Thank you!
TRS Independent Consultants have helped thousands of eligible small business owners, 1099 self-employed business owners, and gig workers with the Employee Retention Credit and Self-Employed Tax Credit (SETC). We appreciate you joining us on this journey.
Contact the correct department.
TRS (Tax Rebate Specialists) wants to ensure all support issues get handled promptly, so always send questions to the appropriate department.
Note: Always include your consultant ID and the file number, if applicable, for the ERC or SETC file you are inquiring about.
How does the SETC process work?
Each new COVID Sick Pay customer goes directly into the SEC (Self Employed Credits) pipeline. Once the customer is in the pipeline, there is nothing you, as a TRS consultant, can do to expedite the process.
An SETC file can show several statuses as it progresses through the Self Employed Credits pipeline
The following SETC Display Statuses cover an application from start to finish. You will not be notified when a customer receives their check.
Remember, with SETC, you will never see the amount of credit an individual will receive. Your commission is based on the flat fee SETC charges the customer after they sign off on their analysis.
All payments made to SEC are calculated throughout each month. Reconciliation happens between SEC and TRS early in the following month and TRS will pay out the commissions due on the 15th of that month.
What to do if an ERC customer receives a notice from the IRS
If the IRS sent a notice directly to your customer's address, give them this flyer detailing how they can upload the document(s) to ERC Specialists.
How customers can contact ERCS or the IRS directly
If your customer wants to contact ERC Specialists or the IRS directly, they can follow the instructions on this flyer. Note: They also should have received the email below from ERCS.
In response to questions ERCS has been receiving from customers about the IRS News Release, this follow up communication was sent on 6/25/24.
Dear [Customer],
As we've received customer inquiries regarding the IRS News Release from last week, we wanted to provide some additional clarification.
Customers have reached out wanting to know which risk category they fall into. The IRS has not shared their criteria for these categories beyond what is listed in the News Release.
Based on our processes, we feel most of our customers will land in the "low" to "medium" risk categories. Based on our experience in filing this specific credit, we feel the "high" risk category may be comprised on businesses that didn't pay wages or didn't exist during the eligibility period, and filed claims anyway.
We have recently seen promising results from customers reaching out to their local government representatives. If you have not already done so, we'd encourage you to share your concerns and frustrations with the delays in ERC processing.
As always, we're here to support you. Thanks you for your continued trust in us.
Sincerely,
Mark Sullivan
ERC Specialists, CEO
In late June 2024, Mark Sullivan (ERC Specialists, CEO) emailed ERCS customers in Awaiting IRS status.
Dear [Customer],
As you know, we've all been waiting on the IRS for information about the ERC processing moratorium ending. The IRS released an update yesterday, found here: IRS News Release - IR-2024-169.
The main points include:
The IRS has used the time since the moratorium was implemented to digitize information and analyze unprocessed ERC claims.
Based on their analysis, they have separated pending claims into 3 categories:
1. Claims filed before the moratorium, determined to be "low risk," will begin to be processed, at a slower speed than they were previously, with the first payments for these claims being sent out later this summer. This is great news!
2. Claims filed before the moratorium, determined to be "medium risk," may require additional information from the taxpayer before processing.
- For customers in this category, there is nothing that needs to be done now.
- If the IRS reaches out to you for additional information, ERC Specialists can provide a packet of supporting documentation for your ERC claim.
3. Those claims determined to be "high risk" will be denied.
- These claims include filings with warning signals that clearly fall outside the guidelne established by Congress.
- ERC Specialists did not knowingly file any high-risk claims. If the information provided in your questionnaire was accurate, and you reviewed your eligibility criteria prior to submitting your claim, you can rest assured that we stand by the quality of our work and our processes in filing ERC claims. Compliance with IRS guidelines has always been our top priority.
Note: Claims filed during the moratorium (after September 14, 2023) will not be processed at this time. The IRS will be working with Congress to determine next steps for these claims.
We will let you know when we receive any additional updates.
Generally, the oldest claims will be worked first.
The IRS cautioned taxpayers that the process will take time, and warned that processing speeds will not return to levels that occurred last summer. The agency emphasized those with ERC claims should not call IRS toll-free lines because additional information is generally not available on these claims as processing work continues.
The ERC is a legitimate program, and we expect the IRS to fulfill its obligation to eligible businesses and pay out the credits they claimed. Again, if the information you provided in the questionnaire was accurate, and you reviewed the eligibility criteria when you made your claim, you can rest assured that we stand by our quality of work and our processes in filing your ERC claim. Compliance with IRS guidelines surrounding the ERC has always been our top priority.
The IRS has provided tools, including an ERC Eligibility Checklist, Warning Signs of an Incorrect ERC Claim, and an ERC FAQ — all are linked in the news release. These may be helpful if you'd like to review your claim.
Please let us know if you have any concerns, questions, or if you would like a copy of the supporting documentation for your ERC claim.
Thank you for trusting ERC Specialists with your business.
Sincerely,
Mark Sullivan
ERC Specialists, CEO
In May 2024, Mark Sullivan (ERC Specialists, CEO) emailed every ERCS customer dealing with the IRS delay.
Dear [Customer],
Thank you for choosing to process your claim with ERC Specialists. We understand the frustration you may be experiencing regarding the delay in receiving responses from the IRS. We want to assure you that we are committed to supporting you through this process.
We recognize that the IRS processing delays are impacting your financial situation and business operations. Although we do expect the IRS to resume processing at some point, to expedite the process, we encourage you to reach out to your local political representatives.
Your voice matters, and by expressing your concerns to government leaders in your area, you can help bring attention to the issue and prompt action.
To assist you in this outreach initiative, we have prepared a message for you to share with your local government representative.
Simply visit this link [customized for customer] to access the message, along with direct links to your local senator's contact form. Reaching out to your local senator is the most effective way to address and resolve this issue.
This outreach will only take one minute of your time, yet its effects will be far-reaching, benefiting not only your business but also thousands of small businesses throughout the country.
If you have any questions or need further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us at irsdelay@ercspecialists.com.
We are here to support you every step of the way.
Sincerely,
Mark Sullivan
ERC Specialists, CEO
You're not seeing double. While we finish the ERC files, you'll see two statuses for each file.
As a customer's file travels through the TRS and ERCS (or CLV) pipelines, the status will update at each significant stage.
If all goes well, you will see your customer's ERC file make its way through two pipelines: TRS and ERCS (or CLV).
The first pipeline updates you on where the ERC file is with TRS. This starts with a completed questionnaire and uploaded documents and ends with an approved file package. When you see the "Package sent" label, you know the file has been sent to ERC Specialists.
The second pipeline updates you on where the ERC file is with ERCS (or CLV). This starts with an application received and ends when the customer has paid the invoice. When you see the "Fully Paid" label, you know the customer has received all the ERC checks and paid ERCS.
A completed ERC file will finish with the TRS status saying "Paid - Complete" and the ERCS status saying "Fully Paid." If the file has both of these statuses it means the commission has been paid to our TRS consultants. (Learn more about how commissions work in the next section.)
Documents & Articles
TRS Statement of Policies and Procedures
Please download and read the latest version of our policies and procedures.
TRS Tiered Compensation Plan
Read about the Tax Rebate Specialists tiered compensation plan for ERCs and SETCs.
IRS Breaks ERC Logjam. What Does This Mean For the Average Joe?
IRS Enters Next Stage of ERC Work; Review Indicates Vast Majority Show Risk of Being Improper
What's Happening With the Employee Retention Credit and the IRS?
A Covid Lifeline for Businesses Has Become Curse for the IRS
In Pending Litigation, IRS Reveals Strategy For Managing ERC Backlog
Didn't Get Your Employee Retention Credit? Sue the IRS!
9 Months Into ERC Claim Processing Moratorium, Still a Waiting Game
Why Some Taxpayers With Unprocessed ERC Claims Should Consider Filing a Refund Lawsuit
ERTC Refund Lawsuits: Is Now the Time to File?
The IRS Money Hole Gets Deeper
What's Next For ERC Refund Claims Pending With the IRS?
Stenson Tamaddon Files Lawsuit Against IRS and Treasury Department Over ERC Program