Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Fabian Cruz. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Fabian thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

Before founding CITO Tax Resolution, I spent years in pharmaceutical sales, where I built my foundation in working with people, solving problems, and earning trust. Getting into tax resolution wasn’t something I planned. It came from a very personal experience.

My mom received a letter from the IRS saying that my parents owed a significant amount in back taxes. It was a stressful and emotional time for our family. As we started digging into it, we realized it stemmed from guidance they had received from their tax preparer, not something they had knowingly done wrong.

I remember during that time she kept saying she just wanted her life back. That stuck with me. It ended up becoming the foundation for everything we built and, ultimately, for our tagline, “you deserve your life back.”

Going through that process with them, I saw how hard it was to find a firm that actually communicated, followed through, and genuinely cared about the client. There was a clear gap between what people were going through and the level of service they were receiving.

That’s when it clicked for me. I realized the skills I had developed in corporate America could translate directly into helping people in these situations, but in a way that felt more human, more transparent, and more supportive.

That experience led me to start CITO Tax Resolution. Today, our focus is not just resolving tax issues, it is helping people feel in control again and giving them the peace of mind they deserve.

Fabian, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

At our core, we help individuals and business owners resolve issues with the IRS and state tax authorities. That includes everything from back taxes and collections to more complex cases like innocent spouse relief and unpaid payroll taxes.

In plain English, tax resolution is about taking someone who feels overwhelmed and unsure of what to do, and giving them a clear path forward. Most people don’t realize they have options. Our job is to step in, bring clarity, and handle the process from start to finish.

What sets us apart is our structured, client-focused approach. We guide every client through a five-step process: consultation, assessment, strategy, negotiation with the IRS, and most importantly, helping them move forward so they don’t end up in the same situation again.

Our name, CITO, comes from Latin and means swift. That’s intentional. We’ve built our firm to move quickly and efficiently, and a big part of that is how we’ve integrated AI into our process. It’s not just a tagline, it’s a real tool we use to streamline workflows, analyze data, and deliver faster, better outcomes for our clients.

What I’m most proud of is the experience we create. People come to us during some of the most stressful moments of their lives, and we take that weight off their shoulders.

At the end of the day, this isn’t just about resolving tax debt. It’s about giving people their life back.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I think what helped me build my reputation within my market was being very intentional about becoming more visible, more clear, and more useful to the people I serve.

The first piece was learning how to communicate what we do in a way that is simple and clear. Tax resolution can feel overwhelming to people, so I’ve worked hard to explain who we help, what problems we solve, and how we help clients move from fear and confusion to clarity and a plan.

The second piece has been publishing and sharing my story. I’ve been featured on podcasts and in interviews where I’ve talked about my entrepreneurial journey, why I got into tax resolution, and the real-life impact tax problems can have on families, business owners, and people going through major life transitions.

The third piece has been building services that go beyond simply solving the immediate IRS problem. At CITO Tax Resolution, we help clients resolve back tax issues, but we also think about what happens after that. For entrepreneurs and business owners, that means helping them understand how to avoid falling back into the same situation again through better structure, planning, and long-term tax strategy.

Another major part of building my reputation has been working on my overall profile in the market. That includes building relationships with other respected professionals, referral partners, and brands that serve similar audiences. I believe credibility is built through consistency, education, and alignment with people who are also committed to serving clients at a high level.

And now, we’re expanding that even further with the launch of the Unfair Divorce Podcast, which will focus on what happens when divorce and taxes collide. That area is very personal and very underserved. Many people do not realize how tax debt, joint returns, IRS notices, and divorce decrees can intersect. My goal is to use that platform to educate the public, support professionals who work with divorcing clients, and continue building CITO as a trusted voice in tax resolution.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

I funded the business in a very practical and disciplined way. In the beginning, I used my W-2 income to help support the startup costs of the company. I did not have the luxury of raising a large amount of capital or floating the business for a long period of time, so I had to be very intentional with every dollar.

That forced me to build the company with discipline from day one. I had to focus immediately on generating revenue, keeping client acquisition costs as low as possible, and making sure the business could begin paying for itself quickly. There was no room to spend money just because something looked good or sounded exciting. Every expense had to have a purpose.

As the company started to grow, I made it a priority to reinvest as much as possible back into the business. My mindset was simple: every dollar we spent needed to do one of two things. It either needed to help generate new clients or increase our brand awareness in a way that would eventually lead to more growth.

That discipline has been a major reason we have been able to grow so quickly. It taught me to be resourceful, to make decisions quickly, and to focus on the activities that actually move the business forward.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://citotax.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fabianpcruz/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/citotax
• Twitter: https://x.com/FabianPCruz
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@FabianPaulCruz

Image Credits

Jonathan ‘JG’ Gutierrez