Accounting & Tax Acquisitions in 2024

Lovell Minnick Partners (LMP) has made a strategic growth investment in Cohen & Company, a national assurance, tax and business advisory firm. The minority growth capital will support Cohen & Company’s technology investments, expansion of service offerings, and broader strategic growth plan, while enabling an increase in employee equity ownership under a new alternative practice structure.

Aprio has acquired two Chicago-based accounting firms, KRD, Ltd. and Burkett & Beattie, Inc., expanding its footprint into the greater Chicago area and strengthening its Midwest presence. The transactions add KRD’s ~110 partners and professionals and Burkett & Beattie’s team of ~10 professionals to Aprio’s nationwide advisory, tax, and accounting platform.

Employer.com has acquired Bench Accounting, the bookkeeping and tax SaaS provider that recently suspended operations, in a deal intended to restore platform access and continuity for Bench customers. Employer.com said customers will retain their existing bookkeepers and platform access while Employer.com integrates Bench's bookkeeping capabilities into its workforce management and financial services offering.

Cerity Partners has acquired Fishman Block + Diamond LLP, an independent accounting, tax and business advisory firm based in Encino, California. The transaction adds 47 experienced professionals to Cerity and deepens its tax, family office and business management capabilities for high-net-worth clients.

Arlington, Va.-based Ascend, a growth platform for regional accounting firms backed by private equity firm Alpine Investors, will add Boston-based IPA 200 firm Walter Shuffain effective Jan. 1. The deal brings Walter Shuffain’s FY23 net revenue of $30.3 million and 114 professionals (including 13 partners) onto Ascend’s platform and expands Ascend’s footprint into the Boston market; terms were not disclosed.

IK Partners has acquired Dains Accountants from Horizon Capital. The sale sees Horizon Capital realise its investment after supporting Dains' buy-and-build growth (10 add-on acquisitions since 2021) and delivering strong returns; Dains is a UK-based accounting and business advisory group serving SMEs across the UK and Ireland.

Columbus-based GBQ Partners LLC acquired Cincinnati-based Wirth Lowe Wissemeier CPAs Inc. (WLW), effective Dec. 16, 2024. As part of the deal, WLW partners Glenn Wissemeier and Beth Herman joined GBQ as partners as GBQ expands its Cincinnati presence and advisory capabilities.

Springline Advisory, a PE-backed middle-market accounting and advisory platform, announced that Dallas-based HM&M Advisory, LLC has joined as a founding firm under an alternative practice structure. The move expands Springline's geographic footprint and capabilities in tax, accounting, business valuation and litigation support while giving HM&M access to capital and broader resources.

Cherry Bekaert (Cherry Bekaert LLP and Cherry Bekaert Advisory LLC) has acquired Katz Nannis + Solomon, a Boston-area full-service CPA firm, to strengthen its presence in the Northeast and expand audit, tax and advisory capabilities. The transaction transfers Katz Nannis + Solomon's attest assets to Cherry Bekaert LLP and non-attest assets to Cherry Bekaert Advisory LLC, and the combined firm will operate under the Cherry Bekaert brand.

Aprio has combined with Denver-based Pontiff + Associates, P.C. and Elite Tax & Accounting, LLC to expand its presence and capabilities in the Denver market. The combinations, effective Dec. 1, 2024, add local tax, client accounting, valuation and tax resolution expertise to Aprio's Denver office as part of the firm's broader growth strategy.

Cherry Bekaert has acquired substantially all the assets of DeBlanc, Murphy & Murphy, LLC, integrating the firm's attest and non-attest practices into Cherry Bekaert LLP and Cherry Bekaert Advisory LLC respectively. The asset purchase strengthens Cherry Bekaert's presence in the greater Washington, D.C. market and expands its audit, tax and advisory capabilities for business and individual clients.

Citrin Cooperman Advisors LLC has acquired substantially all the assets of Andsager, Bartlett & Pieroni, LLP (ABP), a 15-person boutique tax firm based in East Providence, Rhode Island. The deal brings three partners and 12 professionals into Citrin Cooperman, expanding the firm's presence in Providence and greater New England and enhancing its high-end tax capabilities for businesses and high-net-worth individuals.

Summit Partners has made a strategic growth investment in UHY, providing the accounting and advisory firm with its first institutional capital to support continued expansion of its team, technology, and acquisition-driven growth. The capital will be used to accelerate organic growth, deepen client relationships, and expand UHY’s service capabilities across its U.S. network.

SolomonEdwards has acquired Steele Consulting, a national tax advisory firm founded by Jay Steele, to expand its accounting and finance operations practice. The deal brings Steele’s tax expertise and its employees into SolomonEdwards’ platform (which is backed by Renovus Capital Partners) to broaden the firm’s tax support across state, local, federal and international jurisdictions.

Barsz Gowie Amon & Fultz LLC (BGA&F), a full-service accounting and advisory firm, has merged with William E. Howe & Co., effective December 2, 2024. The transaction brings William E. Howe's 13-member team into BGA&F, expanding the combined firm's capabilities and geographic reach across the Greater Philadelphia area.

BeachFleischman PLLC has integrated Indiva Advisors LLP into its firm effective November 1, 2024, adding Indiva's Las Vegas office and five team members to expand BeachFleischman's cannabis accounting, advisory, and tax capabilities. Indiva will practice as BeachFleischman PLLC and the firm also acquired the Indiva Advisors trademark for its cannabis sector go-to-market strategies.

BerryDunn has merged with Connecticut-based Burzenski & Company, effective December 1, 2024; Burzenski will assume the BerryDunn name and continue to operate from its East Haven, Connecticut office. The combination expands BerryDunn's veterinary practice and construction industry expertise and strengthens its Outsourced Accounting Practice Group to provide enhanced reporting, benchmarking, and business consulting services.

KANA Private Wealth Group, a Tampa-based boutique wealth management firm, has acquired the financial planning and advisory business of The Foley Group in Fairfax, Virginia. The deal facilitates the retirement/exit of Thom J. Foley and strengthens KANA's presence in the northern Virginia/Washington, D.C. market while ensuring continuity of services for The Foley Group's clients.

Apax Funds, advised by Apax Partners LLP, has agreed to acquire the professional services business of Evelyn Partners. The acquired business will be rebranded S&W, operate from London as a standalone company focused on accountancy and advisory services, and will be supported by Apax to invest in technology, talent and pursue M&A to consolidate the fragmented UK mid-market.

Allworth Financial has acquired CCA, LLP, a Pleasant Hill, California-based tax-focused CPA firm with a team of 25 tax professionals. The acquisition expands Allworth's in-house tax capabilities and strengthens its Northern California/Bay Area footprint.

Funds advised by Centerbridge Partners and Bessemer Venture Partners made a strategic growth investment in Carr, Riggs & Ingram (CRI), a top‑25 U.S. accounting and advisory firm. The capital will support CRI’s geographic and service expansion, technology and AI investments, talent recruitment, and continued M&A-driven growth; financial terms were not disclosed.

Investcorp, in partnership with PSP Investments, made a strategic growth investment in PKF O'Connor Davies to provide capital for accelerated growth, increased M&A activity, technology investment and expanded service offerings. PKF O'Connor Davies will continue operating its attest and advisory practices through existing licensed entities while leveraging the strengthened balance sheet and investor resources to pursue expansion.

Aprio has combined with Kirsch Kohn & Bridge (KKB) to establish a Woodland Hills, California office and expand its West Coast presence. Effective November 1, 2024, KKB joined Aprio, adding five partners and more than 30 professionals and strengthening Aprio's advisory, tax, and accounting capabilities.

Citrin Cooperman has entered into an agreement to acquire substantially all the assets of Baltimore-based Clearview Group, including its affiliated licensed CPA firm. The deal brings Clearview's 10 partners and over 150 professionals into Citrin Cooperman, enhancing the firm's risk advisory, state and local tax, and technology implementation capabilities while strengthening its Mid-Atlantic presence.

ZBS Group LLP, a Plainview, New York-based CPA firm, has acquired Saul Rosenberg CPA PLLC to expand its tax, accounting and consulting capabilities. The purchase will integrate Saul Rosenberg's expertise into ZBS's service offerings and broaden the combined firm's client coverage across industries such as real estate, healthcare and non-profits.

Indianapolis-based Katz Sapper & Miller (KSM) has acquired New York City-based accounting firm Shanholt Glassman Klein Kramer & Co. (SGKK), adding 59 employees and six partners and increasing KSM's New York headcount to 87. The deal, which closed Thursday, expands KSM's New York footprint and makes that office its second-largest; financial terms were not disclosed.

Forvis Mazars, LLP is expanding its Florida footprint through the acquisition of MSL, P.A., effective November 1. The deal adds approximately 120 professionals (including 14 partners) and three new offices in Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, and Tallahassee, strengthening Forvis Mazars' audit, tax, and consulting capabilities in the state.

Reynolds, Bone & Griesbeck PLC (RBG) has acquired Scott and Pohlman, P.C., with the transaction effective November 1, 2024. The acquisition brings S&P's team into RBG to strengthen RBG's tax, Client Advisory and Accounting Services (CAAS) capabilities and expand its talent pool to better serve businesses and individuals.

Rantalainen Group (majority-owned by Norvestor) has agreed to acquire Value Group, a fast-growing Norwegian accounting, payroll and HR services provider that generates NOK 200 million in revenue and employs about 180 professionals. The add-on deal — expected to close in Q4 2024 — furthers Rantalainen's Nordic expansion and strengthens its capabilities for consolidation across the region.

Norvestor IX has signed an agreement to acquire a majority of the shares in Wint Group AB, a Gothenburg-based provider of automated cloud accounting and payroll software for micro and small businesses. Wint generates over SEK 140 million in ARR, serves ~4,500 customers, employs about 100 people, and Norvestor will become the company's largest shareholder following the transaction (expected to close Q4 2024).

Funds managed by Castik Capital have acquired a 55% majority stake in Norwegian accounting and consulting group Aider, with over 160 employees retaining a combined 45% ownership. The partnership gives Aider access to capital to continue its buy-and-build strategy, accelerate further acquisitions, expand in Norway and pursue longer-term Nordic growth.

Warburg Pincus has made a $125 million minority investment in Contabilizei, becoming the company’s largest shareholder after purchasing stakes from earlier venture investors including Kaszek. The capital will support the São Paulo–based accounting technology firm — which serves over 50,000 clients, employs roughly 1,200 specialists, and generated more than R$300 million in revenue — as it scales its automated tax and accounting platform and expands financial services offerings.

Prosperity Partners, a Chicago-headquartered accounting platform backed by Unity Partners, has completed the acquisition of Wiener and Garg (W&G), a Rockville, Maryland-based tax, accounting and advisory firm founded in 1980. The deal expands Prosperity's presence in the Greater Washington, D.C. area; W&G partners Subhash Garg and Vikesh Bansal will remain with the business and all W&G employees will join Prosperity's Employee Purpose Plan.

Prosperity Partners, a Chicago-headquartered accounting platform backed by Unity Partners, has completed the acquisition of Detroit-area tax and accounting firm Cendrowski Corporate Advisors (CCA). The add-on expands Prosperity's tax, valuation and outsourced accounting capabilities and establishes a local presence in the Detroit/Bloomfield Hills market; terms were not disclosed.

Ryan, a global tax services and software provider headquartered in Dallas, has acquired Property Tax Advisors LLC, a Virginia-based property tax consulting firm led by Michael Donohue. The acquisition expands Ryan's property tax expertise and brings the target's specialists into Ryan's broader tax and real estate advisory platform.

Marshall & Stevens, a Los Angeles-based valuation advisory and litigation support firm, has acquired Acuity Advisors, an Orange County valuation and ESOP advisory practice founded in 1989. The acquisition expands Marshall & Stevens' ESOP and transaction advisory capabilities while adding Acuity's West Coast client base and valuation expertise.

Organization INK Inc., a Great Barrington-based provider of bookkeeping, accounting, payroll and HR services, has acquired My Office LLC of Torrington, Connecticut. The purchase, completed Sept. 2, brings the majority of My Office's staff (including owner Cynthia Rines) into Organization INK as the owner retires, expanding Organization INK's regional footprint and service capabilities.

BK Plus, the Palatine-backed UK accountancy group, has acquired Walker Moyle Chartered Accountants and Pooleys Chartered Accountants & Business Advisers, expanding its South West footprint in Cornwall. The bolt-ons bring additional local offices and create a South West Hub to strengthen regional services and client coverage.

Engineered Tax Services has acquired the Subcity technology, team and database of nearly 2,000 local, state and federal economic incentive and tax credit programs. The acquisition gives Engineered Tax Services a searchable incentives database and product capability to better serve CPAs and small-to-medium businesses by combining Subcity's technology with ETS's nationwide professional services.

Frazier & Deeter, a Top 50 accounting and advisory firm based in Atlanta, acquired KMN CPA LLC, a seven-person outsourced accounting and bookkeeping provider, effective August 1, 2024. The acquisition integrates KMN's team and capabilities into FD's service offering to expand outsourced accounting, bookkeeping and technology-driven financial solutions for clients.

CBIZ, Inc. has completed the acquisition of the non-attest business of Marcum LLP in a cash-and-stock transaction valued at approximately $2.3 billion, creating a combined organization with expected annualized revenue of about $2.8 billion. Concurrently, Marcum’s attest practice was transferred to an independent CPA firm (reported as Mayer Hoffman McCann P.C., which has since adopted the CBIZ CPAs P.C. name), and the deal expands CBIZ’s scale, service breadth and market position in accounting, tax, advisory and related professional services.

BELAY has acquired Richardson, Texas–based CFO Advisory Services to expand its fractional CFO and higher-level accounting offerings. The acquisition integrates CFO Advisory's fractional finance, accounting, and financial operations capabilities into BELAY's virtual staffing and outsourced accounting platform to better serve growing small- and mid-stage businesses.

Source Advisors, a specialty tax consulting firm backed by BV Investment Partners, has acquired United Paramount Tax Group (UPTG), a property tax consulting and business personal property tax management firm. The deal expands Source Advisors' service offering by adding real property tax reduction and ongoing property tax management capabilities to its suite of tax advisory services.

Charlesbank Capital Partners has made a strategic growth investment in Aprio, a leading business advisory and accounting firm, marking Aprio’s first institutional capital investment. The partnership will accelerate Aprio’s organic and inorganic growth by funding investments in talent, technology, corporate infrastructure, and geographic and capability expansion; terms were not disclosed.

Citrin Cooperman Advisors, LLC and Citrin Cooperman & Company LLP have acquired substantially all assets and the attest assets, respectively, of S&G LLP, a Worcester, Massachusetts-based assurance, tax and advisory firm. The deal brings five partners and more than 30 professionals into Citrin Cooperman and expands the firm's presence in New England.

Dains Group has acquired Condies Chartered Accountants, adding the Scottish firm (with offices in Dunfermline, Edinburgh and Dundee) to its group to strengthen its presence and service offering in Scotland. The acquisition reinforces Dains' regional expansion strategy and builds on prior Scottish activity (including the 2022 acquisition of William Duncan + Co).

Dains Group has acquired NHS VAT specialist CRS VAT to strengthen its public sector tax capabilities. The acquisition expands Dains' specialist VAT advisory services to NHS and other public sector clients and is part of the group's ongoing roll-up strategy of complementary professional services firms.

Taxes Served Corp., a Hoboken, New Jersey-based tax services firm, has acquired Virginia-based Blue Mountain Bookkeeping LLC to deepen its tax and bookkeeping capabilities. Blue Mountain will continue to operate as a separate entity in Virginia while benefiting from the additional resources and expertise of Taxes Served Corp.

IK Partners' IK Small Cap III fund has acquired a stake in Qconcepts, a leading audit-focused firm headquartered in ’s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands. The founding partners significantly reinvested alongside IK; the investment will support Qconcepts' team growth, new client acquisition and capture market opportunities from mandatory ESG/CSRD-related audits.

NDH Advisors LLC, a Unity Partners–backed accounting platform, has acquired Santa Barbara-based tax and accounting firm McGowan Guntermann P.C. The add-on expands NDH's service footprint and establishes a local presence in Santa Barbara; terms were not disclosed and McGowan's partners will remain involved.