Zuri MartinezSZA said, “It’s cuffing season,” but the IRS heard, “It’s taxing season.” For individuals, freelancers, and businesses alike, landing on the IRS’s radar usually means bad news—and a pile of notices you don’t want.
Trying to cook the books? Definitely not recommended, and extremely illegal. You don’t want to be a case study.
That’s why we’ve reviewed the best accountants in Charlotte to help with tax preparation, bookkeeping, business consulting, and financial compliance. Read on to discover the top choices for keeping your finances on track.
How much does an accountant cost in Charlotte?
Accountants in Charlotte usually charge around $200 and $500 for routine personal tax preparation. Small business bookkeeping and accounting services go for $300 to over $1,500 monthly, depending on volume, complexity, and advanced services.
1. Perry G. Walker Accounting & Tax Service
Address: 10223 University City Blvd D
Phone: +1 704-621-4586
Business hours:
- Monday to Thursday: 10 AM – 6 PM
- Friday: 10 AM – 5 PM
- Saturday: 10 AM – 4 PM
- Sunday: By appointment only
Experience and exposure are a big plus with Perry G. Walker Accounting & Tax Service. To give you an idea, he has over 20 years of experience and even became an Enrolled Agent (EA) by the US Treasury to represent clients before the IRS.
That said, we like that he covers everything from individual and business tax preparation to bookkeeping, payroll, and financial statement review.
We also love how proactive he is with tax planning; maximizing deductions, deferring income, and optimizing methods for clients. And this helps you avoid unnecessary tax payments that usually take a good chunk out of your revenues.
And sometimes tax season can get hectic, so we’re glad that evening and Saturday appointments are available during this time.
Now, we did notice that while they use accounting software, they might not be the best choice if you want fully cloud-based, automated accounting workflows.
Still, they have many long-term clients who continue to work with them year after year, which is a testament to their consistent and competent services.
Very convenient and prompt
“We have been using Perry Walker Accounting and Tax Service for several years now and are quite impressed with his services. Very convenient and prompt in completion of our taxes. They are very professional and very knowledgeable. I trust him with all of our tax needs.”
Judith Sorrells, Google Review
Pleasant, dependable, and punctual
“Mr. Walker and his staff were pleasant, dependable and punctual. He thoroughly explained what would be happening regarding our taxes and accurately set our expectations. We’ll be using him again for all our tax needs.”
Tawana Chealey, Google Review
2. Paramount Tax & Accounting – Charlotte
Address: 5960 Fairview Rd 4th floor, Office 424
Phone: +1 980-425-8987
Business hours: Monday to Friday: 10 AM – 5 PM
It’s reassuring to know that the professional at the top of Paramount Tax & Accounting is an Enrolled Agent, which means they’re authorized to represent you before the IRS.
Speaking of the IRS, we have to give them props for navigating through complicated tax cases, saving you time and money. For instance, they’re experienced in effectively resolving amended returns, multi-year issues, and complex filings.
Another highlight is their partnership with Protection Plus to offer up to $1 million in audit defense protection in case you get involved in IRS notices. It adds peace of mind, and many accountants don’t provide this support.
It’s just a bummer that they’re closed on weekends, so it might be difficult to set an appointment if you’re swamped with other work.
Luckily, you can opt for either in-person or online meetings, so if you’re busy, remote consultations are a good alternative to access full services without extra hassle.
Very short turnaround time
“I partnered with Juan R. in Charlotte to amend my taxes and not only was he timely in his review and processing but so extremely detailed in his explanations of the errors made by the previous filer. Juan had a very short turnaround time from the day I submitted by documents to when the amended tax returns were submitted by him (and approved immediately by the IRS). I plan to use Juan’s services in the future. I highly recommend him!”
Pardise Salehy, Google Review
Successfully addressed my concerns promptly
“Juan with Paramount Tax was extremely helpful with my taxes this year. I had a unique situation requiring expert tax help, and Juan successfully addressed my concerns promptly and at a reasonable price. I will use Juan and Paramount Tax again, and I highly recommend his tax services.”
Crowe Family, Google Review
3. Fisher, P.A. A CPA Firm
Address: 1108 East Blvd
Phone: +1 704-332-7800
Business hours: Monday to Thursday: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
We love thatFisher, P.A. can cater to many sectors, including retail, non-profits, construction, IT, real estate, and more. This is crucial since industry-specific understanding is crucial to effectively match each client’s unique circumstances.
On that note, you can rely on them for many business advisory services, like valuations, startup consulting, succession planning, and advice on business legal or tax structure. We find this beneficial, especially for small and growing businesses that lack deep accounting knowledge.
And if you have an in-house team, they also provide monthly outsourced accounting, outsourced controller, and CFO services tailored to your business size and needs.
Just note that they’re closed on Fridays to Sundays, so you’ll have to time your appointment well to avoid overlapping during busy days.
Though they also cover niche areas like trust/estate planning and related compliance, which we think can come in handy, especially if you have complex personal financial situations.
Extremely resourceful and efficient
“We are extremely pleased with the services that were provided by Fisher, P.A. We have worked with Madelyn, Shelby, and Brendan, And they have been extremely resourceful and efficient during our first tax season utilizing CPA services. As the tax return for my wife’s business became more complex, we were very much in need for reliable CPA and tax services. We are very happy with our decision to choose Fisher, P.A , And we will certainly be continuing services with them.”
Sunny Patel, Google Review
Reliable and trustworthy accounting partner
“We couldn’t be happier with the service we’ve received from Fisher! The team is knowledgeable, efficient, and always goes the extra mile to ensure our finances are in perfect order. They take the time to explain complex processes in a way that’s easy to understand, which has been invaluable to our business. Their attention to detail and commitment to accuracy have saved us time and money. If you’re looking for a reliable and trustworthy accounting partner, look no further. Highly recommend!”
Lumbee Homes, Google Review
4. BGW CPA, PLLC
Address: 500 S Turner Ave #100
Phone: +1 704-552-0553
Business hours: Monday to Friday: 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
One thing we like about BGW CPA, PLLC is that they make for a dependable partner for growth-oriented businesses. If you’re looking to scale and get guidance beyond tax preparation, this firm also provides cash-flow improvement insights and business strategy consulting.
Plus, they work with all sorts of industries; think real estate, construction, trade, manufacturing, distribution, healthcare, restaurant, technology, and more. You’re likely to receive industry-specific services, allowing for faster onboarding.
Their proactive tax and business strategies get a nod from us, too. They don’t just file returns; they also come up with strategies to minimize liability and free up funds for business growth.
The only thing that might not be free enough are the available slots they have, especially during tax season, since they fill up quickly.
On a positive note, you can get real-time access to your finances since their bookkeeping services sync directly with accounting and tax procedures via secure cloud tools.
Can help businesses grow
“This is a great accounting practice that can help businesses grow and give them the practical advice they need. If you’re a business owner and you want to focus on running your business and let someone else focus on taxes…then this would be a great team for you to run along beside.”
JoePat Roop, Google Review
Great partner
“BGW has been a great partner. They have been very helpful in preparing not just our personal taxes, but our corporate taxes as well. It has been a great relationship for us the past three years and we would highly recommend them for your accounting needs.”
Chris Scott, Google Review
5. LB&J Certified Public Accountants
Address: 5936 Monroe Rd
Phone: +1 704-765-1119
Business hours: Monday to Friday: 8 AM – 5 PM
LB&J Certified Public Accountants has a well-rounded CPA, which we found to be advantageous. They have seasoned CPAs with decades of accounting, tax, and advisory experience, like international and corporate backgrounds, that can be crucial with complex tax situations.
We’re glad that they offer comprehensive accounting services, from bookkeeping and tax prep to financial planning and audit support. This saves you time and money since you won’t have to hop from provider to provider.
As for their audit support, we feel reassured to know that they can support you through tax notices and audit processes to help with documentation and negotiation, especially with IRS or state tax inquiries.
The drawback? We came across some reports regarding their slow turnaround times, particularly during tax season.
But hey, their tax expertise is reliable, considering that they can provide tax preparation and advisory services for multi-state and international tax issues, which you don’t see from every other firm.
Helping us to find tax-advantaged strategies
“We’ve used Randy now for a couple of years – he and the LB&J team have been great and proactive with helping us to find tax-advantaged strategies. He’s been great working with both our financial advisor and prior accounting firm, and he’s been quick to respond to any IRS notifications. Looking forward to using him and the team for years to come!”
Matt Pinkston, Google Review
Great in detailing
“We’ve used Randall (Randy) for years and we absolutely love him. He’s great in detailing what is filed and why. He also helps steer us in the right direction for the future tax season if we have new ventures we are pursuing. He certainly makes the tax season a lot less stressful.”
Mullen, Google Review
