Disclaimer

What BalancedRow is — and is not

We help individuals and small businesses get connected with licensed accountants, including CPAs and IRS Enrolled Agents. That is our role.

BalancedRow is not an accounting firm, CPA firm, bookkeeping company, payroll company, tax preparer, or law firm. We do not review your tax position, tell you what to claim, decide how to classify workers, or advise you on what to file.

If you need help, the safe next step is to get matched, compare your options, and hire a qualified professional yourself. You can start here: get matched or learn more about CPA vs EA vs tax preparer.

Fees shown on this site are estimates, not quotes

Any prices or ranges on BalancedRow are typical estimates, not bids or guarantees.

Real fees depend on:
- the work involved
- your tax or business situation
- the quality and completeness of your records
- how many forms, states, employees, or accounts are involved
- your local market

For example, an individual return may often fall around $180-$500, and a small-business return may often fall around $500-$1,800. Monthly bookkeeping may often run $150-$600 per month by volume. Payroll may often cost $40-$120 per month plus a per-employee charge. Hourly CPA work may often run $150-$400 per hour. Those are only common ranges.

Before any work starts, ask the accountant to confirm the scope, the fee method (flat fee, monthly fee, or hourly), and what is not included. You can see general pricing guidance on our pricing page.

Protect your information first

Please be careful with your personal and tax information. Do not send your Social Security Number, ITIN number, bank login, financial-account numbers, or tax documents to anyone you have not verified.

BalancedRow itself collects contact and request details only so we can help with a match. We do not ask for or store:
- SSNs
- ITIN numbers
- bank login details
- financial-account numbers
- tax returns or source documents

Keep your sensitive documents with you until you have verified who you are dealing with and decided to hire them.

This matters for everyone, especially first-time filers, immigrants, ITIN filers, and small-business owners under time pressure. If you want help finding someone familiar with those situations, see ITIN and immigrant help.

You must verify the professional yourself

Before you hire anyone, take these steps:

1. Verify the credential. Check the person in the IRS Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers or with the relevant state board of accountancy.
2. Verify the PTIN if they will prepare a federal return for pay.
3. Ask what work they actually do. Tax return only? Bookkeeping? Payroll? Year-round support?
4. Get the fee and scope in writing before you share documents or agree to service.
5. Ask how your documents will be handled and where they will be uploaded.

BalancedRow does not verify every fact for you, and we do not choose for you. You compare, you verify, you choose. If you are unsure what to ask, our guide on how to choose an accountant can help.

How our free matching service is paid

Matching is free to you as the reader. If you hire someone, your agreement is with that accountant, not with BalancedRow.

Participating accountants pay BalancedRow a flat fee to participate in matching. We do not take a percentage of your refund. We do not take a percentage of the accountant's fee. And we do not promise that any accountant is the right fit for every job.

Our goal is simple: help you find options, ask better questions, and move forward safely with a licensed professional.