TaxRise vs. Five Star Tax Resolution (2026): Which Is Right for You?
Last updated 03/24/2026 by
Ante MazalinEdited by
Andrew LathamSummary:
Five Star Tax Resolution discloses its fees — but at a $10,000 average with a range of $1,500 - $95,000, they are the highest of any firm in this comparison series. Both firms charge a retainer. TaxRise accepts cases from $5,000 and doesn’t disclose fees; Five Star requires $10,000 but publishes what you’re likely to pay. If you owe under $10,000, TaxRise is your only option of the two — above that threshold, Five Star’s fee disclosure is a transparency edge, but its cost level warrants careful evaluation before committing.
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TaxRise vs. Five Star Tax Resolution at a Glance
For taxpayers with $10,000 or more, Five Star Tax Resolution offers fee transparency TaxRise doesn’t — but at a $10,000 average that is among the highest in the industry. TaxRise is the only option of the two if you owe under $10,000.
Here’s how the two compare on the features that matter most:
| Feature | TaxRise | Five Star Tax Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Min. Tax Debt Required | $5,000 | $10,000 |
| Average Fee | Not disclosed | $10,000 |
| Range of Fees | Not disclosed | $1,500 - $95,000 |
| Retainer Fee | Yes | Yes |
| Flexible Payments | Yes | Yes |
| Money-Back Guarantee | Yes | Yes |
| CPAs on Staff | Yes | Yes |
| Enrolled Agents on Staff | Yes | No |
| Tax Attorneys on Staff | Yes | Yes |
| States Offered | All 50 states | All 50 states + DC |
| SuperMoney User Score | mostly not recommended | rating not yet determined |
Which One Should You Choose?
Choose TaxRise if…
- You owe between $5,000 and $9,999 — TaxRise’s lower minimum makes it your only option of the two for this debt range.
- You want enrolled agents on your case alongside CPAs and tax attorneys — Five Star Tax Resolution employs CPAs and tax attorneys but does not have enrolled agents in-house.
- Fee opacity is acceptable to you — TaxRise doesn’t disclose fees, but its undisclosed average is likely lower than Five Star’s published $10,000 benchmark based on third-party reviewer data.
Choose Five Star Tax Resolution if…
- You owe at least $10,000 and want to know the fee range before engaging — Five Star publishes a $10,000 average and a $1,500 - $95,000 range, giving you a cost benchmark TaxRise won’t provide.
- You have a complex, high-value IRS case — Five Star’s fee ceiling of up to $95,000 reflects its willingness to take on large, complex cases that other firms may not handle at the same depth.
- You have a CNC case or an installment agreement at risk of default — Five Star accepts both, including installment agreement cases where the taxpayer is currently in default.
About TaxRise
TaxRise is a tax relief company founded in 2016 and based in Irvine, CA, serving individuals and businesses across all 50 states with a two-phase process: free consultation followed by investigation and resolution.
- Lower Entry Threshold: TaxRise accepts cases from $5,000 — half the $10,000 Five Star requires.
- Full Credential Mix: TaxRise employs CPAs, enrolled agents, and tax attorneys — Five Star does not have enrolled agents on staff.
- Fee Opacity: TaxRise does not disclose fees publicly or during the consultation — costs are revealed only after the paid investigation phase. Unlike Five Star, there is no published range to evaluate before committing.
- Money-Back Guarantee: TaxRise offers a refund if it cannot enroll you in a qualified IRS relief program.
About Five Star Tax Resolution
Five Star Tax Resolution is a tax relief company founded in 2007 and based in Pasadena, CA, serving individuals and businesses across all 50 states and Washington, DC.
- Disclosed Fee Range: Five Star publishes a $10,000 average fee with a range of $1,500 - $95,000 — the widest and highest fee range of any firm in this comparison series.
- Broad Case Acceptance: Five Star accepts CNC cases regardless of expiration date and installment agreement cases even when the taxpayer is at risk of default or currently in default — broader eligibility than most firms.
- Restricted Money-Back Guarantee: Five Star’s guarantee applies only to the investigation phase fee — it does not cover clients enrolled in the Immediate Resolution program or those who have signed a Resolution Phase Addendum.
- Retainer Required: Like TaxRise, Five Star charges a retainer upfront before resolution work is scoped.
How Do TaxRise and Five Star Tax Resolution Compare?
Which Has Lower Fees — TaxRise or Five Star Tax Resolution?
Five Star Tax Resolution discloses its fees — a $10,000 average with a range of $1,500 - $95,000. That transparency has real value, but the numbers are significant: the $10,000 average is the highest of any firm in this comparison series, and a ceiling of $95,000 makes the disclosed range difficult to use as a planning benchmark.
TaxRise doesn’t disclose fees at all, but third-party reviewer data suggests its typical resolution costs run considerably lower than Five Star’s average. Both firms charge a retainer upfront, and both offer flexible payment plans — so neither requires full lump-sum payment at engagement.
How Do Their Staff Credentials Compare?
TaxRise employs CPAs, enrolled agents, and tax attorneys in-house — the full credential mix. Five Star employs CPAs and tax attorneys but does not have enrolled agents on staff. For most IRS resolution cases, the practical difference is limited — all three credential types can represent clients before the IRS.
But for cases where enrolled agent expertise is specifically valuable (penalty abatement, installment negotiations, compliance filings), TaxRise’s broader roster is a meaningful advantage.
Which Has the Stronger Reputation?
Neither firm offers strong community validation. TaxRise carries a mostly not recommended SuperMoney score — the lowest among reviewed firms in this series.
Five Star Tax Resolution has only 2 SuperMoney votes, both negative, leaving its score as rating not yet determined. Five Star was founded in 2007 — nearly a decade before TaxRise — giving it a longer institutional track record, but the absence of positive community reviews on either platform makes reputation-based comparison difficult.
Key Differences: TaxRise vs. Five Star Tax Resolution (Updated 2026)
Here’s what separates TaxRise and Five Star Tax Resolution on the factors that matter most when choosing a tax relief firm.
- Minimum tax debt: TaxRise accepts cases from $5,000; Five Star requires $10,000 — if you owe under $10,000, TaxRise is your only option of the two.
- Average fee: Five Star discloses a $10,000 average fee — the highest in this comparison series; TaxRise does not disclose its fees.
- Fee range: Five Star publishes a range of $1,500 - $95,000; TaxRise publishes nothing — but Five Star’s wide ceiling limits the planning value of its disclosed range.
- Staff credentials: TaxRise employs CPAs, enrolled agents, and tax attorneys; Five Star employs CPAs and tax attorneys — no enrolled agents in-house.
- Money-back guarantee: Both offer a guarantee — but Five Star’s applies only to the investigation phase fee and excludes certain enrollment types; review terms carefully before signing.
- SuperMoney score: TaxRise is rated mostly not recommended; Five Star Tax Resolution is rated rating not yet determined — neither firm has a strong community signal.
Customer Reviews & Reputation
TaxRise holds a SuperMoney score of mostly not recommended — the lowest rating among reviewed firms in this comparison series. Clients who achieved successful IRS resolutions rate it positively; those who experienced fee transparency issues or slow post-engagement communication do not.
Five Star Tax Resolution holds a SuperMoney score of rating not yet determined based on too few votes for a reliable rating — both available votes are negative. Neither firm has sufficient community validation to recommend on reputation alone.
- TaxRise Reviews: Score of mostly not recommended — positive outcomes reported among resolved cases; fee opacity and communication issues cited by dissatisfied clients.
- Five Star Tax Resolution Reviews: Insufficient SuperMoney votes for a reliable rating — evaluate based on the disclosed fee range and guarantee terms before committing.
Key Takeaways
- Minimum debt: TaxRise accepts cases from $5,000 — if you owe under $10,000, it’s your only option of the two.
- Fee disclosure: Five Star publishes a $10,000 average and $1,500 - $95,000 range — the highest and widest of any firm in this series; TaxRise discloses nothing.
- Both firms charge a retainer and offer flexible payments and a money-back guarantee — but Five Star’s guarantee is restricted to the investigation phase fee only.
- Staff: TaxRise employs CPAs, enrolled agents, and tax attorneys; Five Star employs CPAs and tax attorneys — no enrolled agents.
- Community data: Neither firm has a strong SuperMoney signal — TaxRise is rated mostly not recommended; Five Star has insufficient votes for a reliable rating.
FAQ
What is the main difference between TaxRise and Five Star Tax Resolution?
The most significant differences are the minimum debt threshold, fee disclosure, and staff credentials. TaxRise accepts cases from $5,000 but doesn’t disclose fees.
Five Star Tax Resolution requires $10,000 but publishes a $10,000 average fee and a $1,500 - $95,000 range — the highest of any firm in this comparison series. Both charge a retainer. TaxRise employs enrolled agents alongside CPAs and attorneys; Five Star does not have enrolled agents on staff.
Why is Five Star Tax Resolution’s average fee so high?
Five Star Tax Resolution reports a $10,000 average fee — roughly three to four times the industry norm among firms in this comparison series. The profile notes a fee range of $1,500 - $95,000, suggesting the firm handles highly complex, high-value IRS cases that drive the average upward.
If your tax debt is near the $10,000 minimum, the $10,000 average may not be representative of what your case would actually cost — but the wide range makes it difficult to know without a consultation.
Is Five Star Tax Resolution’s money-back guarantee reliable?
Five Star’s guarantee is more restricted than it appears. It applies only to the fee paid for the investigation phase — it does not cover clients enrolled in the Immediate Resolution program or those who have signed a Resolution Phase Addendum.
Before relying on the guarantee as a safety net, confirm with Five Star exactly which enrollment type applies to your case and whether the guarantee would cover your situation.
Which company is better if I owe less than $10,000?
Five Star Tax Resolution requires $10,000 and won’t accept your case below that threshold. TaxRise accepts cases from $5,000, making it the only option of the two for tax debts between $5,000 and $9,999.
For debts under $5,000, neither company will take your case — a direct IRS installment agreement is likely your most cost-effective route.
Which company has better user ratings?
Neither firm has a strong SuperMoney community signal. TaxRise carries a mostly not recommended score; Five Star Tax Resolution has too few votes for a reliable rating, with both available votes negative. If community reputation is your primary filter, consider firms like Anthem Tax Services or Larson Tax Relief, which carry strongly recommended scores across meaningful review volumes.
Explore TaxRise and Five Star Tax Resolution in Depth
TaxRise Review — See the full breakdown of TaxRise’s fees, process, and user ratings.
Five Star Tax Resolution Review — See Five Star’s full profile, fee range, and guarantee terms.
Related Tax Relief Comparisons
- TaxRise vs. Optima Tax Relief — The most-reviewed firm on SuperMoney goes head-to-head with TaxRise.
- TaxRise vs. Larson Tax Relief — A strongly recommended firm with no retainer and a disclosed $2,400 average fee.
- TaxRise vs. BC Tax — How TaxRise compares to another firm with a disclosed fee and no retainer.
- TaxRise vs. Anthem Tax Services — How TaxRise stacks up against the most community-reviewed firm in this series.
Want the full picture? Browse all tax relief companies.
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