Complaint Review: Tax Relief Associates - Richard L. Hargus - Brea California

I am an Ex-Employee of Tax Relief Associates. However, I would like to explain some of the situation to those who may not understand. I was an EMPLOYEE of TRA. I received a salary. I did not receive any monies from clients. I performed work for TRA as an employee. I left Tax Relief Associates because I felt that they did not treat clients or employees the way they should. When I quit, I was not allowed any access to any files or client information. I requested TRA to remove me from any power of attorneys they had in their office because I no longer wished to be associated with that firm, nor did I have access to client information to assist clients. I left because I was not happy with the way they were handling their business. When I left TRA-all clients assigned to me should have been directed to someone else at the firm. Those clients were not 'MINE'. They were contracted with TRA and they were TRA's clients. Just like if I had worked at a retail store and the store refused you a refund on a purchase. You wouldn't go back and go after every employee at the store. We have no control over what TRA did or how they handled things. According to your dates, I am a bit confused, because I left TRA close to, if not before, your sign on date with them. However, there have been investigations regarding possible use of my name and ID number and forms with my name signed on them that when reviewed were not my signiture. I left long before this company went out of business. Any clients that I had been working on should have been transferred within a couple of days to another one of their employees to be handled. I heard that one day they showed up for work and the doors were closed. Employees were not allowed any access to client files or information. They were allowed a brief 'supervised' moment to gather any personal belongings. It is my understanding that even the employees were told by the owner that they were not sure if they would get paychecks or not. I don't know if they ever did. TRA, from what I understand, was taking money from clients up to the day they closed their doors. The sad thing is that the clients have suffered and so have the ex-employees. Many of our names have been slandered to no fault of our own. TRA and the owners are the ones to blame for the way they mishandled business and left clients hanging. All of the Enrolled Agents and Attorneys that worked for them were good people with integrity. If any of them could have done anything to prevent what happened they would have. However, clients are blaming everyone even down to the receptionist for the actions of the owner. It's a shame that so many people have been affected. .