRS account.
Red flags in a Fresh Start call, text or mailer
- It contacted you first. The IRS says it normally makes first contact by U.S. mail
- It says you have been pre-approved or pre-qualified for Fresh Start. Nobody outside the IRS can see your account without your written authorization
- It gives a deadline for enrolling. The IRS has never announced one
- It quotes a settlement percentage before asking about your income, expenses and assets
- It asks for a large fee up front and describes it as an IRS fee or a filing fee
- It looks like a government notice but carries no IRS notice number, or gives a phone number that is not on IRS.gov
- It asks for your Social Security number, bank details or online account login over the phone
- It discourages you from calling the IRS yourself
About the phone calls
Fresh Start calls are the most common version. A Notice of Federal Tax Lien is a public document, so a caller who knows you have a tax balance is not necessarily the IRS, and knowing it proves nothing about who is calling.
The IRS says a phone call, email or text is not from the IRS if it is unexpected, rushes you, threatens you, asks for personal or financial information or demands payment now. It does call people about existing account matters, and private collection agencies assigned by the IRS may call too, but in both cases a letter comes first. If you have a letter and are not sure about it, see how to check whether an IRS letter is real.
How to check everything yourself, for free
You can confirm what you owe and what you qualify for without paying anyone, and it is worth doing before any sales conversation.
- 1.Sign in to your IRS online account on IRS.gov to see the balance for each year, your payment history and any notices
- 2.Use the IRS Get help with tax debt tool, which asks a few questions and lists your options
- 3.If you owe $50,000 or less and have filed your returns, try the online payment agreement application. It gives an immediate answer, and the step-by-step walkthrough shows each screen
- 4.If you think you cannot pay in full, run the IRS Offer in Compromise Pre-Qualifier at IRS.gov/OICtool before believing anyone's settlement estimate
- 5.If the IRS process itself is stuck or causing hardship, contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service at 877-777-4778. It is an independent organization inside the IRS and its help is free
- 6.If your income is low, look for a Low Income Taxpayer Clinic, which provides help for free or a small fee
If you decide to hire help
Paying for help is reasonable when the case is beyond a simple payment plan: unfiled returns, a balance above $50,000, payroll taxes, a levy in progress or an offer that the numbers genuinely support. The IRS's own offer page says to check the qualifications of any tax professional you hire.
- Ask who will do the work and what credential that person holds. Only attorneys, certified public accountants and enrolled agents can be authorized on Form 2848 to act for you in a collection matter
- Ask for the scope and the fee in writing before paying
- Ask what they will review before recommending anything. The answer should include your IRS transcripts
- Ask what happens if you do not qualify for the option they suggest
- Read whether you need a tax relief company and what to organize before hiring help
Where we come in
Our part is the record and the arithmetic. We read the account and wage transcripts for every open year, prepare unfiled returns, work out the collection statute date for each assessment, and put in writing which options your numbers support, including when the right answer is a Simple Payment Plan you can open yourself for the IRS setup fee. We give you a scope and a price in writing before anything starts.
Figures on this page were checked against the IRS and Massachusetts sources listed alongside on October 1, 2026. They change — confirm the current amount before relying on one.
General information for owner-led businesses, not advice for your specific situation. Tax and accounting rules change, and how they apply depends on facts particular to your business. Talk to us — or to another qualified professional — before acting on anything here.
