I was a customer of Roni Lynn Deutch. They claimed after taking an exhaustive survey of my income and financial status that I would be a very good candidate for an Offer In Compromise.

I was told from the very beginning by my sales rep Theresa Christianson that if they couldn't do anything for me I would given a full refund.

I was literally "hassled" every month if my retainer payment was one day late by Scott Juceam and threatened that they would immediately drop my case and keep what I had paid thus far.

They contacted the IRS TWO times in 14 months - once to tell them they were representing me and one to tell them there were no longer representing me.

They NEVER stopped a wage garnishment for my ex-wife as promised. Then, came back and told me that I looked less likely to get an OIC because of my current working status.

I formally requested a complete refund of the $7000 I paid for services NOT rendered and was presented (45 days later) with a so-called itemized list of time that was spent on my case which added up, of course, to well over the $7000 I paid.

I feel that I was totally ripped off by this company and that they misrepresented their success rates, my chance of success and the length of time it would take to complete the process.

I want my money back!!! Is anyone out there doing anything that I can assist with or help facilitate?

Chris

Ogden, Utah
U.S.A.

Click Here to read other Ripoff Reports on Roni Lynn Deutch

13 Updates & Rebuttals

Amber

Carmichael,
California,
U.S.A.

its sad when you family lies for you

#2UPDATE EX-employee responds

Sun, January 29, 2006

Hey Chris from utah dont even listen to most of the people that try to fight you. What you dont relize is most of this comments are just family memebers that work for roni changing there name to make it look like roni is a good attorney. I use to work there and belive me they are there just laughing in eveyones faces while there are sitting in hawaii spending your hard earned cash.

Mark

Evansville,
Indiana,
U.S.A.

Somebody is doing something

#3Consumer Suggestion

Sat, September 24, 2005

There is an attorney in New York that has filed suit in Federal Court against Ms. Deutch. The judge is the one who tried Martha Stewart so Ms.Deutch and her associates cannot intimidate her, like they have so many of their ex-clients. The attorney's name is Randy Newman and he has already made some progress in court against her. He is arguing, and rightly so, that his business as a tax attorney is being hurt by Ms.Deutch and company. There is a posting on this web site that can tell you more about this. I feel fortunate that I lost much less than you.

Chris

Ogden,
Utah,
U.S.A.

the issue in this forum is not MY personal tax issue it's the FACT that Roni Lynn Deutch screwed me and I'm sure thousands of others

#4Author of original report

Fri, September 16, 2005

You guys don't understand the whole picture, nor did I explain it. As I said, it's no one's business what my tax dilemmas are - I only told you I had a problem with State Sales Tax. That of course affected my business profit and loss WHICH becomes a line item on my FEDERAL tax filing. As a result of that FEDERAL tax filing I now owed taxes where previously I did not. Sheesh, the issue in this forum is not MY personal tax issue it's the FACT that Roni Lynn Deutch screwed me and I'm sure thousands of others. Stick to the thread you guys!

Robert

Jacksonville,
Florida,
U.S.A.

This goes back to the original point

#5Consumer Comment

Fri, September 16, 2005

David made it, and I concur. People run to tax attorneys for one reason after being caught by the IRS. They want to keep NOT PAYING what they owe. This is why we need the FAIR TAX enacted. Get rid of the income tax, and pay a sales tax. It will require both the buyer AND the seller to defraud the rest of the taxpayers, not just one.

Robert

Jacksonville,
Florida,
U.S.A.

This goes back to the original point

#6Consumer Comment

Fri, September 16, 2005

Carl

El Cajon,
California,
U.S.A.

federal government does not collect sales tax

#7Consumer Suggestion

Thu, September 15, 2005

Tim is correct.. The federal government does not collect sales tax. It is up to the states to decide if they want to collect sales tax.

Timothy

Valparaiso,
Indiana,
U.S.A.

Sales tax and the IRS?

#8Consumer Comment

Tue, September 13, 2005

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe that the federal government assesses any sales taxes. It therefore seems a bit odd that you would be having an issue with the IRS.

Chris

Ogden,
Utah,
U.S.A.

My problem is NOT with the IRS or my tax liability or my payment of the tax liability - it's in the manner in which this firm conducts it's business, fraudulently markets it's services and treats their customers.

#9Consumer Comment

Mon, September 12, 2005

Wow! Thanks for all of the comments and suggestions. They will be helpful as I pursue this. I did want to make one comment re: David's comments. I too am an honest individual that pays all of my taxes every year. I have a past tax liability, not that it's anyone's business, because of a new business I had started in which I wasn't charging appropriate sales tax on items that the IRS determined I should have been charging for. Call it ignorance or a learning experience. My position was NOT to avoid paying taxes, but to work out a payback solution that would work in my current financial circumstances - another service this law firm claims they will assist with. My problem is NOT with the IRS or my tax liability or my payment of the tax liability - it's in the manner in which this firm conducts it's business, fraudulently markets it's services and treats their customers. I would demand my money back from anyone that does what they do for ANY service!

Carl

El Cajon,
California,
U.S.A.

Try fee arbitration

#10Consumer Suggestion

Sun, September 11, 2005

The only problem with using small claim in a situation like this is that you are limited to $5000 in California. You have the option of contacting your local county bar association to initiate fee arbitration (nonbinding). If you don't like the result, you can still go to court. It is just another option to consider.

Steven

San Diego,
California,
U.S.A.

Read your contract first, there may be arb provision

#11Consumer Suggestion

Sun, September 11, 2005

Dear Chris, I am sorry to hear about your troubles. As an attorney, I know that retainer agreements will often have fee arbitration provisions (which means you don't file in court, rather you handle the dispute with, for example, the fee arbitration section of the local bar association). Check out your contract to make sure before you spend the time and money to file suit in Utah. On this note, since the law firm is in California, they may have included a provision that any fee arb would be handled in their neck of the woods (i.e. Sacramento). Good luck!

David

Gallatin,
Tennessee,
U.S.A.

Reports of tax lawyer rip offs are all over this site. Who really got ripped off?

#12Consumer Comment

Sun, September 11, 2005

Reports of tax lawyer rip offs are all over this site. I just wonder if anybody feels like I do when they read these reports. Who really got ripped off? Maybe it's the millions of tax payers who pay their taxes every year, ALL their taxes, and on time too. Consider this... the government doesn't just slap you with a huge tax bill one day for no reason. You must have had earned or unearned income that you avoided paying tax on to even be in this mess. You decided the best way to handle it was to spend all the money and not pay the tax. Now you are going to pay a lawyer big bucks to tell the IRS you are not going to pay the tax, oh that's right you are going to pay $20. Here is a suggestion. Work out the best deal you can with the IRS and start paying on the back taxes. Just an opinion from someone who pays all their taxes every year. I'm sure I'll get flamed for this post but there my be a few honest taxpayers out there who feel exactly like I do.

Matt

Woodinville,
Washington,
U.S.A.

Take them to small claims court

#13Consumer Suggestion

Sun, September 11, 2005

Take them to small claims court if they are in your state, or file in municipal court. Sue for $7000+ filing fees and/or attorneys fees. If they don't show up, you'll get a default judgement, and even if they do, you'll still likely get a judgement against them.

Matt

Woodinville,
Washington,
U.S.A.