JK Harris Founder, President Issues Statement on Agreement with Texas Attorney General

GOOSE CREEK, SC, April 08, 2011 (Press-News.org) John Harris, President and CEO of JK Harris & Company, the nation's largest tax representation firm, issued a statement this morning regarding the company's recent settlement with the Office of the Texas Attorney General.

"We are pleased to have reached a settlement with the office of Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott," said Harris. "Our legal department, along with Thomas M. Gregor, Esquire and Ogden, Gibson, Broocks, Longoria & Hall, LLP have all worked diligently and cooperated with Mr. Abbott's office since the April 2009 filing and we are glad to bring this case to a close."

JK Harris has admitted no liability or wrongdoing, but has settled with the State of Texas to avoid the cost and distraction of protracted litigation.

JK Harris & Company began changing its sales and operations model several years ago and finalized those changes in July 2009 as part of its ongoing commitment to improve customer service and better serve clients. "The nature of our business is such that our clients are virtually always in a crisis situation when they come to us," said Harris. "They are looking for a swift resolution, but unfortunately, they are dealing with tax authorities and agencies that rarely move quickly. This leads to challenges for us and our clients that are rarely easy to overcome."

The company now offers three phases of service delivered on a pay-as-you-go basis. This method avoids the possibility that clients may contract for services for which they do not qualify. Since implementing the new operating system, JK Harris & Company's complaint rate has dropped to less than 2 percent in an industry where the average service provider's complaint rate is 25 percent. "We are proud of our performance record and we are committed to providing superior service to our clients," said Harris.

In the first phase of service, the client contracts for a Professional Staff Report, which is an analysis of their current tax situation. After a JK Harris consultant meets with the client, the client will provide financial documents and JK Harris will requisition documents from the IRS or the client's state to determine what the client owes, what their financial situation is and which IRS resolution program(s) the client qualifies for. The client is then presented with the report showing what their options are for resolving their back tax debt. The client can take the report and resolve their own tax problem, contract with JK Harris for help resolving their tax problems, or they can seek another firm's help for resolving their tax issue.

If the client contracts for phase two services with JK Harris, the tax team at JK Harris will work with the client to negotiate the tax resolution they are qualified to seek with the IRS or their state revenue department. Phase three is an appellate phase available to clients when the state or IRS rejects their offer or resolution. The client may contract for the appellate phase if they have reasonable grounds for an appeal.

JK Harris can prequalify clients based on the information they provide; however the ultimate decision for negotiating the tax debt lies with the IRS or the state.

About JK Harris:
JK Harris & Company, LLC, (www.jkharris.com) based in Goose Creek, S.C., is the nation's largest tax representation firm and has served over 250,000 customers since its founding in 1997 by John K. Harris. JK Harris consultants are available to meet with consumers in over 325 locations nationwide by appointment only. The company also provides services for tax return preparation and audit representation.