What CPAs, bookkeepers, payroll services, and fractional CFOs charge, from published fee surveys and price lists, and what moves a quote up or down. Cross-border filing costs are covered too.
20 guides, each reviewed by a CPA licensed in the US and Canada.
CPAs charge an average of $280 for a basic Form 1040 per the 2025 NATP fee study. Schedules, business returns, and messy records push the real bill higher. Full fee tables inside.
US TaxLLC tax preparation costs $192 to $913 on national survey averages, and it depends almost entirely on how the LLC is taxed: Schedule C, Form 1065, Form 1120-S, or Form 1120.
US TaxConstruction CPA fees range from $1,500 to $10,000+ for tax returns, $500 to $2,000/month for bookkeeping, and $5,000 to $30,000+ for audited financials.
US TaxTax professionals who bill hourly average $182 an hour. CPAs charge $280 for a basic 1040, and $733 to $913 for a business return. Monthly CPA services for a small business run $350 to $3,000. Sourced fee tables inside.
Cross-BorderCross-border returns cost more than domestic ones. Here is what drives the price, what the ranges look like, and what you should ask before hiring.
Cross-BorderA dual-status US return typically costs $1,500 to $2,500 to prepare, several times a normal 1040, because it's two returns in one, can't be e-filed, and turns on a residency date.
US TaxForensic accountants bill hourly, usually against a retainer. Expert witnesses charge a median of $450 to $500 an hour with a $3,000 median retainer per the 2024 SEAK survey. How hours add up by case type.
CFO & AdvisoryA fractional CFO costs $1,750 to $6,500 a month at published 2026 prices, against a $269,750 midpoint salary for a full-time CFO. What each price tier includes and when the spend pays off.
US TaxNonprofit audit fees range from $5,000 to $25,000 for a standard financial statement audit, $10,000 to $40,000+ for a Single Audit, and $1,000 to $5,000 for Form 990 preparation.
US TaxA financial statement audit for a small private business typically costs $10,000 to $30,000. A review runs $5,000 to $15,000 and a compilation $2,000 to $5,000, and many lenders accept the cheaper levels.
Small Business & BookkeepingA small business typically spends $3,000 to $15,000 a year on an accountant. What bookkeepers, tax accountants, and CPAs each charge, and what an in-house hire really costs by comparison.
Cross-BorderThe IRS charges nothing for the ITIN itself, but the W-7 preparation, CAA certification, and the required tax return add up to $1,000 to $3,000+ for most Canadians.
Small Business & BookkeepingOutsourced bookkeeping costs $99 to $1,000 a month at published 2026 prices, against $50,670 a year in wages for an in-house bookkeeper. What sets the price, and what catch-up work costs.
Cross-BorderCross-border bookkeeping for a Canadian with US income runs $300 to $2,000/month depending on the number of entities, currencies, and reporting requirements in both countries.
Cross-BorderRenouncing US citizenship costs $450 at the State Department since April 2026. For someone already current on US filings, the tax side, a final dual-status return and Form 8854, typically runs $3,500 to $7,500.
Cross-BorderFiling the FBAR yourself costs nothing. A preparer typically adds $85 to $150 a year to file it with your return. Late FBARs for several years cost more, and the penalty for skipping one is up to $16,536.
US TaxA CPA-prepared amended return (Form 1040-X) typically costs $350 and up, driven by preparer time at about $182 an hour. When amending pays for itself, and when you don't need to amend at all.
Small Business & BookkeepingPayroll software costs $17 to $180 a month plus $4 to $22 per employee at published 2026 prices. A 10-person business pays about $700 to $1,300 a year for software, or roughly $3,000 to $6,000 with an accountant running it.
Cross-BorderMost Canadian streamlined files cost US$2,500 to $4,500 in preparer fees, and a typical employee file owes $0 US tax. Covers treaty provisions, foreign.
Cross-BorderA $1,200 TFSA quote usually means protective Form 3520 and 3520-A filings for every account. Here's what that work involves and when the number is fair.