Pros
- Competitive fees
- Excellent customer support
- Fast & easy ERC claim process
- Secure online portal
Cons
- No support for other business tax credits
- Phone hold times can be lengthy
- No ERC loan or advance options
As of 1/17/24, ERC Specialists is no longer accepting new ERC applications. Check out our picks for best ERC companies to claim your refund.
On 1/10/24, IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel announced that the IRS is continuing to improve and automate ERC review procedures and will begin processing new ERC claims in the spring following the moratorium implemented in September. Existing claims are still being processed, and eligible businesses can still submit an ERC claim through reputable ERC companies to be processed when the moratorium ends. Visit our full breakdown of the ERC pause for the latest information.
What Is ERC Specialists?
ERC Specialists is a specialty tax service company that helps business owners claim the Employee Retention Credit (ERC). ERC Specialists takes the guesswork out of 200+ pages of ERC tax code by helping eligible business owners maximize their ERC refunds.
ERC Specialists has over 40 years of experience with payroll taxes and uses the expertise of its tax experts and attorneys to help businesses of all sizes claim the ERC through a simple and quick four-step process, which is why it is one of the best ERC companies for getting your funds.
ERC Specialists walk business owners through every step of the process: the company helps you apply for ERC and file claims efficiently while keeping the lines of communication open until clients receive their refunds.
ERC Specialists Services
Unlike other companies that also perform accounting, bookkeeping, and tax preparation services, ERC Specialists — as the name suggests — specializes solely in ERC claims. In fact, ERC Specialists claim that a large number of its clients came to them after working with CPAs.
The experts at ERC Specialists focus solely on understanding and applying the ERC tax code. Without any other distractions, ERC Specialists use this knowledge to help its clients calculate the ERC and claim the credit.
ERC Specialists Fees
ERC Specialists’ fees range from 10% to 15%. These ERC fees are quite competitive.
The amount of your fee varies based on how you opt to pay. If you pay upfront, you’ll pay 10% of your total ERC refund. If you opt to have the fee deducted when you receive your refund, you will pay 15% of the amount of the refund.
ERC Specialists offers a 100% money-back guarantee if you’ve paid upfront and the IRS does not release your credit for any reason. This guarantee, along with competitive and transparent fees, is why we gave ERC Specialists a perfect score for pricing.
ERC Specialists Features
ERC Specialists isn’t just another business that added ERC claims to its list of services. This company specializes in ERC claims, helping its clients get the maximum ERC refund they’re due. Businesses that are looking for a more all-in-one tax or accounting solution may find ERC Specialists’ offerings to be a bit lacking. Offering no additional services did have a slight impact on our rating.
However, businesses that solely want an experienced ERC team to help with applying for the ERC credit won’t be disappointed in what ERC Specialists has to offer. It has a well-rounded set of features, although it is missing some key features like an ERC calculator and advances, which impacted our rating.
Standout features of working with ERC Specialists include:
- Maximum ERC Refunds: Because ERC Specialists only deal with ERC claims, it states that it averages a 10% to 20% higher return than CPAs that don’t have as much experience with the ERC program.
- Free Analysis: ERC Specialists will perform a free, no-obligation analysis to calculate your ERC. After your analysis, ERC Specialists discloses its fee so you can determine if you wish to move forward with the service.
- Application Status: Clients can easily log in to check the status of their ERC refunds.
- Online Portal: ERC Specialists has a secure portal that can be used to upload payroll records or access copies of Form 941-X.
- ERC Resources: ERC Specialists offers several resources on its website to help small business owners better understand the company and the ERC program. These resources include FAQs, a summary table breaking down the requirements of the ERC, and a company blog focused on the ERC program.
- Referral Program: ERC Specialists has a referral/affiliate program available. While details aren’t available online, interested clients can contact ERC Specialists for more details.
- Audit Support: If a client is audited by the IRS, ERC Specialists provides audit support throughout the process.
ERC Specialists ERC Refund Process & Timeline
ERC Specialists has an easy four-step process to claim your ERC refund. You start the process by filling out an online form to determine if you qualify for ERC.
Next, you will upload your supporting documentation through ERC Specialists’ secure online portal. Once all information has been received, ERC Specialists will conduct an analysis to determine eligibility, as well as the amount of your refund. ERC Specialists will let you know the amount of your refund as well as its fees. After signing an agreement, ERC Specialists will send your amended returns to the IRS. This process takes approximately two to three weeks.
Next, the IRS will process your refund. It’s important to note that the IRS currently has a backlog of amended returns and has given an estimated turnaround of at least 20 weeks. ERC Specialists has no control over this timeline.
Once your claim has been processed, the IRS will issue a check, and you will have access to your funds.
ERC Specialists doesn’t provide a dedicated support rep, which was a downside that brought down its rating for this review.
ERC Specialists Customer Service
One area where ERC Specialists excels is in customer service, earning nearly a perfect rating. While you can contact the company by phone or email, the company has set up a self-service portal that can be used to upload documentation, check the status of your ERC refund, and perform other tasks. Clients have noted that emails are generally responded to promptly, and representatives reached by phone are friendly and helpful.
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ERC Specialists has many helpful resources on its website, including a FAQ section, knowledge base, and company blog. ERC Specialists also has profiles on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
ERC Specialists Reviews
ERC Specialists has an overall positive reputation among its clients. The company has received 4.3/5 stars based on 200+ Google reviews, features testimonials on its website, and has a handful of five-star reviews on its company Facebook page. ERC Specialists outscored many of its competitors in this area, as most other ERC companies have much fewer user reviews.
ERC Specialists Complaints
There are very few negative reviews of ERC Specialists, and it appears that ERC Specialists is prompt in responding to negative reviews. Some of the complaints voiced by clients include:
- Long phone hold times
- High fees
Positive ERC Specialists Reviews
ERC Specialists receives overwhelmingly positive reviews, with clients raving about:
- Easy-to-use platform
- Excellent communication
- Professional & knowledgeable team
- Fast & efficient ERC claims
Is ERC Specialists Worth It?
ERC Specialists focuses on one thing — ERC refunds — and it does this well. ERC Specialists works with businesses of all sizes that had employees in 2020 and 2021 and may qualify for the ERC.
While some clients may be looking for companies that offer other financial services like accounting, bookkeeping, or additional tax services, business owners solely focused on maximizing their ERC refunds will find what they’re looking for with ERC Specialists. ERC Specialists has an easy and efficient ERC refund process and has competitive rates for its services.
ERC Specialists has a great public reputation, with users frequently praising the company’s excellent communication, knowledgeable staff, and easy refund process. Current and past clients who were previously told they wouldn’t qualify for ERC or were given a lower calculation were also pleasantly surprised by the refunds that they qualified for when using ERC Specialists. Overall, ERC Specialists is building a name for itself among other companies that specialize in ERC funding, which is why it’s on our best ERC companies list.
The main downside is that ERC Specialists doesn’t offer any additional tax credits or any ERC loan or advance options, so you’ll be stuck waiting on the IRS to get your refund unless you decide to work with a different ERC loan company.
Check out our other top ERC company recommendations to compare ERC Specialists with other top ERC refund companies like Lendio and Omega Accounting Solutions.
ERC Specialists FAQs
Is ERC Specialists legit?
ERC Specialists is a legitimate company based out of Utah, though the company provides ERC services nationwide to eligible businesses.
What can ERC Specialists do for businesses?
ERC Specialists can help business owners claim the employee retention tax credit. For a fee, ERC Specialists calculates the amount of the credit and files amended tax returns on the business’s behalf to retroactively claim the tax credit as a refund from the IRS.
What are ERC Specialists fees?
ERC Specialists charges a 10% fee on your ERC refund if you pay up-front before receiving your refund or a 15% fee if you pay upon receiving your ERC funds. These fees are competitive compared to other ERC companies.
How does ERC Specialists work?
ERC Specialists is an ERC refund company that specializes in helping small businesses file for and claim their employee retention credit.
ERC Company Review Methodology
We spend hours researching and evaluating each ERC company that we review at Merchant Maverick, placing special emphasis on key characteristics to generate our service provider ratings.
Weighted Rating Breakdown
Refund Process & Timeline 35%
Features 30%
Fees 20%
User Reviews 10%
Customer Service 5%
When rating ERC companies, we use a 22-point rubric that looks at fees, features, refund process and timeline, customer service, and user reviews. We weigh each section differently to calculate the total star rating.
- Fees: 20% of the total star rating
- Features: 30% of the total star rating
- Refund Process & Timeline: 35% of the total star rating
- Customer Service: 5% of the total star rating
- User Reviews: 10% of the total star rating
Each section is further broken down into granular, weighted subsections, in which we look at specific attributes, like whether reduced fees are available for upfront payments, the availability of ERC loans and advances, audit protection, and no-cost ERC consultations.
Learn more about how we rate ERC providers.