Scott A. Curley, Co-CEO of FinishLine Tax Solutions, LLC: “Whether it takes 30 days or 3 years, we commit to each and every client. Furthermore, we will not stop until the final resolution has been achieved.”

In the highly competitive world in which we live, tax management plays a pertinent role as all businesses have to ensure that companies comply with tax laws. Most companies discover the importance of taxes, especially when it is tax season. If you are not certain as to whether you are making a profit or a loss in your business, you need to consider serious tax resolution solutions. Tax resolution is crucial to help the future of businesses and also create a budget that will help reach business goals. The financial statements from the accountants will show if you are on the right track as a business or if you need to adjust a few problem areas to make your business work. Tax-related issues can be overly complex and difficult to navigate and in such circumstances, a tax specialist is of utmost importance. A specialist in resolving tax problems may be an individual person or it could be a group of tax experts that work at a firm that provides various tax services. Most people who are tax experts have experience in accounting and in a variety of legal fields.

Globally, there are various tax resolution companies providing excellent services, among them, FinishLine Tax Solutions stand out. FinishLine Tax Solutions is a full-service, nationwide tax defense firm. FinishLine services thousands of clients throughout the country who are experiencing troubles with the IRS. The company’s goal for each of its clients is to get them established on a resolutions plan that is within their ability to pay and that does not create a financial hardship but keeps them protected from any sort of aggressive actions imposed by the IRS such as liens, garnishments, and asset seizures. FinishLine Tax Solutions was launched in a very unorthodox manner. Both Brian Gordon and Scott Curley had been in the industry for several years and they were both very confident in their ability to make it work. However, due to the nature of each of their personal lives, their primary motivation at the time was survival. At the time of FinishLine’s inception, both owners were in very tough financial spots in their respective lives and did not have the typical seed money to launch such a specialized operation. All that the team of 2 had was their tenacity and determination. The owners have known each other for over 45 years, and they knew that IF it was possible to do this with virtually no money, no assets, and no resources.... then THEY could do it.

In conversation with Scott A. Curley, Co-CEO of FinishLine Tax Solutions, LLC

Q. Taxation can be quite overwhelming and cumbersome. How does your firm help your clients deal with their issues with taxation? Why should they choose you over your competitors?

Unlike all the other companies out there that will only take a case if the taxpayer owes over 10K, we are one of the only firms in the country that will assist a taxpayer no matter how much they owe. I mention that because we launched this company with the idea of being a champion for those individuals with whom no other company wanted to deal with. We see ALL our clients as human beings and not as just a ‘case number’. With a company our size, that ideology could easily be set aside, however, I meet with our resolutions team often to ensure that we are maintaining strong connections with all our clients. We tell all of them that we will ‘hold your hand’ throughout the entire process, and we do, AND they hold us to that. The global pandemic took a toll on many businesses and brought about major changes in the way we do business.

Q. How has your work been affected by the pandemic what were the steps taken by FinishLine Tax Solutions to deal with the changes?

As with most other companies, we too were affected by the pandemic and had to reimagine several of our business protocols. From our inception, we learned to operate very leanly. We hired folks who share our mindset and vision in terms of seeing things outside of the box. When we were forced to adjust during the pandemic to maintain our operations, the transition went rather smoothly because we were already wired to think and operate creatively. That is one of the many benefits we acquired by starting the company with no assets and no money, per se. Operating creatively and thinking outside of the box are in our DNA.

Q. For our readers, could you elaborate on what Fast Track Settlement is? Whom is it beneficial for and why?

This is a process that is not used very often with IRS disputes. It’s basically an informal, voluntary process regarding the IRS’s pre-appeal settlement process. As the name implies, it is a relatively quick process that is typically made by submitting a written request to the IRS auditor or collection personnel assigned to an IRS Audit. Traditional IRS appeals typically are very cumbersome and move very slowly. The Fast Track process was created with the goal of reaching an agreement without having to go through the full audit process. For anyone who has received an audit notice, I believe that it’s always best to request a fast-track settlement initially. This will potentially allow for the matter to be resolved quickly and agreeably. If the fast-track process doesn’t yield the desired outcome, then you still may go through the full audit process. However, when dealing with a full-fledged audit, it is very important to have representation who understands the IRS protocols as intimately as the IRS does.

Q. What would be your advice to our readers about how they can avoid delinquent taxes?

We have all been faced with situations in which money is tight. It can be very tempting to put off tax payments to pay off other bills or cover household needs. However, the IRS is the only entity in the country that can seize assets or garnish wages without a court order. With that in mind, no matter the situation, you should never put off tax payments. Exercise discipline or if you do not feel that you would be able to do this, then have a bookkeeper or money manager do it for you so that you never even see that portion of your income in the first place. It’s much easier to absorb the tax responsibility when it never enters your bank account in the first place.

Q. What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful CEO?

I spent most of my career as a professional salesperson. I was never formally trained to be a CEO. However, I’ve learned that everyone wants and needs to know that they are appreciated, respected, and heard. Additionally, a successful CEO needs to remain connected to the ‘boots on the ground’... When the employees see the CEO walking on the floor, engaging and listening to the employees, it shows that the CEO values the employees and their feedback. Finally, I believe that it’s important to remain humble. Without our team working their butts off, we wouldn’t have a job. Therefore, see yourself as a team member, the quarterback if you will, but do not see yourself as above or beyond your team.

Q. What do you think is the most memorable moment in your career?

I’ve had many, however, making the Inc. 5000 list this year as being recognized as one of the fastest-growing companies in the country, caused me to truly reflect and appreciate our journey. We started this company with no employees and virtually no money. We didn’t even have the money to build a website. However, we never had any doubt that we could make it, so the announcement that we had earned a spot on such a prestigious list of businesses given our challenges stands apart as one of the most memorable moments.

Q. What other CEOs do you look up to? Why?

I look up to folks like Bill Gates, Michael Dell, and Mark Zuckerberg. They all started out with a vision but not much financial backing. They all held true to their vision and didn’t allow challenges to take them off course. As a result, look at them now. I feel that anyone can accomplish their dreams and goals once they TRULY commit to them. Once the commitment is there, the rest is just details.

Q. How do you market your services?

Since we serve the entire country, we spend most of our marketing efforts on traditional media (TV/radio) as well as building and maintaining strategic relationships.

Q. Do you have any new services ready to be launched?

We are constantly looking for ways to improve and be more efficient. Because the IRS is limited in terms of what they will accept regarding a ‘resolution’, we are confined in keeping our suite of services in line with the IRS’s settlement parameters. However, we are considering offering supplementary services that will serve to help our clients stay out of these situations moving forward.

Q. What does the future hold for your company and its customers? Are exciting things on the way?

As visionaries, we are constantly exploring ways to provide solutions to those needing help. We have many ideas and I’m certain soon those ideas will come to life... I’m actually finalizing a book about my life’s work and journey that shares many of my personal and professional struggles and the manner in which I was able to overcome them. 

Q. Can you tell us a few words about yourself?

In a nutshell, I’m a simple man. I do have a deep drive that I’ve had my entire life; however, I’m not overly impressed with myself. I’m very cognizant of the importance to stay grounded and humble. We started this company with only $2000 and a vision/dream. We came from virtually nothing and have grown our business into one of the largest in the country. A large part of that is grounded in our commitment in remaining humble and grateful. We do not take our success for granted. We have a deep and profound appreciation for all of our employess and clients. I believe that this humility is what allows us to continue to grow and evolve. We will never sway from this mindset.

“We can help you get out of tax debt for good by determining the best tax relief plan for you.”

“I spent most of my career as a professional salesperson. I was never formally trained to be a CEO. However, I’ve learned that everyone wants and needs to know that they are appreciated, respected, and heard.”