Top ERC Specialists Alternatives

Last Updated on April 22, 2025 by Ewen Finser

I’ve written a lot of content about tax credits on this blog, and the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) is among the most lucrative tax relief options currently available to American businesses. 

Unfortunately, it’s also garnered plenty of publicity for the wrong reasons. Many of the ERC claims the IRS has received have either been faulty or outright fraudulent, so the agency has started coming down hard on businesses that have overstated their entitlements. Audits, penalties, and all that jazz—who needs it?

Additionally, the avalanche of ERC claims the IRS is currently dealing with has created huge payment backlogs. Many businesses have been waiting more than a year to get paid.

All this means that ERC specialists have an increasingly important role to play. If you want to avoid the wrath of the tax authorities and see your ERC check before your toddler goes to college, you should probably enlist outside help.

(You should also note that the ERC filing deadline is April 15 of this year, so there’s no time to waste.)

What is ERC Specialists?

As its name suggests, ERC Specialists is a tax service company focused on understanding and maximizing the ERC for US businesses affected by COVID-19. As outlined on its website, it occupies a much more specific space in the industry than the average CPA or payroll provider.

What I Like:

• The specialization: I’ve said it before and must now say it again; you want an ERC expert completing your claim. ERC Specialists works on little other than filings in this area. The company name pretty much tells you all you need to know here. 
• The simplicity: Unlike some other firms, ERC Specialists has a quick, intuitive process you can use to discover whether you’re eligible for benefits and kick off the claims process.

What I Don’t Like:

ERC Specialists has stopped accepting new claims for the credit because of the ongoing IRS moratorium. Because the filing deadline is just a few weeks away, this is realistically a deal-breaker for most businesses that have yet to submit a filing. 

If you’re looking for an alternative to ERC Specialists (whether its because you have yet to file your claim or they’re just not the right fit for you), I can help. I’ve looked at the best (and the rest) of the ERC specialists out there. Here are my top recommendations. 

The Top ERC Specialists Alternatives

IRSPlus (The Best Choice for Most Businesses)

I’ve been a big fan of IRSPlus for a while now, both in terms of its ERC consulting service and its broader suite of offerings. It’s been around since 2017 and has gained a stellar reputation as a general tax advisory service, but has enjoyed much wider recognition since specializing in ERC claims over the last number of years.

What I Like: 

• The free initial consultations. These are hugely important in the ERC space as most companies have no idea whether they qualify for the credit or not. If any ERC service provider charges you a fee to tell you you’re not eligible, it’s just wasting your money.
• IRSPlus guarantees to cover any mistakes made on your claim. Again, this is a big plus when it comes to ERC. The landscape is complicated, and even professionals make the odd mistake. You don’t want to be left carrying the bag if this happens in your case. 
• The client service. Despite having worked with a huge number of clients, IRSPlus has retained the structure and feel of a small company. Your dedicated agent will always be on the other end of a call or email to talk you through any concerns you have.

What I Don’t Like:

Despite its efforts to market itself as a full-service financial consultancy, the bulk of IRSPlus’ experience is in the tax credit space. I’d recommend looking elsewhere for more general financial services.

BottomLine Concepts (The Best for Big Companies)

BottomLine Concepts has been a player in the tax consulting space since 2009, and has gained a strong reputation for solid client service over the past 16 years (side note: how wild is it that 2009 was 16 years ago?). Since the launch of the ERC program, it has become a respected provider of services in this area, working with businesses across a wide range of industries on their claims. 

What I Like:

• The extensive experience in the corporate space: There’s no limit on the number of employees for which you can claim ERC benefits; if you’re claiming for compensation in relation to dozens of eligible workers, you could be filing a claim worth multiple millions of dollars. If you are, you want a service provider that’s comfortable dealing with this type of scale. As BottomLine is keen to advertise on its website, it has worked with a lot of Fortune 500 outfits, including BNY Mellon, McDonald’s, and Neiman Marcus Group.
• The thorough process: BottomLine has a strong reputation when it comes to assessing eligibility prior to claim submission; with the IRS cracking down hard on fraudulent claims, this is a big plus. 

What I Don’t Like:

The cost: With Fortune 500 clients come Fortune 500 invoices. If you’re a small or medium business working on a fine margin, you might find better value for money elsewhere. 

Omega Accounting Solutions (The Quick Option)

If you need money yesterday, Omega Accounting Solutions might be the company to work with on your ERC filing. The IRS has been inundated with ERC claims and has struggled to keep pace with them; last year, the agency stated there were 1.2 million outstanding claims, adding that many businesses had been waiting more than a year to get their money at that point. Omega offers bridge loans that put money in your account while you’re waiting for your claim to be processed. 

What I Like: 

The bridge loans (if you really need one). Costs have skyrocketed across the board for American businesses, tightening margins and generally making life more difficult. ERC is potentially a major lifeline, but it takes a long time to get your money after you’ve filed your claim. Omega’s bridge loan could have money in your account in as little as 45 days (or 10 days if you’re an existing client).

What I Don’t Like:

• The shift in focus: Omega’s website makes it clear that ERC claims are no longer a primary area of focus for the company. The main coverage of ERC on the site now is in the context of “ERC Compliance Review,” which proactively advises companies who feel they may have been exploited by an ERC mill. If you’re filing a claim from scratch, you want to work with a company that’s living and breathing ERC cases. 
• The price point: Loans come with interest, in case you didn’t know. Also, even if you don’t avail of the bridge loan service, you’ll probably end up spending more with Omega than you would with some of its competitors. 

Baker Tilly

Baker Tilly is a worldwide presence in the financial services space. It’s reportedly one of the ten biggest accounting firms in the world, and is the only company discussed here that has its own Wikipedia entry. Like many other general purpose firms, it has entered the ERC space over the last few years and carved out a productive niche there. 

What I Like:

The prestige. The ERC consulting space has gained a reputation as something of a “Wild West” within the tax industry; many new firms have entered the space, persuaded companies to file claims when they weren’t eligible for benefits, and left them at risk of IRS audits and penalties. This is something you’re less likely to encounter with a respected firm like Baker Tilly.  

What I Don’t Like:

• The lack of specialization: ERC claims require a lot of niche experience; the more of these claims your service provider has done, the more efficient and comprehensive their work on your claim will be. This isn’t to say Baker Tilly doesn’t have competent people working in its ERC department, but I would advise exercising caution when it comes to generalists who offer assistance in this area. 
• The international focus: This runs along similar lines to the last point. The ERC is unique to the US, and companies working on it need to be very literate when it comes to the IRS and its (many, many) rules and requirements.
• The corporate model: It’s no secret that smaller outfits offer better, more personalized customer service. You want to be able to reach the agent handling your claim easily at any stage of the process. You’re much less likely to be able to do this if you choose to work with a big firm like Baker Tilly. 

The Verdict

As noted above, IRSPlus is the best option for the greatest number of companies. Omega Accounting Solutions is great if you’re in a time crunch and are willing to pay a premium to get your money quickly, and BottomLine Concepts is the best call for big companies.

The key message here, though, is to get help from somewhere; do not go it alone. The IRS will not hesitate to punish you if you get something wrong, and there are a lot of potential pitfalls. Don’t take the risk.