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
- 223 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 65 complaints closed in the last 12 months.
If you've experienced an issue
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:11/02/2023
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 does not make any attempt to verify that local taxes were not paid. In fact they know that local taxes were paid. They are trying to collect money that has already been paid. If it is a self reporting tax, and I didn't report it, they should be required to provide some sort of proof that local taxes were paid inappropriately before they are allowed to garnish wages. Something is definitely wrong with this action.
They also do not make it easy to provide them information knowing the harder it is, the more fees they'll be able to tack on.Business Response
Date: 11/13/2023
Dear M** ******:
Thank
you for contacting Keystone Collections Group (“Keystone”) regarding this
complaint ID number. In his complaint, the complainant advised that Keystone,
in its delinquent collection efforts, does “not make any attempt to verify that
local taxes were not paid.” Keystone attempted to garnish the complainant’s
wages for delinquent taxes the complainant alleged were paid. 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 Washington County Tax Collection District and the local
taxing bodies therein. In this capacity,
Keystone is tasked with the administration, collection, and reconciliation of
local earned income taxes (“ EIT”) for all communities within Washington County
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. 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. Moreover, without the proper filing of a tax return, or
provision of relevant tax documentation, there is no way Keystone can know
whether a taxpayer has properly satisfied their local earned income tax payment
obligation.
Per my review of the complainant’s account, he did
not file a tax return with Keystone for tax years 2019 and prior. 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 his PA 40 personal income tax return. Moreover, the information
supplied by the DOR indicates that the complainant reported his residency in
Canon-McMillan School District for the tax year at issue. There is
unfortunately an unavoidable delay associated with the DOR’s provision of
income tax data.
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, my office previously communicated
with the complainant on matters concerning tax years prior to 2019. Through
prior correspondence, my office ascertained that the complainant owned a mobile
home within the taxing jurisdiction and reported this address on his PA 40s.
However, the DOR continues to turn over additional tax years for which the
complainant did not file tax returns with Keystone.
As such, the complainant was issued an initial
delinquent notice on March 3, 2023, for the 2019 tax year. 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 and was accordingly issued a Notice of Intent to Garnish Wages by
Certified Mail on June 8, 2023. This notice was not returned to my
office as unclaimed or undelivered. As the complainant did not respond, the
wage garnishment was sent to his employer on July 20, 2023. The complainant’s
employer did not comply with the wage garnishment directive and was issued a
demand letter on October 19, 2023. This complaint followed.
Based on documentation recently supplied by the
complainant, my office is satisfied that the complainant’s local earned income
taxes were withheld from his pay based upon a resident location outside of
Washington County. Accordingly, the complainant’s account has been closed and
the garnishment has been released. Should Keystone receive any garnishment
payments from the complainant’s employer, the funds will be refunded directly
to the complainant.
Tax Officers such as Keystone have no way to verify
that tax was not paid, as the complainant requests. Rather, Keystone relied on
earnings information supplied by the DOR, which continues to place the
complainant in Washington County based upon his PA 40 tax filings. It is the
taxpayer who is in the position to prove that taxes were paid. As you can see,
the complainant was afforded ample time between March and July of 2023, in
which to supply documentation evidencing his tax withholdings and residency.
Nevertheless, as the complainant’s account has been
closed, my office considers this matter 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
*. V******
General
CounselInitial Complaint
Date:10/23/2023
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.
They claim I owe money for tax in a state I did not live during those years claimed.
They say I owe from 2020 to 2022 but I hold a Massachusetts drivers license issued on 10/18/2019 therefore I never lived in that state nor city from the times claimed. I have contacted them on three separate occasions as well have stated I have documents showing I have an address in Massachusetts before the time they stated and they refused to accept it nor would they allow me to show any proof. This company has numerous reviews that have a similar issue as mine and they should be investigated.Business Response
Date: 11/03/2023
Dear M** ******:
Thank
you for contacting Keystone Collections Group (“Keystone”) regarding this
complaint ID number. In his complaint, the complainant advised that Keystone sent
him a delinquent tax notice for Northampton Area School District per capita
taxes. The complainant alleged that he did not reside in Pennsylvania for the
tax years at issue (2020 – 2022.)
As
a preliminary matter, Keystone serves as the current and delinquent per capita
tax collector for the Northampton Area School District. The School District
assesses a per capita tax pursuant to Act 511 (Local Tax Enabling Act),
53 P.S. § 6924.101 et seq. and the Pennsylvania School Code, 24 P.S. §
6-679. Per capita taxes are head taxes assessed on all adult residents
of a political subdivision. The tax is assessed on all residents of the School
District as of July 1 of a given tax year. That is, if a taxpayer moves out of
the district after July 1 in a given tax year, they are still responsible for
their per capita tax obligation.
Per
my review of the complainant’s account, 2020 – 2022 bills were mailed to the
appropriate address. As the complainant did not remit payment or request an
exemption, delinquent notices were mailed on May 24, 2023, and October 17,
2023. The October notice appears to have prompted this complaint.
Per
my review of the complainant’s account, he contacted Keystone one time, on July
13, 2022. At that time, the complainant advised that he did not reside in the
School District and stated that “[he is] not sending anything back in the mail”
whereupon he ended the call. The complainant never supplied any documentation
or information. Further, the complainant never filed an exemption application
as instructed. My office was aware of the complainant’s mailing address, but
mailing address is insufficient evidence of a change in residence, as many
taxpayers use mailing addresses that differ from their actual residence.
Further,
I could not find any evidence that the complainant “contacted Keystone on three
separate occasions” or expressed a willingness to provide documents that
Keystone refused. To the contrary, the complainant advised that he would not
provide documentation. Moreover, Keystone permits taxpayers to securely upload
documentation in support of exemption applications on its online portal.
Nevertheless,
in response to this complaint, my office independently verified the
complainant’s residence for the tax years in question. The complainant’s
account has accordingly been closed.
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
***
*********** ** *******
******* *******Customer Answer
Date: 11/03/2023
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 have called them multiple times in which they told me to bring in things I'm not driving from Massachusetts when you guys are clearly mailing me things again I called told you I would not pay the years you are trying to charge me since I again did not live there. They then told me we can send a constable out at which point I mentioned Massachusetts doesn't have constables nor would a constable from Pennsylvania have any jurisdiction in Massachusetts. Again this business lies about times and dates and even charges people for before and after they even moved there as stated by numerous people on their Google reviews. I am not the only one.
Regards,
******* ***********Initial Complaint
Date:10/19/2023
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.
Keystone Collections Group (Keystone) collects Earned Income Taxes (EIT) for local taxes. For tax year 2022 a refund of $2508.00 was owed to me. As of October 2023, this refund has not been issued. This is at least the third time I have had to pursue Keystone for my refund.Business Response
Date: 10/24/2023
Dear Ms. ******:
Thank
you for contacting Keystone Collections Group (“Keystone”) regarding this
complaint ID number. In his complaint the complainant advised that Keystone has
not yet issued him a refund for an overpayment of 2022 local earned income
taxes. Please know that I have thoroughly reviewed the complainant’s account.
As the local earned income Tax Officer responsible
for numerous Tax Collection Districts, Keystone handles a high volume of tax
returns, many of which necessitate the issuance of refunds. Keystone makes
every effort to process taxpayer refunds in a timely fashion. However, because
of the high volume of returns that Keystone processes, there is sometimes an
unavoidable processing delay associated with issuance of refunds. Keystone
strives to provide prompt reconciliation for taxpayers whose accounts warrant
refunds, but this is unfortunately not feasible in every instance.
Nevertheless, upon reviewing the complainant’s
account, my office was able to determine that the complainant is due a refund
based upon the information provided in his 2022 local earned income tax return.
However, per my review, the complainant is due a refund of $2,396.00, rather
than the $2,508.00 claimed on his tax return. First, the complainant neglected
to include a guaranteed payment he received from a partnership in his taxable
income. Guaranteed payments are taxable for local earned income tax purposes. I
note that this partnership incurred a net loss, of which my office credited the
complainant. Next, my office disallowed the complainant’s claimed net loss from
a limited partnership. Profits/gain earned as a limited partner are considered
passive and therefore not taxable locally. As profits/gain are not taxable,
losses are not permitted.
Nevertheless, the complainant’s refund will be
issued to him this week. My office considers this matter to be 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
***
*********** ** *******
******* *******Initial Complaint
Date:10/10/2023
Type:Product 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 received a delinquent tax notice from Keystone on August 1st for the tax year 2022. I submitted evidence to the business on August 7th, including an information supplement form, W2, and local earned income tax payment that I paid and filed local tax elsewhere because I lived elsewhere for most of 2022 and moved at the end of the year. I would like to receive a response and determination letter as soon as possible. This process should not take this long.Business Response
Date: 10/12/2023
Thank
you for contacting Keystone Collections Group (“Keystone”) regarding this
complaint ID number. In her complaint, the complainant advised that Keystone sent
her a delinquent local earned income tax notice. In response to the notice, the complainant
submitted documentation. The complainant
advised that her documentation has not yet been reviewed. Please know that I
have thoroughly reviewed the complainant’s account.
As
a preliminary matter, Keystone serves as the duly appointed Act 32 Tax Officer
for the Bucks County Tax Collection District. In this capacity, Keystone is
tasked with the administration, collection and reconciliation of local earned
income taxes for all communities within Bucks County that assess an earned
income tax.
The Local Tax Enabling Act (“LTEA”) requires all Pennsylvania resident
taxpayers making earned income and/or net profits to file an annual local
earned income tax return with their resident Tax Officer. 53 P.S. §
6924.502(c).
Per
my review of the complainant’s account, she did not file a tax return with
Keystone for the tax year at issue. Pursuant
to the information exchange mandate of the Local Tax Enabling Act (“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).
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. The Notice itself provides taxpayers with common examples of
situations in which the tax may not be due, such as part-year residency or non-residency.
Per my review of the complainant’s account, she was
issued an initial delinquent notice on July 27, 2023. In response, the
complainant submitted documentation to Keystone on August 4, 2023 and August 7,
2023. Through telephone conversations with both the complainant and her spouse,
the complainant was advised that documentation is reviewed in the order in
which it was received.
Please know that the complainant’s documentation confirms
her part-year residency. Moreover, all local earned income taxes were withheld
from her pay, and no tax is owed. The complainant’s account has been closed and
she will receive a letter clearing his account shortly. Accordingly, my office
considers this matter 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
*. V******
General
CounselCustomer Answer
Date: 10/13/2023
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:10/05/2023
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 recently received a notice of Intent to Garnish Wages from Keystone Collections Group. The statement states "You were previously notified regarding this tax delinquency and failed to take corrective action.." This is the first notice I have received of any kind regarding this matter. I am unsure whether this is a legitimate notice, especially after finding many complaints lodged against this company for harrasment and attempts to collect debts that do not exist. The notice I received states Keystone is attempting to collect an amount due of $634.93 for the tax year 2017 for the North Hills School District/West View Borough. I did not live in West View Borough at all in the year of 2017, so should not owe local taxes for this year. I am unsure if it is safe to contact Keystone directly, and am concerned about potential intimidation that may ensue after consulting the BBB and other private review sources. I am fearful of the notice of intent to garnish wages, as it appears this company has been able to successfully do so.Business Response
Date: 10/17/2023
Dear *** ******:
Thank
you for contacting Keystone Collections Group (“Keystone”) regarding this
complaint ID number. In her complaint, the complainant advised that Keystone
sent her a Notice of Intent to Garnish Wages for a disputed local earned income tax balance. The complainant
expressed concern with contacting Keystone directly. 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. 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. 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.
Per my review of the complainant’s account, she did
not file a tax return with Keystone for the tax year at issue, although she
filed a tax return for the subsequent tax year.
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. Moreover, the information
received from the DOR indicated that the complainant reported residency in West
View Borough / North Hills School District on her 2017 PA 40 Personal Income
Tax return.
Per my review, the complainant was issued an
initial delinquent notice on September 8, 2021. This notice was not returned to
my office as undeliverable. Keystone attempted to send the complainant several
follow-up notices, but these notices were returned to my office as unable to
forward (“UTF.”)
The LTEA authorizes the collection of delinquent
earned income taxes by wage garnishment. 53 P.S. §§ 6924.702-703. On September
14, 2023, my office sent the complainant a Notice
of Intent to Garnish Wages by Certified Mail. This
complaint followed.
Keystone does not intimidate or coerce taxpayers
into paying tax that is not due. Rather, Keystone sends notices to ensure
compliance with state and local tax law. As an Act 32 Tax Officer, Keystone is
required to adhere to the LTEA and Local Taxpayers
Bill of Rights.
Nevertheless, based upon the documentation the
complainant supplied with this complaint, my office has determined that no tax
is due. The complainant’s account has been closed 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
***
*********** ** *******
******* *******Initial Complaint
Date:10/03/2023
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.
This is the second year in a row that I’m receiving a tax collections request and I sent this information last year. I do not live nor have I EVER lived in MEDIA BOROUGH.
A simple GOOGLE search of my address will show that I live in UPPER PROVIDENCE Township. Why should I have to PROVE that I DON’T live somewhere? This is harassment. Please remove me from this list permanently.Business Response
Date: 11/10/2023
Dear M*. ******:
Thank
you for contacting Keystone Collections Group (“Keystone”) regarding this
complaint ID number. In his complaint, the complainant advised that Keystone sent
him a delinquent local earned income tax notice for a taxing jurisdiction in
which he did not reside. Please know that I have thoroughly reviewed the
complainant’s account.
As
a preliminary matter, Keystone serves as the duly appointed Act 32 Tax Officer
for the Delaware County Tax Collection District. In this capacity, Keystone is
tasked with the administration, collection and reconciliation of local earned
income taxes for all communities within Delaware County that assess an earned
income tax. Please note that not all communities in Delaware County assess an
earned income tax.
Pursuant to the information exchange mandate of the Local Tax Enabling Act (“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). This
information is limited insofar as it contains income information, taxpayer
identifiers and a resident school code. The information for the complainant
evidenced that he filed his PA 40 Personal Income Tax Returns as a resident of
the Rose Tree Media School District. The School District contains several
municipalities; however, the only municipality within the School District that
assesses an earned income tax is the Borough of Media. The School District
itself does not assess an earned income tax.
Keystone compares this limited earnings information
with taxpayer and employer filings. In the case of the complainant, his
employer remits earned income tax to Keystone and inappropriately lists the
complainant’s resident political subdivision as the Borough of Media. Accordingly,
the complainant has been issued Media Borough earned income tax notices based
upon a discrepancy with employer-remitted earned income tax monies and income
information reported from the state. Per my review, he was issued an initial
delinquent notice for the 2021 tax year on September 7, 2023.
Keystone is aware of this issue and has taken steps
to fix employer remittance errors. The complainant is correct that he does not
owe earned income tax to Media Borough, as he resides in Upper Providence
Township, which does not assess an earned income tax. His account has been
closed.
I encourage the complainant and any similarly
impacted taxpayers to file an updated Certificate of Residency (“COR”) form
with their employer(s). This should ensure appropriate earned income tax
withholding and remittance.
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
***
*********** ** *******
******* *******Customer Answer
Date: 11/10/2023
** ******* ****** ** ******** **** ***** ********* **** ********** ** *** ********** ********* ** *** ***** *** *** ****** ** ****** ******* ****
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:09/30/2023
Type:Product 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 Collection Group is my local tax agency.
File my taxes on April 7, 2023. As of today October 1 still have not received my refund of $1068.
Every time I call a new excuse as to why I haven't received my refund. My Resolution is to receive my tax refund money now. A simple tax return.
Please help me.Business Response
Date: 10/13/2023
Dear M** ******:
Thank
you for contacting Keystone Collections Group (“Keystone”) regarding this
complaint ID number. In her complaint, the complainant advised that she is due
a refund for an overpayment of 2022 local earned income taxes from Keystone.
The complainant advised that despite her filing in April of 2023, she has not
yet received her refund.
Please
know that I have thoroughly reviewed the complainant’s account. Per my review,
the complainant’s employer withheld her local earned income taxes at the City
of Pittsburgh / Pittsburgh School District resident rate of 3.0%. The
complainant filed her local earned income tax return as a resident of a
Keystone political subdivision assessing a resident earned income tax at the
rate of 1.0%. Accordingly, the complainant requested a refund of the
difference.
Keystone
makes every effort to issue local earned income tax refunds timely. Keystone
does, however, receive a high volume of refund requests. Moreover, in the
complainant’s case, my office needed more information to verify the request.
More specifically, the address on the complainant’s W-2 lists a post office
box. As such, my office needed to verify both the complainant’s address and
workplace location. Further, as the complainant’s employer withheld her taxes
as if she were a resident of the City of Pittsburgh, the funds remained with
the Tax Officer for the Allegheny Central Tax Collection District, which is a
company other than Keystone.
Per
my review, my office has requested these funds from the other company, who
agreed to remit them back to Keystone. Upon receipt, my office will issue the
complainant her refund. The complainant has been advised of these issues
several times over the telephone with a Keystone Taxpayer Services
Representative.
Finally,
the complainant is encouraged to update her Certificate of Residency form with
her employer to ensure that her local earned income taxes are properly withheld,
allocated and remitted.
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
***
*********** ** *******
******* *******Customer Answer
Date: 10/15/2023
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,
******** *****Customer Answer
Date: 11/16/2023
I have not received my refund from Keystone Collection Group.
Please any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated.
Thank youBusiness Response
Date: 11/17/2023
Dear *** ******:
Thank
you for contacting Keystone Collections Group (“Keystone”) regarding this
complaint ID number. In her follow-up to my office’s response, the complainant
reiterated that she has not yet received her refund.
As
mentioned in my office’s previous response, the over-withheld funds remained
with the Tax Officer for the Allegheny Central Tax Collection District, which
is a company other than Keystone. As such my office requested these funds from
the other company, who agreed to remit them back to Keystone. In my previous
response, I advised that upon receipt, my office will issue the complainant her
refund.
There
was unfortunately a delay associated with Tax Officer distributions of claimed
funds. However, my office has recently received the funds from the other Tax
Officer. Please note that the complainant’s refund has been adjusted slightly,
as the complainant filed her local earned income tax return based upon a tax
rate of 1.45%; however, her resident political subdivision assesses tax at the
rate of 1.5%. Accordingly, a refund in the amount of $1,142.00 will be issued
to the complainant next week.
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
***
*********** ** *******
******* *******Customer Answer
Date: 11/17/2023
** ******* ****** ** ******** **** ***** ********* **** ********** ** *** ********** ********* ** *** ***** *** *** ****** ** ****** ******* ****
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:09/29/2023
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 had moved to Florida from Pennsylvania at the end of 2022. Keystone Collections sent a letter for me and my wife in 2023 stating that they would garnish a per capita tax from our respective employers. They had not heard back and are charging us a crazy fee that is not even listed on the document. They had never even sent us the per capita tax notice for 2022 until 2023 after assessing multiple fees. This company is an absolute scam artist. They are trying to charge my wife and I for per capita for 2023 after I updated my Florida address. My wife and I just had a baby born prematurely and we don’t need the stress from this company’s nonsense. The account number for myself is ******** with invoices *** *** *** (2022) and *** *** *** (2023). My wife’s account number is ********* with invoices *** *** *** (2022) and *** *** *** (2023). Again this scam company is trying to charge an insane collection fee for bills that were never sent and then lied about the total amount due when claiming they would send it to the employer.Business Response
Date: 10/05/2023
********
Dear M** ******:
Thank
you for contacting Keystone Collections Group (“Keystone”) regarding this
complaint ID number. In his complaint, the complainant advised that Keystone garnished
his and his spouse’s wages for delinquent Bethlehem Area School District per
capita taxes. The complainant alleges that neither he nor his spouse received
an original bill and disputes the collection costs assessed on their accounts. Please
know that I have thoroughly reviewed both the complainant’s and his spouse’s
account. The complainant and his spouse will hereinafter be collectively
referred to as the “taxpayers.”
As
a preliminary matter, Keystone serves as the current and delinquent per capita
tax collector for the Bethlehem Area School District. The School District
assesses a per capita tax pursuant to Act 511 (Local Tax Enabling Act),
53 P.S. § 6924.101 et seq. and the Pennsylvania School Code, 24 P.S. §
6-679. Per capita taxes are head taxes assessed on all adult residents
of a political subdivision. The tax is assessed on all residents of the School
District as of July 1 of a given tax year. That is, if a taxpayer moves out of
the district after July 1 in a given tax year, they are still responsible for
their per capita tax obligation.
Further,
Pennsylvania law permits the collection of delinquent per capita taxes by wage
garnishment. 53 P.S. §§ 6924.702-703. Statutory penalty is assessed the moment
the tax becomes delinquent, and tax collectors such as Keystone are authorized
to assess collection costs pursuant to Act 192 of 2004. 53 P.S. § 6924.707.
Per
my review of the taxpayers’ accounts, they were issued current 2022 Bethlehem
Area School District per capita tax bills on July 1, 2022. The bills were
mailed to the taxpayers’ Bethlehem address and were not returned to Keystone as
undeliverable or unable to forward. Under Pennsylvania law, these bills are
deemed to be received.
On
January 17, 2023, both taxpayers were issued a delinquent per capita tax
notice. This notice was returned to my office as unable to forward. However, on
March 14, 2023, a Notice of Intent to Garnish Wages was sent to the
complainant’s spouse by Certified Mail. This Notice was received, as the
complainant contacted Keystone on April 10, 2023 and spoke to a Keystone
Taxpayer Services Representative. During the call, the complainant advised that
the taxpayers moved to Florida in November of 2022. The Keystone representative
advised that the tax was due, as the taxpayers were residents of the School
District on July 1, 2022. The complainant advised that he intended to contact
the School District and ended the call. Importantly, the taxpayers did not
remit payment.
Accordingly, on May 3, 2023, the wage garnishment
was sent to the spouse’s employer. This employer did not comply with the wage
garnishment and a demand notice was sent to the employer on July 18, 2023.
Similarly, on August 22, 2023, a Notice of Intent to Garnish Wages was
sent to the complainant for his account. The notice was not returned to my
office and the complainant did not contact my office in response to this
notice. Accordingly, the wage garnishment was sent to the complainant’s
employer on September 26, 2023. The complainant called Keystone on September
29, 2023 and spoke to a representative about this matter. This complaint
followed.
The balances on the taxpayers’ accounts stand. The
taxpayers resided in the School District on July 1, 2022 and were aware of their
delinquencies, as evidence by the complainant’s phone call of April 10, 2023.
Keystone’s actions have been in full compliance with state law.
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 *. V******
General
CounselCustomer Answer
Date: 10/06/2023
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,
******* ******Customer Answer
Date: 10/19/2023
As I stated my wife and I moved within the 2022 tax year and did not receive any statements regarding our 2022 per capita tax. I did not realize that we would still be charged if we moved within the tax year being charged.
As Mr. V****** stated my first contact regarding this was from April 10th, 2023 as my wife was forwarded a delinquent per capita tax notice that was being forwarded to our new address in Florida. I had explained all of this to the customer service rep and they were completely unhelpful and refused to help when I explained we never received our 2022 notice which includes the account number and invoice number needed to pay.
Mr. V****** cannot confirm if these were received or even sent out because he has no record of me personally receiving these notices. Furthermore, it would make no sense not to pay the $11 knowing this company would harass us with threatening letters further. Also, they claimed they would deduct from my wife’s employer and they never responded with no further response from Keystone and they are now trying to charge $71 for this tax. This is an absolute scam as you would never know if the employer had withheld this or not with direct deposit without any correspondence from Keystone.
I did not receive any mail correspondence until I received mail that my employer was informed to garnish wages on 8/23/23 after I had updated my address to the Florida address in late 2022. Again, my employer has not responded and they are trying to charge me $71 as well for the attempted garnishment. I did not pay the quoted $45 on the bill because the first bill I received for 2022 said they would garnish it from my employer.
Mr. V******’s response contradicts what he said as he claims we received the 2022 notice but I never called until April because that was the first correspondence we received. My wife and I have no problem paying the tax, but we refuse to pay the collection fees and will pay the standard amount that is due for 2022. Again I have been in contact with a local representative in Bethlehem, PA regarding these unfair practices that Keystone Collections is doing and I will file a report with the PA AG. Thank you so much for your help regarding this.
I have attached my notice of garnishment as I can not find the one that was sent to my wife in April which prompted this whole mess with this company but earlier I did attach the account number and invoice number for both myself and my wife’s 2022 per capita tax.
As a note Keystone is trying to charge an extra $25 collection fee (for a total of $71) which is not even noted on the notice of intent to garnish wages letter.
This company needs customer service reps that are not argumentative and finger point and should help with situations arise. I’m very disappointed with Keystone Collections and their rep Mr. V******.Business Response
Date: 11/16/2023
Dear M** ******:
Thank
you for contacting Keystone Collections Group (“Keystone”) regarding this
complaint ID number. In rejecting my office’s response, the complainant advised
that my office cannot prove that he received the per capita tax bills at issue.
Please know that I have further reviewed the complainant’s account in response
to his additional claims.
Please know that Keystone takes
reasonable precautions to ensure that all tax bills are delivered to
taxpayers. Keystone regularly verifies
addresses by searching multiple address databases. Mailings of per capita tax bills are
scheduled well in advance of due dates so that if mail is returned there is
ample time to find a new, accurate taxpayer address. If a bill is returned as “undeliverable”, a
memo is placed in a taxpayer account evidencing the same and a new address is
sought.
Understanding that it is possible for
bills to be lost in the mail, Keystone utilizes an Intelligent Mail barcode
(“IMb”) to Per Capita/Occupation Tax Bills. The IMb is a 65-bar USPS barcode
that allows senders such as Keystone to track mailings and ensure that bills
are delivered. Of course, Keystone cannot account for external factors that
prevent a taxpayer from noticing their bill, such as a taxpayer discarding the
bill under the false belief that their bill is “junk mail.”
The USPS tracking event report shows
that the complainant’s 2022 per capita tax bill was mailed June 30, 2022 and
was delivered on July 2, 2022. Per my review of the complainant’s account, this
bill was not returned to Keystone as undeliverable. Pennsylvania follows the mailbox rule,
whereby proof of mailing creates a rebuttable presumption of receipt of the
mailed item. Accordingly, the original
tax bill is deemed to have been received by the complainant.
Moreover, my office mailed the complainant a delinquent tax notice
on January 20, 2023. This notice was returned to my office as unable to forward
(“UTF.”) On April 26, 2023, my office mailed the complainant another delinquent
tax notice to his current address. The USPS tracking event report shows that
this notice was delivered on May 1, 2023. Finally, prior to initiating the wage
garnishment, my office sent the complainant a Notice of Intent to Garnish
Wages by Certified Mail, to his current address, on August 23, 2023. The
USPS signature return card indicates that the complainant signed for this
notice on August 30, 2023.
I attach copies of all notices referenced herein to this response,
as well as the USPS signature card for the Notice of Intent to Garnish Wages.
As you can see, Keystone properly notified the complainant of his
delinquent per capita tax liability and afforded him ample time to remit
payment prior to garnishment and the additional accrual of collection costs.
Please know that Act 192 of 2004 authorizes the tax collector to assess
collection costs associated with their collection efforts. Keystone’s actions
have at all times been proper.
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 *. V******
General
CounselInitial Complaint
Date:09/24/2023
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 received at letter on 09/24/23 that I owe Bensalem taxes for the years 2018 and 2019 and my wages were going to be garnished. It also states I have been previously contacted about these tax delinquencies. This is my first contact about any taxes owed to Bensalem. It is also quite interesting because I did not move to Bensalem until January of 2020, so I know I don’t owe taxes for 2018 and 2019.Business Response
Date: 10/05/2023
Dear M** ******:
Thank
you for contacting Keystone Collections Group (“Keystone”) regarding this
complaint ID number. In her complaint, the complainant advised that Keystone issued
her a Notice of Intent to Garnish Wages. The complainant further advised
that she did not reside in the taxing jurisdiction for the years at issue, and
accordingly disputes the tax. 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.
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.
Per my review of the complainant’s account, she has
never filed a tax return with Keystone.
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). This limited earnings information, when compared with Keystone’s
records, indicated potentially unpaid taxes for the 2018 and 2019 tax years.
The
LTEA authorizes the collection of delinquent local earned income taxes by wage
garnishment. 53 P.S. §§ 6924.702 -703. As the complainant did not respond to a
delinquent notices sent on October 27, 2021 and May 27, 2022, Keystone sent the
complainant a Notice of Intent
to Garnish Wages on September 19, 2023 by Certified Mail. This
complaint followed.
To
date, the complainant has had no communication with Keystone. The original
delinquent notices outlined common scenarios, such as nonresidency, in which
taxpayers may not owe the tax. The complainant is welcome to supply Keystone
with documentation in support of his dispute, which Keystone will review and
adjust his account accordingly. Keystone is authorized to request and handle
this information under the LTEA. Finally, the complainant is required to file
an annual tax return with Keystone for all tax years in which she resides or
resided in the taxing jurisdiction.
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
*. V******
General
CounselCustomer Answer
Date: 10/05/2023
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:09/20/2023
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 had sent me a delinquent tax notice on August 1st for the tax year 2022. I submitted evidence on August 7th, including an information supplement form, W2, and local earned income tax payment that I paid and filed local tax elsewhere because I lived elsewhere for most of 2022 and moved at the end of the year. I look forward to working with Keystone for years to come in my new home address that is served by keystone.
However, I understand there is a high volume of delinquent tax documentation submitted but I personally don’t find over 7 weeks to be a reasonable amount of time to review just 7 pages of documents. I feel 30 days is a very reasonable review period and a timeframe most collection companies are subject to. Additionally, I believe interest continues to accrue while keystone reviews documents so it seems to be in their financial interest to take a longer time to review, even if I only owe $1 as an example. I would have accepted this length of time if keystone had done the direct research to other tax districts in PA but I’ve shared all information in a timely fashion.
Additionally, I’ve asked for something in writing from Keystone to confirm their backlog of work is impacting their ability to review my documents but they will not provide anything in writing to me.
I would really just like to resolve this and to receive a response and determination letter as soon as possible. Even if there is even a nominal balance due, I would love to resolve.
I look forward to filing with keystone for 2023.Business Response
Date: 09/27/2023
Dear M** ******:
Thank
you for contacting Keystone Collections Group (“Keystone”) regarding this
complaint ID number. In his complaint, the complainant advised that Keystone sent
him a delinquent local earned income tax notice. In response to the notice, the complainant
submitted documentation. The complainant
advised that his documentation has not yet been reviewed. Please know that I
have thoroughly reviewed the complainant’s account.
As
a preliminary matter, Keystone serves as the duly appointed Act 32 Tax Officer
for the Bucks County Tax Collection District. In this capacity, Keystone is
tasked with the administration, collection and reconciliation of local earned
income taxes for all communities within Bucks County that assess an earned
income tax.
The Local Tax Enabling Act (“LTEA”) requires all Pennsylvania resident
taxpayers making earned income and/or net profits to file an annual local
earned income tax return with their resident Tax Officer. 53 P.S. §
6924.502(c).
Per
my review of the complainant’s account, he did not file a tax return with
Keystone for the tax year at issue. Pursuant
to the information exchange mandate of the Local Tax Enabling Act (“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).
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. The Notice itself provides taxpayers with common examples of
situations in which the tax may not be due, such as part-year residency or non-residency.
Per my review of the complainant’s account, he was
issued an initial delinquent notice on July 27, 2023. In response, the
complainant submitted documentation to Keystone on August 4, 2023 and August 7,
2023. Through several telephone conversations, the complainant was advised that
documentation is reviewed in the order in which it was received.
Please know that the complainant’s documentation
confirms his part-year residency. Moreover, all local earned income taxes were
withheld from his pay, and no tax is owed. The complainant’s account has been
closed and he will receive a letter clearing his account shortly. Accordingly,
my office considers this matter 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
*. V******
General
CounselCustomer Answer
Date: 09/27/2023
** ******* ****** ** ******** **** ***** ********* **** ********** ** *** ********** ********* ** *** ***** *** *** ****** ** ****** ******* ****
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,
******* *******
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