Collections Agencies
Keystone Collections GroupHeadquarters
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Complaints
This profile includes complaints for Keystone Collections Group's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see
Customer Complaints Summary
- 222 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 64 complaints closed in the last 12 months.
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Submit a ComplaintThe complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.
Initial Complaint
Date:06/07/2025
Type:Billing IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
My partner (****** ***********) and I get billed every year from this collection agency, despite paying our taxes via our mortgage company, ****. They have been notified in the past, and I believe they are trying to frighten people into giving them their financial info. Real scammers!Business Response
Date: 06/18/2025
Dear Ms. Folino:
Thank
you for contacting Keystone Collections Group (“Keystone”) regarding this
complaint ID number. In her complaint, the complainant advised that Keystone
sent a notice requesting payment for delinquent local earned income taxes
(“EIT”). The complainant further advised that she pays her taxes each year via her
mortgage company, USAA. Please know that I have thoroughly reviewed the
complainant’s account.
As a preliminary matter, Keystone serves as the Act
32 Tax Officer for the Bucks County Tax Collection District and the local
taxing bodies therein. In this capacity,
Keystone is tasked with the administration, collection, and reconciliation of
local EIT for all communities within Bucks County that assess an EIT.
In her complaint, the complainant advised that her
and her partner’s local taxes are paid by their mortgage company. As detailed
herein, this matter concerns local EIT, a separate and district tax from local real
estate tax. Local EIT is based upon income, not property ownership. The notices
sent by Keystone have clearly detailed that this matter does not concern real
estate taxes. Moreover, local EIT is self-reporting, and while an employer may
remit local earned income tax withholdings on a taxpayer’s behalf, it is the
taxpayer’s responsibility to file a tax return, report all income, and claim
any necessary tax credits. In the case of Bucks County residents, such tax
returns must be filed directly with Keystone.
The Local Tax Enabling
Act (“LTEA”) requires all Pennsylvania resident
taxpayers making earned income and/or net profits to file a local EIT return
with their resident Tax Officer. 53 P.S. § 6924.502(c). It is important to note
that local EIT, like all other income-based taxes, are self-reporting. That is, it is the taxpayer’s legal
obligation to file a tax return, report all income, and remit any outstanding
tax, if necessary. Income taxes are not “billed” like real estate or certain
nuisance taxes.
Pursuant to
the information exchange mandate of the LTEA, Keystone is supplied with limited
earnings information from the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue (“DOR”) used
to identify unpaid or underpaid accounts. See 53 P.S. § 6924.509(g). The income
figures listed on the complainant’s delinquent notice were taken directly from
the earnings information supplied by the DOR, which represents figures the
complainant listed on her PA 40 personal income tax return.
Understanding that the information supplied by the
DOR may be inaccurate, Keystone provides taxpayers with ample notice prior to
the initiation of adverse legal or collection action. Through the LTEA, Tax
Officers such as Keystone are vested with the right to request documentation to
verify the accuracy of a tax return, or if no tax return was filed, to
ascertain the amount of tax due. See 53 P.S. § 6924.509(f).
If the complainant disputes the tax, she may supply
documentation, such as W-2s, PA-40s, tax returns filed with other taxing
authorities, evidencing that no tax is due. Alternatively, the complainant may
contact my office to establish a payment plan.
I appreciate the opportunity provided by the BBB to
resolve the concerns of taxpayers and improve our processes.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Very
truly yours,
KEYSTONE
COLLECTIONS GROUP
By:
Christopher
E. Vincent, EsquireInitial Complaint
Date:06/05/2025
Type:Billing IssuesStatus:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I am filing this complaint regarding Keystone Collections Group due to improper wage garnishment practices.Keystone Collections previously garnished my wages to satisfy a delinquent local tax obligation. I fully satisfied the debt all owed taxes were paid in full, and the garnishment should have ceased at that time.However, after my balance was cleared, Keystone Collections continued to garnish my wages from both of my employers. This has resulted in unauthorized deductions from my paychecks beyond what was legally owed.I contacted Keystone Collections to resolve this matter and provided proof of payment, but the garnishments have not been properly addressed or refunded.I am requesting the following:Immediate cessation of all wage garnishments on my accounts.Full refund of all garnished wages collected after the debt was paid in full.Written confirmation that this matter has been corrected and will not negatively affect my employment or credit.I am providing documentation of payment and payroll records to substantiate my claim.Thank you for your assistance in resolving this matter.Customer Answer
Date: 06/06/2025
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
See Six Attachments.
Business Response
Date: 06/16/2025
Dear Ms. ******************** you for contacting Keystone Collections Group (Keystone) regarding this complaint ID number. In her complaint, the complainant advised that Keystone garnished her wages to collect delinquent local earned income taxes (EIT.) The complainant advised that her wages were garnished in excess of the funds that were due and they have not received all the funds back. Please know that I have thoroughly reviewed the complainants account.
As a preliminary matter, Keystone serves as the Act 32 Tax Officer for the Allegheny Southeast Tax Collection District and the local taxing bodies therein. In this capacity, Keystone is tasked with the administration, collection, and reconciliation of local EIT for all communities within the Tax Collection District that assess an EIT.
The Local Tax Enabling Act (****) requires all Pennsylvania resident taxpayers making earned income and/or net profits to file a local EIT return with their resident Tax Officer. 53 P.S. 6924.502(c). It is important to note that local EIT, like all other income-based taxes, are self-reporting. Per my review, the complainant has never filed a local earned income tax return with Keystone.
Pursuant to the information exchange mandate of the ***** Keystone is supplied with limited earnings information from the ********************************** (***) used to identify unpaid or underpaid accounts. See 53 P.S. ***********. The income figures listed on the delinquent notices at issue were taken directly from the earnings information supplied by the **** which represents figures the complainant listed on her PA 40 personal income tax return for the 2022 tax year.
Understanding that the information supplied by the *** may be inaccurate, Keystone provides taxpayers with ample notice prior to the initiation of adverse legal or collection action. Through the ***** Tax Officers such as Keystone are vested with the right to request documentation to verify the accuracy of a tax return, or if no tax return was filed, to ascertain the amount of tax due. See 53 P.S. 6924.509(f). Moreover, the **** authorizes the collection of delinquent EIT by wage garnishment. 53 P.S. 6924.702-703.
Per my review, the complainant was issued an initial delinquent notice on September 19, 2024. This notice advises taxpayers of their tax delinquency, and affords taxpayers with the opportunity to reconcile their account, without statutory penalty, for thirty (30) days. The complainant did not respond to this notice.
The **** authorizes the collection of delinquent local earned income tax by wage garnishment. 53 P.S. 6924.702-703, As the complainant did not respond to the delinquent notice, my office sent the complainant a Notice of Intent to Garnish Wages, by Certified Mail on November 12, 2024 and by First Class Mail on January 3, 2025. In response to the January 3 notice, the complainant submitted copies of her W-2s evidencing that her local earned income tax was under-withheld. The complainant was issued a balance due notice on January 30, 2025, but did not remit payment. Accordingly, the wage garnishment was issued to her employers in late March.
The complainants account was satisfied via employer garnishment payments. On May 28, 2025, the complainants account was cleared, and the garnishments were released. That is, my office mailed release notices to the complainants employers. However, the complainants employers garnished additional funds to Keystone. Refunds of these funds were prepared on May 28, 2025 and June 6, 2025. In her complaint,the complainant advised that not all funds were refunded. There is unfortunately a delay associated with Keystones receipt of garnished funds that is outside of Keystones control. Should my office receive any additional garnished funds, any such funds will be returned to the complainant directly.
I note that this issue could have been avoided by the proper filing of a tax return and associated remittance of payment. Nevertheless, my office considers this matter resolved.
My office appreciates the opportunity to resolve the concerns of taxpayers. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Very truly yours,
KEYSTONE COLLECTIONS GROUP
By:
*********** E. *******
General CounselCustomer Answer
Date: 06/16/2025
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Regards,
****** *******Initial Complaint
Date:05/30/2025
Type:Billing IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I am a non-resident of ************ whose military home of record is *******, **. As a *************** Officer, I have resided overseas for the past 15 years and have used this address solely as an anchor for federal and state tax purposes. I do not own property in ************ or any other U.S. state at this ******* has come to my attention that an error in my Pennsylvania tax filingsspecifically, the failure to designate myself as a non-residenthas led to an improper local tax levy. Despite submitting extensive documentation to Keystone Collections Group, including my official State Department orders and diplomatic residence documents, I have yet to receive any substantive response beyond periodic debt notices with additional interest penalties.Keystones failure to properly acknowledge my non-resident status and correct this issue has placed me in an untenable position. After repeated attempts to rectify the matter through proper channels, I have, on multiple occasions, been compelled to submit payments under duress, fearing that nonpayment could negatively impact my security clearance and, consequently, my employment. This ongoing pattern of disregard for both my legal status and my efforts to resolve the issue is *************** tax preparer has now filed amended Pennsylvania tax returns explicitly identifying me as a non-resident living abroad on a diplomatic assignment. Additionally, a formal request has been made for the reimbursement of improperly collected local taxes from previous years. However, Keystones continued lack of response and obstructionist approach is deeply concerning.I am formally requesting an immediate review and resolution of this matter.Business Response
Date: 06/19/2025
Dear Ms. Folino:
Thank
you for contacting Keystone Collections Group (“Keystone”) regarding this
complaint ID number. In his complaint, the complainant alleged that Keystone sent
delinquent notices to him and his spouse for local earned income taxes. The
complainant disputed the balance listed on his account because he resides
overseas and considers himself a non-resident for purposes of local earned
income taxes. Please know that I have thoroughly reviewed this account.
As a preliminary matter, Keystone serves as Act 32 Tax
Officer for the Bedford County Tax Collection District (“TCD”). In this capacity, Keystone is tasked with
administering and collecting local earned income tax (“EIT”) from all political
subdivisions located within the TCD that assess an EIT.
The Local Tax Enabling Act (“LTEA”) requires all
taxpayers making earned income and/or net profits to file a local EIT return
and to remit any outstanding tax liability with their resident tax officer. 53
P.S. § 6924.502(c). Per my review of the complainant’s account, he has filed
inaccurate tax returns for the 2020 – 2022 tax years listing no taxable income.
Further, no tax return was filed for the 2019 tax year.
Pursuant to the information exchange mandate between
Keystone and the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue (“DOR”), Keystone is
supplied with limited earnings information used to identify potentially
underpaid accounts. This earnings
information confirmed the balance listed on the complainant’s account.
Per my
review, the complainant was issued an initial delinquent notices on October 7,
2021 and August 12, 2022. In response, the complainant submitted documentation
in support of his claim of non-residency. Such documentation was reviewed, and
my office determined that the balances listed on his account were correctly
determined. The complainant was issued balance due notices on April 14, 2023
and May 2, 2024. Ultimately, the complainant remitted payment in full in May of
2024. Thereafter, the complainant’s tax
preparer contacted my office requesting the funds back, as she categorized the
complainant as a non-resident.
Please
know that resident local earned income taxes are assessed on individuals
domiciled within a particular Pennsylvania political subdivision. 53 P.S. §
6924.501. See also, 73 P.S. §7301-02
(regarding imposition of Pennsylvania personal income taxes on individuals
domiciled in Pennsylvania). Importantly, a taxpayer’s domicile is the “fixed
place of abode which, in the intention of the taxpayer, is permanent rather
than transitory.” 53 P.S. § 6924.501.
It
is well settled that “a person can have more than one residence, but only one
‘legal residence’ or domicile.” See, Dorrance’s Estate, 163 A. 303 (Pa.
1932), and Goetz v. Borough of Zelienople,
324 A.2d 808 (Pa. Cmwlth. 1974). Once a domicile in one locality is
established, the party alleging a change in domicile has the burden of proving
“(1) a residence in the new locality, and (2) an intention to remain there.” Dorrance’s Estate, 163 A.303 (Pa.
1932). As such, a taxpayer’s domicile is his or her “home of record.”
Accordingly, physical presence is not required for legal
domicile. As the complainant filed Pennsylvania Personal Income Tax Returns, he
manifested his intention to claim Pennsylvania as his domicile. Nevertheless,
one cannot be domiciled within Pennsylvania but not be domiciled within a
constituent Pennsylvania municipality.
Importantly,
there is no requirement for taxability that income come from either
Pennsylvania sources or from work in Pennsylvania, or the United States for
that matter. Furthermore, as a noncitizen of the countries in which the
complainant worked, he could not claim legal domicile therein. The
complainant’s work and temporary residence are insufficient to change his
domicile to a country other than the United States. Accordingly, the
complainant’s income is not exempt from local earned income tax on the basis of
residency.
As
detailed above, the balance listed on the complainant’s account was correctly
determined. As the complainant remitted payment in full, this matter is
resolved.
I appreciate the opportunity provided by the BBB to
resolve the concerns of taxpayers and improve our processes.
Thank
you for your attention to this matter.
Very
truly yours,
KEYSTONE
COLLECTIONS GROUP
By:
Christopher
E. Vincent
General
CounselCustomer Answer
Date: 06/22/2025
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 23396834, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
Dear BBB,
Thank you for forwarding Keystone’s response. I would like to formally rebut several points made by Keystone Collections Group regarding the handling of my local earned income tax obligations.First, Keystone stated that I “filed inaccurate tax returns for the 2020–2022 tax years listing no taxable income.” This is incorrect. I filed both federal and Pennsylvania state tax returns for those years, which is how Keystone became aware of my earnings in the first place. What I did not file—due to lack of knowledge—was a local earned income tax return, which I was unaware applied to me as an overseas resident. Upon receiving notification from Keystone, and out of concern that non-payment could jeopardize my federal security clearance, I paid the disputed balances using Keystone’s platform—even as I continued to question the underlying basis for those charges.
I also wish to reiterate that, similar to military service, Foreign Service Officers are assigned overseas for extended, government-mandated tours, often spanning many years and countries. I have lived abroad for the past 15 consecutive years, stationed in five different countries in service to the U.S. Government. My overseas assignment is not temporary in nature and should be considered in any reasonable assessment of residency or domicile.
Furthermore, I would like Keystone to directly address Pennsylvania’s own tax residency guidance, which states:
“For tax purposes, Pennsylvania distinguishes between domiciliary and statutory residency. Domiciliary residency refers to your permanent home, while statutory residency is based on physical presence. Spending more than 183 days in Pennsylvania can make you a statutory resident, even if your domicile is elsewhere.”
I have not physically resided in Pennsylvania at any time during the tax years in question. The address on Hoover Road is a relative’s home, used to satisfy my employer’s requirement for a domestic mailing address and tax documentation anchor. It is not my residence in the practical or statutory sense.
In summary:
I did file state and federal returns; only local filings were omitted due to lack of awareness.
I paid the amount Keystone requested under duress to protect my employment and clearance.
I have resided exclusively overseas for the past 15 years.
I do not meet the criteria for statutory residency and challenge Keystone’s assumption of ongoing PA domicile.I respectfully request that the BBB consider this rebuttal in evaluating my complaint and urge Keystone to reassess my residency classification in light of these facts.
Sincerely,
Kevin AukerBusiness Response
Date: 06/26/2025
Dear Ms. Folino:
Thank
you for contacting Keystone Collections Group (“Keystone”) regarding this
complaint ID number. In his rejecting my response, the complainant reiterated
his contention that he is a non-resident for local earned income tax purposes
because he does not meet the Pennsylvania definition of “statutory residency”
for purposes of Personal Income Tax. Upon review, my office’s prior
determination stands. The complainant, as a domiciliary resident of
Pennsylvania, was responsible for state and local taxes.
To avoid duplication, please consult my prior
response, as I will restrict this response to new material advanced by the
complainant.
As a preliminary matter, the complainant disputed my
contention that he filed inaccurate tax returns for the tax years at issue.
Please know that the complainant’s tax preparer filed local earned income tax
returns with Keystone on his behalf for the 2020 – 2022 tax years. These tax
returns are inaccurate because they omit all income based upon the complainant
and his tax preparer’s contention that he was a non-resident.
As
detailed previously, resident local earned income taxes are assessed on
individuals domiciled within a particular Pennsylvania political subdivision.
53 P.S. § 6924.501. See also, 73 P.S.
§7301-02 (regarding imposition of Pennsylvania personal income taxes on
individuals domiciled in Pennsylvania). Importantly, a taxpayer’s domicile is
the “fixed place of abode which, in the intention of the taxpayer, is permanent
rather than transitory.” 53 P.S. § 6924.501. One cannot be domiciled within
Pennsylvania but not be domiciled within a constituent Pennsylvania
municipality.
In further
support of his claim of non-residency, the complainant cites the Pennsylvania
Personal Income Tax “183-day rule” regarding statutory residency. That is, he
claims that he was not in Pennsylvania for 183 days, he should not be
considered a resident. First, I note that this rule applies to state level
Personal Income Tax and not to local earned income tax. Nevertheless, the
183-day rule applies to individuals who are non-domiciled in Pennsylvania. For
example, the state of Pennsylvania will assess Personal Income Tax on a
non-resident provided the non-resident spends 183 or more days in Pennsylvania.
Conversely, local earned income tax will not be assessed on such individual, as
that individual is not domiciled in Pennsylvania. That is, Personal Income Tax
is based upon domicile or statutory residency, whereas local earned income tax
is based only upon domicile.
Importantly, Pennsylvania assesses Personal Income Tax
on individuals domiciled in Pennsylvania who do not meet the statutory
residency requirement. The complainant himself filed and paid Pennsylvania
Personal Income Tax for the subject tax years as a domiciliary resident of
Pennsylvania. I note that while the complainant has attempted to amend his PA
40 to exclude all income for similar reasons, such amendment should be rejected
based upon the same rationale. Nevertheless, as a domiciliary resident of Pennsylvania,
the complainant is responsible for state and local income tax.
Accordingly,
the balance listed on the complainant’s account was correctly determined. As
the complainant remitted payment in full, this matter is resolved.
I appreciate the opportunity provided by the BBB to
resolve the concerns of taxpayers and improve our processes.
Thank
you for your attention to this matter.
Very
truly yours,
KEYSTONE
COLLECTIONS GROUP
By:
Christopher
E. Vincent
General
CounselInitial Complaint
Date:05/27/2025
Type:Billing IssuesStatus:UnresolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Keystone Collections Group issued a garnishment to my employer with no notices sent to my home address. I was only notified of the attachment by my employer. They charged taxes and garnished wages for a year in which I did not reside in the borough. In addition, they did not provide transparency or information regarding the remaining years in which they are garnishing. I sent in all the requested documentation, and they still took money before receiving the disputing documentation. The account has been paid and cleared, yet they still have not sent a letter to my employer to stop the attachment. They are still collecting money on an account that is closed. This is theft. Further, when contacting Keystone Collections Group for assistance, they are of no help. The representatives are rude and do not provide any transparency, and often give inconsistent information. I have also been hung up on by a representative named ***** THREE times. I have requested payment summaries and notices to be sent to my home to which I have yet to receive. When asked to speak with a member of management, they state there is no one else to speak with who can help. Because of their negligence and slow processes, I have experienced extreme financial hardship, accruing late fees and missed payments for other financial obligations.Business Response
Date: 06/19/2025
Dear Ms. Folino:
Thank you for contacting Keystone Collections Group
(“Keystone”) regarding this complaint ID number. In her complaint, the
complainant advised that Keystone garnished her wages to collect delinquent local
earned income taxes (“EIT.”) The complainant advised that she did not receive
notice until her wages were garnished. The complainant further advised that her
wages were garnished in excess of the funds that were due and she has not
received all the funds back. Please know that I have thoroughly reviewed the
complainant’s account.
As a
preliminary matter, Keystone serves as the Act 32 Tax Officer for the Allegheny
North Tax Collection District and the local taxing bodies therein. In this capacity, Keystone is tasked with the
administration, collection, and reconciliation of local EIT for all communities
within the Tax Collection District that assess an EIT.
The Local Tax Enabling Act (“LTEA”) requires all Pennsylvania resident
taxpayers making earned income and/or net profits to file a local EIT return
with their resident Tax Officer. 53 P.S. § 6924.502(c). It is important to note
that local EIT, like all other income-based taxes, are self-reporting. Per my
review, the complainant has not filed a local earned income tax return with
Keystone since tax year 2013.
Pursuant to the information exchange mandate of the
LTEA, Keystone is supplied with limited earnings information from the
Pennsylvania Department of Revenue (“DOR”) used to identify unpaid or underpaid
accounts. See 53 P.S. § 6924.509(g). The income figures listed on the
delinquent notices at issue were taken directly from the earnings information
supplied by the DOR, which represents figures the complainant listed on her PA
40 personal income tax returns for the 2016 and 2018 - 2022 tax years.
Understanding that the information supplied by the
DOR may be inaccurate, Keystone provides taxpayers with ample notice prior to
the initiation of adverse legal or collection action. Through the LTEA, Tax
Officers such as Keystone are vested with the right to request documentation to
verify the accuracy of a tax return, or if no tax return was filed, to
ascertain the amount of tax due. See 53 P.S. § 6924.509(f).
Per my review, the complainant was issued initial
delinquent notices on March 12, 2019, May 26, 2021, March 2, 2023, September 7,
2023, and March 13, 2025. The initial delinquent notice advises taxpayers of
their tax delinquency and affords them the opportunity to reconcile their
account, without statutory penalty, for thirty (30) days. The complainant contacted
Keystone, both in writing and over the phone, numerous times throughout 2021 –
2022 regarding this matter.
The complainant supplied documentation evidencing
that her employers did not withhold enough local earned income tax to satisfy
her tax liability. However, the complainant supplied documentation evidencing
that she did not reside within the taxing jurisdiction for all of 2016, the tax
year in which she contended in her complaint not to have resided within the
taxing jurisdiction. Accordingly, the 2016 tax year was closed, but the 2018
-2022 tax years remained outstanding. Nevertheless, the complainant did not
otherwise remit payment.
The LTEA authorizes the collection of delinquent
local earned income tax by wage garnishment. 53 P.S. §§ 6924.702-703, As the
complainant did not satisfy her account in response to numerous delinquent
notices, my office sent the complainant Notices
of Intent to Garnish Wages, by Certified Mail on May 27,
2020 and by First Class Mail on July 1, 2020. Additional Notices of Intent to Garnish Wages were
sent to the complainant on May 26, 2021, June 13, 2024, March 13, 2025 and May
7, 2025. As you can see, the complainant was supplied ample notice prior to the
issuance of the wage garnishment in March of 2025.
The complainant’s account was
satisfied via employer garnishment payments. On May 21, 2025, the complainant’s
account was cleared, and the garnishment was released. That is, my office
mailed a release notice to the complainant’s employer. However, the
complainant’s employer garnished additional funds to Keystone. A refund of
these funds was prepared on June 6, 2025. There is unfortunately a delay
associated with Keystone’s receipt of garnished funds that is outside of
Keystone’s control. Should my office receive any additional garnished funds,
any such funds will be returned to the complainant directly.
I note
that this issue could have been avoided by the proper filing of tax returns and
associated remittance of payment. Nevertheless, my office considers this matter
resolved.
My office appreciates the opportunity to resolve the
concerns of taxpayers. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Very
truly yours,
KEYSTONE
COLLECTIONS GROUP
By:
Christopher
E. Vincent
General
CounselCustomer Answer
Date: 06/19/2025
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 23381284, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
After reviewing the correspondence, I would like to note that this is
not a matter of attempting to debate the responsibility of filing timely taxes
or making the required payments. I was unaware that filing local taxes was required,
and admittedly never filed a local tax throughout my adult life. Ignorance is
not a defense, and I will do better moving forward. Nonetheless, this is not
grounds for Keystone to lack transparency, provide inconsistencies, or engage in
slow processing times that result in overpayment.I have not received any notices from Keystone since 2021. At
that time, there was a wage attachment with my then-employer for 2016. I
provided the documentation requested, proving that I did not reside in Bellevue
for that tax year. The garnishment stopped, and I assumed that it was taken
care of. In March 2025, my current employer received a wage attachment for the years
2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. I contacted Keystone to speak on the matter
as I had not received any notices at my home address. I provided the requested
documentation and was advised to include 2022 because, although it was not
listed on the original attachment, they would include it soon. I requested a
copy of the notice of the garnishment be sent to be home address so that I could
have it for my records. I have not received the document.After submitting the documentation, it was confirmed via
phone that the documentation I submitted for 2016 was sufficient and that they would
clear that year. However, they would not confirm the amount they had already
taken or the amount they would be refunding to me. I requested a letter to be
sent to my home address outlining these details so that I have it for my records.
To date, I have not received anything other than a letter stating the year had
been cleared.I was told by a representative over the phone that a release
letter was sent to my employer on May 7, 2025. This was not the case. Rather, on
or about May 15, 2025, my current employer received another notice of garnishment
to include 2021 and 2022 after the account had been satisfied. I called again,
pleading for a release letter to be sent to avoid more funds being withheld. The
release letter was not sent to my employer until after the May 23rd payroll date.After speaking with multiple representatives and being hung
up on multiple times, I was able to speak with a representative who confirmed that
overpayment began on April 29, 2025, thus initiating a refund of $250. Payments
continued to be made throughout the month of May after the account had been satisfied.
I was told all payments made in May would be refunded to include $250 from the payroll
date May 9th, $48.21 submitted by me via online, and $165 from the payroll
date May 23rd. To date, I have received a refund from April 29th($250)
and May 23rd ($165).
An email correspondence was sent to me on May 30th confirming the overpayment amount and stating that it would be refunded. See
email here:"Thank you for contacting Keystone.
I have confirmed that we have received a payment of
$250.00 on 5/12/25 and $48.21 on 5/16/25 after receiving the overpayment of
$250.00(refund check received) on 4/29/25. After review of those garnishment
overpayments, those amounts will be refunded accordingly and sent by paper
check in the mail to 282 Plummer Avenue, Emsworth, PA 15202-1750. If there is a
third payment after the $48.21, please allow time for that to be received,
reviewed and processed. A release letter was sent to the employer on 5/21/25 and
garnishments from your employer should stop upon receiving. If you have any
further questions or concerns please contact Keystone for assistance.
Thank you.
If additional information is required to process your
request, a representative will contact you.
Sincerely,
Keystone Collections Group Taxpayer Service Department"
Based on the above communication, I am still owed $298.21.
Because of the continuous conflicting and contradictory
information provided by representatives, I again requested that documents be
sent to my home address so that I can have them for my records. Items requested
include the original garnishment notice for years 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, and
2021 sent to my employer (because I never received one at my home), the second
garnishment notice sent to my employer for 2021 and 2022 (because I never received
at my home address), total funds received for year 2016 (starting in 2021) and
confirmation as to where those funds were applied to, a summary of all payments
made, and a written document stating that the account has been satisfied for
all years.
Keystone Collections Group lacks transparency, and my
experience with them has been nothing short of torture. The representatives are
rude, provide contradictory information so much so that it can be deemed purposeful
and dishonest. The processing times are so slow that it has resulted in an
overpayment of $713. To some, this may not be much, but to me, it has resulted
in missed payments and accrued late fees on other responsibilities. While
companies such as Keystone can attach penalty fees and interest, the people cannot.
Although I have only requested the above documents and the remaining $298.21 refund,
there should be penalties added, as well.
I greatly appreciate your attention to this matter.
Regards,
Jennifer ReynoldsInitial Complaint
Date:05/23/2025
Type:Billing IssuesStatus:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Received a delinquent letter for EIT for 2020 working at *************************************************** and **********************. I have never worked at this school or lived in **********************. I explained this to them but they still say I owe. How do I owe if I never worked there?Business Response
Date: 05/29/2025
Dear Ms. ********************************************************************************* Thank you for contacting Keystone Collections Group (Keystone) regarding this complaint ID number. In her complaint, the complainant advised that Keystone sent a notice requesting payment for delinquent local earned income taxes (EIT). The complainant disputed the balance listed on her account, contending that she did not reside in the taxing jurisdiction. Please know that I have thoroughly reviewed the complainants account.
As a preliminary matter, Keystone serves as the Act 32 Tax Officer for the Northampton County Tax Collection District and the local taxing bodies therein. In this capacity,Keystone is tasked with the administration, collection, and reconciliation of local EIT for all communities within Tax Collection District that assess an EIT.
The Local Tax Enabling Act (****) requires all Pennsylvania resident taxpayers making earned income and/or net profits to file a local EIT return with their resident Tax Officer. 53 P.S. 6924.502(c). It is important to note that local ***, like all other income-based taxes, are self-reporting. That is, it is the taxpayers legal obligation to file a tax return, report all income, and remit any outstanding tax, if necessary. Income taxes are not billed like real estate or certain nuisance taxes. Per my review, Keystone has no tax returns on file for the complainant.
Keystone receives limited earnings information from the ********************************** used to identify potential delinquencies. Keystone compares this information with its withholding records and notifies taxpayers who have not filed tax returns or whose tax returns and payment history do not match the data provided by the *********************. Per my review, the complainant and her spouse were issued an initial delinquent notice on September 16, 2022. Neither the complainant nor her spouse responded to this notice, and they were issued additional follow-up notices on January 12, 2023, May 4, 2023, May 17, 2024, October 24, 2024, and February *******. My office received no response or communication from the complainant.
The **** authorizes the collection of delinquent local earned income tax by wage garnishment. 53 P.S. 6924.702-703. As the complainant and her spouse did not respond to numerous delinquent notices, Keystone issued them a Notice of Intent to Garnish Wages via Certified Mail on May 7, 2025. The complainant first contacted Keystone on May 22, 2025, and this complaint followed.
I have reviewed the complainants account and the arguments detailed in her complaint. Upon review, the complainant resides in ***************** (***************), a municipality which does not assess an ***. Please know that the complainants employer previously remitted EIT to Keystone on the complainants behalf for ********************** (******************.) This remittance caused Keystone to place the complainant in **********************, which ultimately resulted in delinquent notification. Per my review, this appears to be an error on the complainants employers part. My office has corrected its records, and the complainants account has been closed. Accordingly, this matter is resolved.
I appreciate the opportunity provided by the BBB to resolve the concerns of taxpayers and improve our processes.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Very truly yours,
KEYSTONE COLLECTIONS GROUP
By:
*********** E. *******
General CounselCustomer Answer
Date: 05/29/2025
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Regards,
**** *******Initial Complaint
Date:05/22/2025
Type:Billing IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Keystone Collections has been harassing me about a local tax from 2019 that they gave me no notification about. There was an outstanding letter they sent that was a separate entity from what they are trying to collect now. I have provided proof of said year and the balance went from $900 to $300, due to there error. I now receive another letter that want $125 for a $28 tax liability from 2019. They continue not to provide proof or documentation that they notified me. The reps ******** was if we mail a letter(basic postage too) that we consider this as received. I even agreed to settle for the balance of the tax year at $66 dollars...no ******** until they sent wage garnishment to my own company. I am now consider filing harassment charges and more. This is not about the amount of money either, if it was a fair practice and I messed up, I would gladly pay my dues. This is not the caseBusiness Response
Date: 05/29/2025
Dear Ms. ********************************************************************************* Thank you for contacting Keystone Collections Group (Keystone) regarding this complaint ID number. In her complaint, the complainant advised that Keystone sent a notice requesting payment for delinquent local earned income taxes (EIT). The complainant disputed the balance listed on her account, and categorized Keystones actions as harassment. Please know that I have thoroughly reviewed the complainants account.
As a preliminary matter, Keystone serves as the Act 32 Tax Officer for the Chester County Tax Collection District and the local taxing bodies therein. In this capacity,Keystone is tasked with the administration, collection, and reconciliation of local EIT for all communities within Tax Collection District that assess an EIT.
The Local Tax Enabling Act (****) requires all Pennsylvania resident taxpayers making earned income and/or net profits to file a local EIT return with their resident Tax Officer. 53 P.S. 6924.502(c). It is important to note that local ***, like all other income-based taxes, are self-reporting. That is, it is the taxpayers legal obligation to file a tax return, report all income, and remit any outstanding tax, if necessary. Income taxes are not billed like real estate or certain nuisance taxes. Per my review, the complainant did not file a tax return with Keystone for the 2019 tax year in accordance with her statutory obligation.
Keystone receives limited earnings information from the ********************************** used to identify potential delinquencies. Keystone compares this information with its withholding records and notifies taxpayers who have not filed tax returns or whose tax returns and payment history do not match the data provided by the *********************. Because the complainant did not file a tax return, and because Keystone did not receive local earned income tax withholdings sufficient to satisfy the complainants tax liability, her account was identified as potentially delinquent.
Per my review, the complainant was issued an initial delinquent notice for taxes owed to ************************ /******************************** on October 7, 2021. The complainant did not respond to this notice, and she was issued a follow-up notice on April 22, 2022. The **** authorizes the collection of delinquent local earned income tax by wage garnishment. 53 P.S. 6924.702-703. As the complaint did not respond to these delinquent notices, Keystone issued her a Notice of Intent to Garnish Wages via Certified Mail on November 4, 2022. In response, the complainant submitted documentation evidencing part-year residency between ************************ / ******************************************************* and ****************** / ******************************** and associated local earned income tax withholdings via document submissions on January 4, 2023 and February 7, 2023.
As a result of these document submissions, the West Brandywine account was closed. However, upon review of the documents, the complainant was underpaid on local earned income tax for *******************Please note that both ************************ and ****************** are located within the Tax Collection District. Accordingly, the complainant was issued an initial delinquent notice for ****************** on February *******. The complainant did not respond to this notice, and was issued a Notice of Intent to Garnish Wages via Certified Mail on November 7, 2024. The complainant did not respond to this notice and the Wage Garnishment was issued to the complainants employer on January 3, 2025. The complainant, who is evidently self-employed, contacted Keystone on January 17, 2025 to dispute the wage garnishment. When the outstanding balance was explained to the complainant, she requested wavier of penalty, interest and collection costs. By letter dated January 23, 2025, the complainants request was denied. The complainant never complied with the wage garnishment and was issued an Employer Demand notice on May 7, 2025. This complaint followed.
It was the complainants obligation to file part-year local earned income tax returns with Keystone and report any outstanding tax. The balance listed on the complainants account was properly calculated. The **** requires the imposition of statutory penalty and interest when the tax is not paid when due. Further,Keystone is authorized to assess collection costs pursuant to Act 192 of 2004,as ratified by the taxing authorities. The collection costs assessed on the complainants account apply to costs incurred by Keystone in its efforts to garnish her wages. The balance on the complainants account must stand.
I appreciate the opportunity provided by the BBB to resolve the concerns of taxpayers and improve our processes.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Very truly yours,
KEYSTONE COLLECTIONS GROUP
By:
*********** E. *******
General CounselCustomer Answer
Date: 06/03/2025
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
Regards,
******* *******Initial Complaint
Date:05/13/2025
Type:Product IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Unwarranted delay in receipt of Act 172 refund. No help offered from Keystone personnel in rectifying the situation. Return filed 4/4/25Business Response
Date: 05/22/2025
Dear Ms. ********************************************************************************* Thank you for contacting Keystone Collections Group (Keystone) regarding this complaint ID number. In his complaint, the complainant advised that Keystone did not yet issue him his 2024 local earned income tax refund based upon a tax return filed on April 4, 2025.
Please know that Keystone serves as the Act 32 Tax Officer for ******************************* this capacity, Keystone processes hundreds of thousands of tax returns annually. As a result, there is an unavoidable processing delay associated with the issuance of tax refunds.
Per my review of the complainants account, his tax return was completed on April 4, 2025. The complainant contacted Keystone on May 5, 2025 and May 13, 2025 to request the status of his ********* both cases, the complainant was advised of the time necessary to process a tax return and issue a refund. Around the same time, the complainant contacted the taxing authorities, who contacted Keystones *************** Department.All parties were are again advised that it takes time to process a tax return.The complainants refund was issued on May 14, 2025. Accordingly, this matter is resolved.
I appreciate the opportunity provided by the BBB to resolve the concerns of taxpayers and improve our processes.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Very truly yours,
KEYSTONE COLLECTIONS GROUP
By:
*********** E. *******
General CounselInitial Complaint
Date:05/01/2025
Type:Billing IssuesStatus:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Keystone Collections Group sent me a notice dated on 04/23/25 stating that I owe Per Capita Taxes to the ********************* for the 2024 tax year. I have not lived in or been employed in ********** in over 10 years. I do not owe taxes for these years to them. They have contacted me before and I provided proof that I do not live in that borough before. I am close to considering this harassment as this has happened multiple times before. I have Filed a complaint with the ************************* and plan to submit a complaint to the ********************* and my local representatives as well.Business Response
Date: 05/05/2025
Dear Ms. ********************************************************************************* Thank you for contacting Keystone Collections Group (Keystone) regarding this complaint ID number. In his complaint, the complainant advised that Keystone issued him a delinquent per capita and occupation tax bill, which he disputes. The complainant advised that he has not resided in the taxing jurisdiction in over ten years. Please know that I have thoroughly reviewed the complainants account.
********************** serves as the delinquent per capita and occupation tax collector for ******************* Per capita taxes are head taxes assessed on all adult residents of the Borough. Occupation taxes are head taxes assessed on all adult employed residents of the Borough.
Per my review of the complainants account, he was issued a delinquent 2024 per capita/occupation tax notice on February 26, 2025. This notice was returned to my office undeliverable and unable to forward **************** obtained an updated address for the complainant, and the notice was reissued on April *******. This complaint followed.
Please know that the complainants account was turned over as delinquent by the current per capita and occupation tax collector. As Keystone serves as the delinquent collector, my office handles only delinquent notification and collection. Moreover, it is possible that a delinquent bill would be issued to a new address outside of the taxing jurisdiction for taxes due when the taxpayer resided within the taxing jurisdiction. Nevertheless, if the current collector turns over a taxpayer in error, the taxpayer is afforded the opportunity to file an exemption. This process is clearly detailed on all bills.
In response to this complaint, my office independently verified the complainants residency outside of the taxing jurisdiction during the subject tax year. Accordingly,the balance has been removed from the complainants account, and this matter is resolved.
I appreciate the opportunity provided by the BBB to resolve the concerns of taxpayers and improve our processes.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Very truly yours,
KEYSTONE COLLECTIONS GROUP
By:
*********** E. *******
General CounselCustomer Answer
Date: 05/06/2025
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
I was sent a similar letter for Per Capita and Occupation taxes from ****************** for the 2023 year as well. I followed the procedures you mentioned and mailed documentation to your offices. One year later I received notice of an attempt to collect those exact same taxes for the next tax year. I have contacted ******************, yet again to have this resolved as they were unhelpful in getting this taken care of the last time I was contacted by your business. I would expect to not have to continue to prove I do not reside in that municipality multiple years in a row, especially when I have not resided there since 2014.
Regards,
******* *******Business Response
Date: 05/12/2025
Dear Ms. ********************************************************************************* Thank you for contacting Keystone Collections Group (Keystone) regarding this complaint ID number. In rejecting my offices response, the complainant advised that he previously received a per capita/occupation tax bill for the same taxing jurisdiction for a prior year. As detailed in his original complaint and my response thereto, the complainant did not reside within the taxing jurisdiction for the previous year. To avoid unnecessary duplication in response, please see my previous response to the original complaint.
As detailed in my previous response Keystone serves only as the delinquent per capita/occupation collector for ******************************* such, my office handles only delinquent notification and collection. If the current collector turns over a taxpayer in error, the taxpayer is afforded the opportunity to dispute the delinquent bill. Keystone has no control over the actions or records of the current collector. Keystone periodically notifies the current collector of residency changes in the hopes that the collector will update its records. However, as the current collector is an entity or individual separate and apart from Keystone, my office is without authority to adjust their records.
The prior years tax balance was previously removed. There are no outstanding tax years on the complainants account, and my office considers this matter is resolved. The complainant is encouraged to contact the current collector to request that their records be updated.
I appreciate the opportunity provided by the BBB to resolve the concerns of taxpayers and improve our processes.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Very truly yours,
KEYSTONE COLLECTIONS GROUP
By:
*********** E. *******
General CounselCustomer Answer
Date: 05/12/2025
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Regards,
******* *******Initial Complaint
Date:04/25/2025
Type:Service or Repair IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I have been trying for days to file local taxes, the website is sketchy and unreliable , doesn't function correctly and they have been notified via email several times. The go to response is basically "too bad" you owe the penalties now for late filing even though it's the failure of their system.They are rude, and do not respond timely, and if you need to call them please set aside HOURS to be on hold.Keystones operations reflect a privatized tax collection system that shifts the burden onto taxpayers to resolve issues caused by the collectors own failures, such as website malfunctions. While Pennsylvania law mandates interest and penalties, Keystones inconsistent application of reasonable cause waivers and poor customer service exacerbate taxpayer frustration. This shows a need for greater oversight of private collectors like Keystone to ensure fairness and ************************************* uses aggressive collection tactics, including wage garnishment during active disputes and imposing penalties without adequate review.Complaints highlight cases where Keystone ignored proof of payment or reasonable cause, requiring escalation to third parties (e.g., BBB, PA Attorney General, or attorneys) for resolution. Keystone is predatory, using fear tactics and charging exorbitant late fees without prior notice.They have 217 complaints logged in 3 years and they continue on with the same failed policies and poor leadership.The business is not BBB accredited and obvious as to why that is. BBB accreditation is voluntary and requires businesses to meet strict standards, including:Maintaining a B or higher rating based on complaint history, transparency, and customer service.Promptly responding to and resolving consumer complaints.Keystone does not meet these standards, primarily due to its poor complaint resolution record and customer service issues, as evidenced by the 217 complaints over three years.Business Response
Date: 04/29/2025
Dear Ms. ********************************************************************************* Thank you for providing my office with the above-referenced complaint. The complainant describes having difficulties with Keystones website, long hold times, and the alleged improper assessment of penalty and interest. Please know that I have reviewed the complainants account thoroughly.
First,Keystone Collections Group did experience intermittent connectivity issues that impacted limited applications for a brief period at the deadline for filing local earned income tax returns. Taxpayers were notified of the disruption via a banner on our main website while Keystones IT Department worked quickly to identify and resolve the matter. Service has been fully restored for nearly two weeks now and most importantly, taxpayers were not assessed any penalty or interest due to the disruption.
Second, as the filing deadline approaches, Keystone can experience longer than normal wait times. Taxpayers are encouraged to begin the filing process early so that if they do have questions these longer wait times can be avoided. Importantly, Keystone does offer a queue callback feature allowing individuals to conveniently receive a callback rather than wait on hold. To assist taxpayers, Keystone also has a robust FAQ section on its website. Additionally, Keystone allows individuals to submit questions electronically. These questions are responded to within 3 business days, but often times responses are provided within 24 hours. Keystone utilizes a digital phone service which tracks all inbound phone calls. A review of this system does not show that the complainant called in from the phone number provided in his complaint. The complainant did submit an electronic inquiry which was promptly responded to the same day.
Next, the complainant alleges that penalty and interest were added to their account because they could not use our e-file system on April 15. Under the Local Tax Enabling Act, local earned income tax is to be remitted quarterly. When a quarterly tax obligation is not satisfied, penalty and interest begins to accrue on the outstanding tax obligation. The complainants wages were not withheld at the proper tax rate and therefore his quarterly tax obligations were not fully met. This resulted in the statutorily mandated accrual of penalty and interest. Put differently, the penalty and interest assessed on the taxpayer were not the result of filing their taxes late, but rather were caused by underpayment of the quarterly tax obligations. There is a statutorily provided safe harbor provision, but unfortunately due to the amount of tax owed, the complainant does not qualify for it.
Finally, please know that Keystone takes each consumer complaint seriously as evidenced by the individualized review of, and response to, each complaint. We understand that paying taxes is often viewed in a negative light, but we strive to provide exemplary service to our taxpayers.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Very truly yours,
KEYSTONE COLLECTIONS GROUP
By:
*********** E. *******
General CounselCustomer Answer
Date: 04/30/2025
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
Is it standard procedure for legal counsel to lie ? doesnt seem very ethical, secondly I have called several times as stated, regardless of what number I call from does that negate the complaint, no.You have since changed the tax and due and the penalty and and interests, which you conveniently did not disclose either, I find that interesting as well.
Ethically not a good look either, but thats between you and GOD.
You also state that you answer in a timely manner which is also not true, it takes days to get a cookie cutter response that basically amounts to "pay the tax or we levy", which is a bully tactic and I will not be bullied regardless because your system failed to meet the necessary requirements of operation for me to file timely.
if your site did not work and I could not file taxes by the deadline your excuse is I should have filed earlier ? not fixing the broken website and making customer service more accessible?
I'm sure you can see where again this leads to additional ethical concerns.
Your business practices and responses or lack thereof are why people continue to call out your tactics and poor customer service. If your website and phone function correctly and the people who work for you would have understanding of the situation instead of bullying people and lying online to protect an already damaged reputation you would not be here defending such practices and my taxes would have been paid on time.
thank you, good luck
Regards,
******* ********Initial Complaint
Date:04/16/2025
Type:Billing IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I live in ** and work in ********** DE. My employer takes DE state taxes AND Wilmington taxes from each paycheck. Wilmington tax rate is 1.2% same as *********************** where I live PA and local tax 401k **************** does not tax 401k contributions BUT Wilmington taxes 401K contributions. When I filed my taxes, i did my non resident DE tax first. Then PA, I pay PA any outstanding tax on my 401K contributions as they need to be taxed at the STATE lever.Then I filed with Keystone. Their form, which is mislabeled, auto populates my taxable state income, not taxable local income. They forced me to pay the difference between my state ((not local) income and my local PA income tax. So I was taxed at the local level twice on the same income. When you call, they say, we dont tax on your local income, only your state income so we are allowed to tax twice on the same income. PA law says we can tax twice on the same income. Then, they charged me a late fee saying I had made no payments on the 401k distributions which is a flat out LIE because I paid Wilmington. They said it doesnt matter you owe us now pay. This is ridiculous and I want a coherent answer from someone who knows something.Business Response
Date: 05/01/2025
Dear Ms. ********************************************************************************* Thank you for contacting Keystone Collections Group (Keystone) regarding this complaint ID number.
In her complaint, the complainant advised that Keystone improperly charged her interest and fees on her 2024 local earned income tax return. Specifically, the complainant advised that Keystone granted her out-of-state credits upon her Delaware state taxed income rather than her City of ********** taxed income. Because the City of ********** assesses tax in a similar fashion to Pennsylvania state and local income tax, permitting the credit upon the income taxed by Wilmington would have negated the complainants Pennsylvania local earned income tax liability. Upon review, I agree with the complainant that she should have been issued credit upon income taxed by the City of ***********
As a preliminary matter, Keystone serves as the Act 32 Tax Officer for the Chester County Tax Collection District and the local taxing bodies therein. In this capacity,Keystone is tasked with the administration, collection, and reconciliation of local *** for all communities within the Tax Collection District that assess an EIT.
Act 166 of 2002 requires the definition of earned income at the local level pursuant to the Local Tax Enabling Act, codified at 53 P.S. ******** et seq. (****), to be nearly identical with very few exceptions, to the definition of compensationat the state level under the Pennsylvania personal income tax, levied pursuant to the Pennsylvania Tax Reform Code of 1971. That is, taxable earned income at the local level generally mirrors taxable compensation at the state level.Moreover, retirement and employee benefits are taxed identically for state and local income tax purposes.
The **** permits taxpayers to claim a credit for taxes paid to another state or political subdivision thereof against their local earned income tax liability, provided that the income taxed by the other state or political subdivision is the same income subject to tax for local earned income tax purposes. 53 P.S. ********. Generally, the out-of-state taxed wages (as indicated on a W-2 and PA Schedule G-L) are utilized in the credit calculation. However, the City of ********** represents a unique tax situation, in that Wilmington taxes more items of income than the State of ********. The complainant correctly points out that this difference represents 401(k) contributions. However, because 401(k) contributions are taxable for Pennsylvania state and local income tax, tax paid to ********** thereupon would be double-taxed and therefore available for credit.
********* has adjusted the complainants tax return and issued credit accordingly. The complainant will be reimbursed for the amount of tax and interest she paid with her tax return.
I appreciate the opportunity provided by the BBB to resolve the concerns of taxpayers and improve our processes.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Very truly yours,
KEYSTONE COLLECTIONS GROUP
By:
*********** E. *******
General CounselCustomer Answer
Date: 05/02/2025
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
I reviewed my 2023 tax return, and noticed that Keystone Collections double taxes me on 401k contributions in 2023 too. In addition, I was charged interest and penalties. Keystone Collections needs to refund that money too. This is outrageous.in addition, how will keystone Collections prevent this issue from happening again??
Regards,
****** ******Business Response
Date: 05/09/2025
Dear Ms. ********************************************************************************* Thank you for contacting Keystone Collections Group (Keystone) regarding this complaint ID number.
In her rejecting my offices response to her complaint, the complainant advised that Keystone granted her out-of-state credits upon her Delaware state taxed income rather than her City of ********** taxed income for the 2023 tax year as well. Please see my previous response to the original complaint. I will restrict this response to additional concerns detailed in the complainants response.
As stated in my previous response, the City of ********** represents a unique tax situation, in that Wilmington taxes more items of income than the State of Delaware. Keystones e-file system defaults to state level double taxed income,because in all cases other than Wilmington, the respective state taxes more or the same income than any associated municipality. Because of this unique situation, Keystones e-file system permits taxpayers to override the pre-populated out-of-state income. However, because of the prevalence and potential complexity of this issue, Keystone is exploring solutions to further identify Wilmington taxes in its e-file application, which would eliminate the need for the taxpayer to override the default income available for credit.
Nevertheless, the complainant is correct that credit was available on her identified tax balance. My office has adjusted the complainants tax return and issued credit accordingly. The complainant will be reimbursed for the amount of tax and interest she paid with her tax return.
I appreciate the opportunity provided by the BBB to resolve the concerns of taxpayers and improve our processes.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Very truly yours,
KEYSTONE COLLECTIONS GROUP
By:
*********** E. *******
General Counsel
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