You Deserve More Than a Case Number
At Phoenix Tax Resolution Strategies, every client is handled personally — not passed to a junior staffer or a call center on the other side of the country.
The Person Behind the Resolution
A. Eric Wesphalen didn't set out to become one of the country's most experienced IRS resolution specialists. He started with a deep curiosity about how money, law, and government intersect — a curiosity that took him from a finance and accounting degree at Lehigh University, to an MBA at Cornell's Johnson Graduate School, and finally to a Masters in Legal Studies of Taxation at NYU School of Law. That rare combination of financial acumen, business strategy, and tax law expertise became the foundation of everything he does today.
Over the course of three decades, Eric has represented thousands of individuals and businesses before the IRS — from wage earners facing their first garnishment to business owners navigating six-figure payroll tax liabilities. He became an Enrolled Agent because it gave him the broadest authority to represent taxpayers in all 50 states, and because it reflects a commitment to specialization. Tax resolution isn't something Eric does on the side. It's all he does.
What sets Eric apart isn't just his credentials — it's his refusal to delegate your case to someone less qualified. In an industry full of firms that use TV ads to collect leads and then hand your file to an entry-level case manager, Eric made a deliberate choice to keep his practice personal. When you call Phoenix Tax Resolution Strategies, you get Eric. When the IRS calls about your case, they get Eric. That continuity matters more than most people realize — and it shows in the results.
"I have never once believed in farming a case out. Your situation is too important for that."
Eric operates with a simple philosophy: tell the truth, know the rules better than the person across the table, and fight like it's your own money on the line. He won't promise outcomes he can't deliver, and he won't sugarcoat a difficult situation just to close a deal. That honesty has earned him the trust of over 2,500 clients — and an 89% resolution success rate that speaks for itself.
Education & Qualifications
What Makes This Practice Different
Personal Representation
Eric handles your case from the very first phone call to the final IRS resolution letter. You speak with the expert who's actually doing the work — not an intake coordinator, not a junior associate, not someone reading from a script. This means faster decisions, smarter strategy, and no communication gaps.
No Case Minimums
Whether you owe $10,000 or $1,000,000, every case receives the same meticulous attention. Some firms won't take your call unless you owe six figures. Eric believes that the stress of a $15,000 IRS debt is just as real to the person living it — and that everyone deserves a clear path forward.
Transparent Process
You'll know exactly where your case stands at every step. Eric provides regular updates, explains what's happening with the IRS in plain language, and sets realistic expectations from day one. No surprises, no runaround, and no dodged phone calls.
What Eric Believes
Every taxpayer deserves a fair shot at resolution — regardless of how they got into the situation. The IRS has rules, and those rules include programs designed to help people who genuinely can't pay. Eric's job is to make sure his clients get every benefit those rules provide, not just the ones the IRS volunteers.
That requires knowing the Internal Revenue Manual better than the agent on the other side of the phone. It requires understanding how the IRS evaluates financial hardship, how it calculates Reasonable Collection Potential, and where the negotiation leverage actually lives. Three decades of daily practice builds that kind of expertise — the kind you can't get from a certification alone.
But expertise without honesty is just salesmanship. Eric believes the most valuable thing he can offer a client is a realistic assessment. Sometimes the best advice is "here's what the IRS will likely accept, and here's what it will cost you." That candor builds trust — and trust is what carries a case from that first anxious phone call to a final resolution you can live with.