Complain about a product or service

JK Harris

JK Harris • Consumer Complaints • Company Response News • Texas Sues JK Harris For Misrepresentation • Missouri Sues JK Harris For Failing To Help Customers • JK Harris Settles Deceptive Ad Charges

Catherine of El Dorado Hills CA (02/25/06)
On December 22, 2005, my paycheck was garnished, I got 347. Desperate for some assistance I found an ad indicating that JK Harris & Company was "the best", according to the Wall Street Journal. Mr. Pelle indicated that he would fax my Power of Attorney, to South Carolina, that night, so that it would be there in the morning, so they could get this levy released immediately.

After this JK Harris would help me repair my credit, help set a budget, etc. I sent in my budget, on January 6th, as requested, with a note that I could probably make it through the month. One of the "welcoming" clerks from the company had told me that the IRS had 30 days to respond to the request to release a levy, and would drag their feet until the 29th day. In the meantime, Mr. Pelle had set up debit withdrawal for payment, for February 1st. I told him that if JK Harris did not get the levy lifted before payday that there would be no money.

On February 1st, my account was hit for 176, and a second debit withdrawal of 123, both to an account that had 3.73 in it. On January 31st, I received a package, from my Tax Specialist (which she mailed on the 19th), indicating that I had not turned in all my budget information, which should have included three months proof of all my expenses. I called Mr. Pelle, wanting to know why this tax specialist had not even checked my file until almost 30 days after the power of attorney was sent? It was pointed out that this was my responsiblity, and that there was nothing she could do without this information. (As it turns out, the IRS didn't need this information, because my tax returns are current)

I have made phone calls to my tax specialist, sent emails, cc'ing Mr. Pelle, and no one has ever returned the calls or emails. Sixty days from my initial contact with the company, and afraid that I would have another garnished paycheck, I went down to the IRS myself. Within less than an hour my levy was released, and I had set up a very reasonable payment plan. The IRS was actually a delight to work with. The IRS problem is resolved, and their records show that in 60 days, JK Harris & Company had never talked with anyone regarding my account.

Norn of Nyc, NY February 24, 2006

Norn of Nyc NY (02/24/06)

I received a notice of Intent To Levy from the IRS October 2005. I freaked out, and didn’t know what to do. I'd heard ads from JK HARRIS  and  they sounded as if they could help. I made an appointment for the very next day with JK HARRIS, to meet a representative named Ryan Goolcharan. Mr. Goolcharan looked over the Intent To Levy letter and went through a checklist of my financial information. Mr. Goolcharan told me that by signing Power Of Attorney over to JK HARRIS, I could prevent the levy and that the IRS would not be allowed to contact me or my employer.

Mr. Goolcharan also told me that, for a fee of 2100, he would be able to settle my tax debt for less than half of what I owed. I happily paid 500 down and signed a contract for an automatic monthly deduction of 180 plus a 10 processing fee (though I didn’t find out about the "processing fee" till later). I relaxed, thinking I had taken a positive step towards resolving my financial problems, and  breathed a sigh of relief thinking that I'd stopped the levy.

My first sign that something was amiss was when I tried to contact Mr. Goolcharan for an update on my case was told that my new "caseworker' would be Mr. Huffines. I asked to be connected with him and she connected me to his voicemail. I left a message telling him that I'd just been informed that he was my new caseworker and  I was calling for an update on my case. I left my name, ss3  and  to phone #s where he could reach me. I didn’t hear back from Mr. Huffines, so a week later I called him again. Mr. Huffines couldn’t really give me any details of my case, telling me that they were just waiting for the IRS to "get back" to them, and that I shouldn’t worry.

Then I received another INTENT TO LEVY notice! I immediately called Mr. Huffines and said that I'd been told that by granting JK HARRIS POWER OF ATTORNEY, I'd be preventing the levy and that the IRS would have to channel all communications through JK HARRIS. Mr. Huffines assured me that this was the case and seemed genuinely puzzled that the IRS had bypassed JK HARRIS.

Well, as you can imagine, the levy took place, leaving me with only 325 per pay period!!!! I called Mr. Huffines, crying, to tell him that the levy had taken place. Mr. Huffines told me to fax him 3 months worth of bank statements, my most recent pay stub, my tax returns and copies of my rent and utility bills. He said that he would present these to the IRS to show that the levy would cause me hardship and that the IRS would then release the levy. I faxed all the requested information and waited. Then I called Mr. Huffines to get an update. Lo  and  behold, his phone number no longer connects me to him, but to a Mr. Rhodes voicemail.  I explain my situation and leave numbers so that he can reach me. He never returns my calls.

I finally reach him and he tells me that Mr. Huffines is no longer with the firm so I recap the entire JK HARRIS story for Mr. Rhodes and  he tells me "oh, we can’t stop a levy!", and he chuckles as if I should have known better! He then tells me that I need to re-do my 2001 taxes (the taxes that have caused all this trouble) and fax the completed returns to him before he can take any action. I do this. I leave more voicemails for him, with no replies. Out of desperation, I call the IRS myself. They tell me that they have no record that they have EVER heard from JK HARRIS on my behalf!!!! "Besides", the IRS rep tells me "You don’t need them you can just settle this yourself. They can’t do anything that you can’t do"

So today, I call Mr. Rhodes again to confirm what I’ve heard from the IRS rep. He asks "Oh is the levy against you already active?"  and I THOUGHT MY HEAD WAS GOING TO EXPLODE!!!!!! This is my caseworker and he sent familiar with the MOST BASIC ASPECT OF MY CASE?!?!?!?!?! "YES!!!!" I scream. "well, fax me that NOTICE OF LEVY, but do it before 4, because I’m leaving early to go to the beach this weekend!" so here I am, on the verge of suicide, on the verge of eviction, the only way I've been able to eat the past week is my coworkers are bring me their leftovers, bless them... and this man from this company that I've already paid 1900 to COULD NOT CARE LESS. JK HARRIS is a huge waste of money. I wish that I had just contacted the IRS right from the beginning...but I was scared and I thought I was doing something smart. I WAS A SUCKER.

Desmond of Alton, NH January 31, 2006

Desmond of Alton NH (01/31/06)
I've been working with jk harris for over a year and ahalf to take care of my back taxes and have gotten nowhere except liens against me from the IRS now totaling over 13,000.

Donald of Acworth, GA January 23, 2006

Donald of Acworth GA (01/23/06)
Paid almost 3000.00 over a 12-month period and no work was done... Even a simple tax return was not done correctly, but the major thing for an IRS/tax settlment issue was not done.. It took me calling them after 8 months to find out my entire file had been lost.. However the paperwork for auto deductions from my checking account to pay them did not get lost.. What a waste of time and effort on my part.

Cassandra of Fort Worth, TX January 23, 2006

Cassandra  of Fort Worth TX (01/23/06)
Went to JK Harris with intentions of filing bankruptcy to clear up my tax and credit problems. They convinced us that we did not need to file bankruptcy and put us in their credit repair program instead. After paying over 1500 dollars on a 5600 dollar plan, our car was reposessed and we received an eviction noticed. We ended up filing bankruptcy with a different company just in time to keep our car from being sold at the auction. JK Harris our money and left us in a worst position than we were already in. Even though they are included in our bankruptcy, they continue to harass us claiming that we still owe them 4600 dollars.

Nancy of Bronx, NY January 12, 2006

Report Your Experience
If you've had a bad experience -- or a good one -- with a consumer product or service, we'd like to hear about it. All complaints are reviewed by class action attorneys and are considered for publication on our site. Knowledge is power! Help spread the word. File your consumer report now.

Share		Follow us on Twitter.

Back to the top |