Rank #109

Honest Tax

Honest Tax, founded in 2005, operates from 19710 Ventura Blvd Suite 200, Woodland Hills, CA 91364 and provides tax relief services through their website at https://honesttax.com/. The company has been serving clients for nearly two decades, building a substantial review base across multiple platforms.

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Trust score

6.34 /10

155+

verified reviews analyzed

Editorial Highlights

Based on 146 reviews across major platforms, Honest Tax shows mixed customer sentiment with significant variation across service areas. The company maintains a 3.4 BBB rating (25 reviews), 1.8 Trustpilot rating (17 reviews), and 3.7 Google Maps rating (104 reviews). Customers highlight positive experiences with staff support, with 82.3% positive sentiment in professionalism categories, as one reviewer noted: "they spent some 2+ hours doing work" and "Will was super knowledgeable." However, communication issues dominate negative feedback, with only 27.4% positive sentiment in this area, as reflected in complaints like "Several phone calls have been unanswered" and "never heard from them or any updates." Trust and reliability concerns are also prominent, with just 27.8% positive sentiment, including serious allegations such as "They then took another 12,000 of my money at 24% interest and said this would settle my IRS liability."

Strengths

Professional staff support stands out as Honest Tax's primary strength, with 82.3% positive sentiment across 62 mentions, indicating consistent quality in initial client interactions and expertise.

Service quality receives 60.3% positive sentiment from 58 reviews, with customers praising successful outcomes like "He was able to get me a settlement of 8K" and expertise in complex cases.

The company demonstrates selectivity in client acceptance, with reviewers noting they "will only take you on as a client if they feel that it's your own best interest," suggesting ethical screening practices.

Weaknesses

Cost and value represents a critical weakness, with 0% positive sentiment across 21 mentions, including severe complaints like "They got me for $30,000" and "They did nothing for the $2,500 I paid."

Communication and transparency issues affect 62 customer mentions, with only 27.4% positive sentiment, reflecting widespread problems with responsiveness and updates throughout the service process.

Trust and reliability concerns appear in 36 reviews with just 27.8% positive sentiment, including allegations of misleading clients about case progress and financial arrangements.

Positive

Complaint

Click on comment to see details

1. Communication & Transparency

27% Positive

they would NEVER tell anyone who they had to use to do their taxes

give the run around and say they were looking into and not do anything

2. Professionalism & Support

82% Positive

Their team's expertise and commitment to client success

They just sent me they same screwed up form for the 3rd time

3. Service Quality

60% Positive

They lied to me about how much I owed the IRS

they never did it

4. Trust & Reliability

28% Positive

They stole from me

extremely misleading and deceptive

5. Process & Timeliness

29% Positive

it’s been 2 years and I haven’t heard are gotten any thing done

strung me along for over FOUR years

6. Cost & Value

0% Positive

they took $990 from me never did the tax work

I paid almost $6000 and ended up selling my house

7. Financial Arrangements

10% Positive

I want my money back because they literally did nothing

they made me take out the loan with

FAQs

Quick answers based on verified editorial data

Is Honest Tax legitimate?

Honest Tax is a legitimate business founded in 2005 and operating from Woodland Hills, California. However, their ratings show mixed performance: 3.4/5 on BBB (25 reviews), 1.8/5 on Trustpilot (17 reviews), and 3.7/5 on Google Maps (104 reviews). While established for nearly 20 years, their review profile indicates significant customer service and value concerns that potential clients should carefully consider.

What do customers say about Honest Tax?

Customer feedback on Honest Tax is polarized across 146 reviews. Positive experiences focus on professional staff, with customers noting "they spent some 2+ hours doing work" and "Will was super knowledgeable." However, negative feedback is severe, particularly regarding communication ("Several phone calls have been unanswered") and costs ("They got me for $30,000" and "They did nothing for the $2,500 I paid"). The company shows 82.3% positive sentiment for professionalism but 0% positive sentiment on cost and value.

What are the complaints about Honest Tax?

Honest Tax has 18 BBB complaints with only 2 resolved (11% resolution rate). Major complaint themes include charging thousands of dollars ($4,500-$8,400+) for services not delivered, failing to enroll clients in promised tax programs, poor communication with customers unable to reach representatives, and misleading clients about case progress. Recent complaints describe multi-year service periods with minimal results despite substantial payments.

How does Honest Tax compare to other tax relief companies?

Honest Tax's performance metrics lag behind industry standards in several key areas. Their 11% BBB complaint resolution rate is significantly below what consumers should expect from reputable tax relief companies. The 0% positive sentiment on cost and value, combined with mixed ratings across platforms (1.8-3.7 range), suggests below-average customer satisfaction compared to established competitors in the tax relief industry.

How much does Honest Tax charge for their services?

Based on customer complaints, Honest Tax charges substantial upfront fees ranging from $2,500 to over $30,000, with some clients reporting fees of $4,500-$8,400+ for services. However, cost and value receives 0% positive sentiment from customers, with frequent complaints about high charges for minimal or no results. The company has faced criticism for charging thousands while failing to deliver promised tax resolution services.

How long does Honest Tax take to resolve cases?

Customer reviews indicate significant delays in Honest Tax's process, with only 28.6% positive sentiment on timeliness across 21 mentions. Multiple customers report multi-year service periods with minimal progress, including complaints of "Been 3 years no help" and cases extending over several years without resolution. The company appears to have systematic issues with timely case completion and progress communication.

Does Honest Tax communicate well with clients?

Communication is a major weakness for Honest Tax, with only 27.4% positive sentiment across 62 customer mentions. Common complaints include "Several phone calls have been unanswered," "never heard from them or any updates," and "Representatives hung up on me." While some customers praise initial communication, the majority report difficulty reaching representatives and receiving case updates throughout the service period.

How does Honest Tax handle customer complaints?

Honest Tax's complaint handling appears inadequate based on BBB data showing only 2 of 18 complaints resolved (11% resolution rate). Customer reviews frequently mention unsuccessful attempts to reach the company for complaint resolution, with one reviewer noting "I have tried more than 10 times to reach out to them with no success." This suggests systematic issues in their customer service and complaint resolution processes.

Platform Breakdown

BBB

22 reviews

3.36

Trustpilot

17 reviews

1.80

Google

104 reviews

3.70