Complaint Review: Roni Lynn Deutch

I originally posted this and I stand by it. I am DONE with roni deutch. Not only does it take FOREVER to get someone on the phone (30-45 min hold), when you do get someone on the phone, they can't tell you a d**n thing about your case.

I find it outrageous that it has been almost a year and they still haven't filed the OIC paper work along with the 433A.

Now, to vent back a bit. I was told that they sent me a notice at the beginning of Jan asking for my wifes status in 2000. Never saw it. I did get a mail from them stating that I was paid in full. Now, if they need something from me (other than my money), they should CALL to request it if it is so time critical. They surely had no problem calling me every month with a friendly reminder that my payment was due in 3 days.

So, I call the IRS, since Roni & compnay never did anything. I was informed that there had been no correspondance with the IRS since Oct or so of last year. I was also told that a notice of Levy against my paycheck was sent on November 30th to a individual at Roni Deutch. When I called the offices, I was told that person no longer works here and they never received it.

I'm sick from all this and can't believe they can take peoples money and not do a darn thing. My account was referred to IRS/ACS, which it WASN'T before hiring Deutch. I fully understand that a lein can and normally will be placed on the property when going into a non-collectable status. Thing is, Deutch never did anything. They haven't filed a single piece of paper on my behalf and it's been almost a year!!!

I have since called Roni Deutch to inform them that I am upset with the way my case was handled and that I was revoking the P-O-A and that I would like my money back.

Guess what, they tried jumping through hoops and pointing fingers and this and that. I insisted and finally got the manager who played the same tune. "Let us handle this on your behalf. It's really your fault for being in this in the first place, etc" When I insisted she said she'd like me to talk with one of the attorny's directly so they can straighten this out. Went through the same thing with him and basically told him I was unpleased and didn't think they worked my case up to expectations and that I'm taking the advice of the BBB to see if we can resolve this before filing a complaint. I was told to put it in writing and send it in to the office and they will give me a refund. We'll see.

If not, I'm prepared to file a complaint with the BBB and the Attorney Generals office. Maybe I can save the next sucker from sending these clowns $$$.

If they have 6000 cases and only 13 attorney's, why are they increasing their load. It's simply mind boggling that they can do this. The OIC isn't that bad. Hell, I filled out 3/4's of it in about an hour. Granted there's lots more to it. Like getting the transcripts to ensure all other tax years are up to date, gathering 3 months bills and paystubs and the like. But geez! Not a d**n YEAR!

It's great to see other professionals chiming in on these reports. Steve, where did you get the two years from? maybe there is a mis-understanding, what I said was "This all takes about 2 weeks to 1 month to both perpare and to submit." That you do it in less than 2 Months is great too.....the law firm drags their heels and does NOT get their clients offers submitted in less than 2 years (in some cases).

The leins could very well be put there by a tax professionals contact with the IRS. If you have no current lein against you when the IRS does their wage garnishments or their bank levies, and we go in to stop those leins or levies, the IRS tells us at the 433 interview that a lein will be secured to protect them, it is common language that is used every time a client is put in a "currently non collectable" status.

You are right that they could have possibly had one on them at the time of initial contact, however if they didn't, the actions of a professional getting them on a C.N.C. status will do it every time.

I also prepare Offers in Compromise and much of what you say is correct, BUT....

two years??? C'mon - I have my Offers ready in less than 2 months - and that includes the documentation needed from the taxpayer.

To the Original poster - Roni had nothing to do with the tax lien - that is done automatically and probably was done or at least initiated before Roni got involved in your case.

First of all,
I an sorry you are having troubles so frustrating that you have to come to this format to "vent".

The Law Offices of Roni Lynn Deutch CAN help you I have stated that over and over again in these reports I tag in on. However, you have to be proactive and continually call them to get the results you want......you have to make them "be present" in helping you with your Internal Revenue situation.

The problem is that they have a staff of attorneys of about 13 and they have over 6,000 open cases to work with, which means that each attorney has to deal with on average 462 open cases. They have a "pre" offer department and a "post" offer department....it looks like you are still in the "pre" stage as they have not yet even submitted the OIC based on what you are saying.

The process "SHOULD" have gone like this; after you filled out the OIC questionaire, or the 433A/B the law firm SHOULD have done the calculations and gotten back to you with the information of what you needed in the way of documentation to support the offer, eg; 3 months of your monthly recurring bills, 3 months of your bank statements, your most recent property tax appraisal (not an appraisal from an appraiser, the IRS accepts the tax assessors appraisals), and so on, then when you prove your case in documentation, they should submit the offer with the 150.00 processing fee. This all takes about 2 weeks to 1 month to both perpare and to submit.

About the leins; when you first contracted the firm, one of the attorney's should have called the IRS and had you put into whats called a "non-collectable" status, which means that the IRS could not do any collection actions against you. You want your paychecks and bank accounts protected after all don't you?........when you get put into a non-collectable status the IRS secures a lein against your credit and your property to look after the interest of the Government......so there is a simple choice, your paycheck/bank accounts or a lein?

Roni has people coming on here saying how great her firm is or how they "saved a marriage" (how strong was your marriage in the first place to let an IRS debt come between it?) but what they don't do is address the people that are really losing sleep and have come to this firm for HELP. Russell taught us "sales techniques" to get you to hire the firm, but all too often what the "tax directors" tell you is a stretch from what really happens at the firm. We all knew and talked about it too....like when we have meetings and get the "Successful settlements" papers to show us it really works we look at the IRS letter and it will say that the offer was accepted and it shows the acceptance date and the date the offer was submitted, yet that client hired the firm a year or more (sometimes less) before the submitted date....why is that I wonder?

Too many open cases and too many clients in the "churn cycle".

Every client of Roni's that comes to this forum has solvable problems and I feel you should stay there and make them do the work, after all you already paid for it....they are not a rip off company, however they do rip off a number of people...I think Roni's heart is in the right place but the actions of the firm belie the intentions.

Lastly, there are complaints in other places about the law firm that are easily found and I have never seen anyone (Roni, Greg, Matt, Scott, Russell, or whomever) give any thing other than a finger pointing at the people complaining. EVERYONE IS NOT WRONG ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN DOING TO PEOPLE!!!

To further support the claims made in here, let's look at the current BBB (Better Business Bureau) report;

During the previous twelve month period ending June 2004, the BBB received 17 complaints involving this company. The company has responded to every complaint received. A solution acceptable to both parties was reached in four cases. For the other 13 complaints, a resolution could not be achieved primarily because the client was not able to provide the financial records needed to determine eligibility for an "Offer In Compromise" to resolve tax liabilities. It would help reduce complaints if you will be certain you understand the eligibility requirements and are satisfied that you will be able to fully document the financial information you will be expected to provide.

Report as of 01/27/2005

Greg Flahive comes on this report and says this;

"As you are aware, we advertise our services to the public. Taxpayers with tax problems respond to these advertisements by contacting our office. A representative of our office then contacts the inquiring taxpayer to offer more information about our services, and to gather some initial information about the taxpayer's tax problem and current financial circumstances. If the taxpayer indicates an interest in retaining the firm during this initial telephone contact or contacts, the representative will gather a substantial amount of financial information in order to determine whether the taxpayer's financial circumstances and particular tax problem are such that we can help the taxpayer by negotiating either an OIC or an Installment Agreement.
If the information gathered over the telephone in the pre-retention interview indicates that we can help the taxpayer, and if the taxpayer indicates that he or she wants to retain our services, then we mail out the first round of forms to be filled out and returned to our office. Once we receive our client's completed financial information, we review and analyze that information to begin working on the OIC or an Installment Agreement as the case may be."

Who failed here 13 times? Russell the trainer? The Salesperson? Not if the law firm is saying "we train our tax directors so well" and not if it is such a great place to work at like other rump kissers will have you believe......or.....what about the current employees saying the firm helps people for free!!! The law firm uses this statement in every "Canned" response they give;
"With this general factual background in mind"

Where are the "REAL" facts now and the truth?

Please help these people and stop worrying about the quantity of clients you get but worry about the quality of the clients you get.