Accounting & Tax Buyout Acquisitions in 2026

Cherry Bekaert has acquired the business of Richardson Kontogouris Emerson LLP (RKE), a Torrance, California-based public accounting and advisory firm. The deal transfers RKE’s advisory, tax and nonattest assets to Cherry Bekaert Advisory LLC and its attest assets to Cherry Bekaert LLP, expanding Cherry Bekaert’s West Coast presence and capability to serve middle-market clients in Southern California.

Troy, Michigan-based CPA and advisory firm Doeren Mayhew has acquired Birmingham, Alabama-based Dent Moses LLP and its affiliate Impact Technology Group LLC, effective Feb. 10. The deal establishes Doeren Mayhew's first office in Alabama, adds nine principals and nearly 65 professionals, and enhances its technology services through Impact Technology's managed and co-managed IT services platform.

Ryan (Ryan, LLC) has acquired Williams Young McKaig Ltd and its specialist rating division, WYM Rating, a commercial property consultancy based in Edinburgh. The deal establishes Ryan’s property tax and business rates presence in Scotland and integrates WYM Rating into Ryan’s UK Property Tax practice while the founders and team will continue serving clients from Edinburgh.

Ryan, a global tax services and software provider, has acquired Meritax Advisors, a Texas-based commercial property tax consulting firm with offices in Frisco and Austin. The acquisition adds Meritax's property tax valuation, litigation management, and portfolio advisory capabilities to Ryan's Property Tax practice and brings Meritax partners and approximately 20 additional team members into Ryan's U.S. operations.

AAFCPAs, a Top 100 U.S. CPA and advisory firm, has acquired McLaren & Associates CPAs, PC to expand its forensic accounting, litigation support, business valuation, and tax advisory capabilities. The deal brings McLaren's team of approximately 17 professionals into AAFCPAs and reinforces the firms' shared Certified B Corporation commitments.

BDO Canada has acquired Oakville-based government grant advisory firm GrantMatch, integrating its 35-person team and proprietary software platform into BDO's Credits & Incentives practice. Financial terms were not disclosed; GrantMatch's managing partner Mike Janke will join BDO as a partner in tax as the practice is scaled across BDO's national operations.

SAX, a top-75 national accounting, tax and advisory firm, has acquired Owen J. Flanagan & Co. The deal strengthens SAX's attest, tax, consulting and advisory capabilities while preserving personalized client service and expanding resources for clients and staff.

Brentwood-headquartered accounting and business consulting firm LBMC has acquired Torrillo & Associates, a Glen Mills, Pennsylvania-based specialist in employee benefit plan audits. Torrillo will operate as LBMC Philadelphia, expanding LBMC's northeastern footprint and strengthening its employee benefit plan audit capabilities; financial terms were not disclosed.

Seekye Capital has acquired a majority stake in DuvallWheeler LLP, a Manassas, Virginia-based accounting and advisory firm founded in 1986. The transaction represents Seekye’s first platform investment in the accounting and professional services vertical and will provide strategic resources, leadership development, and operational support while preserving the firm’s client-first culture.

Doeren Mayhew entered the New York market through the acquisition of Rochester-based advisory firm 1RDG, effective January 20, 2026. The transaction also brings Bailey Carr CPAs (Rochester) and Bahgat & Laurito‑Bahgat CPAs (Fredonia) into Doeren Mayhew, adding more than 100 employees and seven partners and expanding the firm's audit, tax, outsourced accounting and advisory capabilities in key sectors such as construction, health care and real estate.

Cherry Bekaert has acquired Washington, D.C.-based accounting and advisory firm Tarsus for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition bolsters Cherry Bekaert's outsourced accounting and CFO advisory capabilities, expands its presence in the Washington, D.C. and Kansas City markets, and adds GovCon-compliant accounting and real-time reporting capabilities.

KlariFi Bookkeeping & Tax has acquired X'Lance Bookkeeping Ltd., a British Columbia–based bookkeeping firm, to expand KlariFi's national footprint and broaden its fractional CFO and controllership offerings. X'Lance's founder Deborah Belden will remain with the business as Vice-President, Client Success, and Bradley Meadows has been named President of the Penticton location to oversee local operations.

PKF O'Connor Davies announced that Hollywood, Florida-based Topping Kessler & Company has joined the firm, bringing Topping Kessler's tax, accounting and advisory capabilities and its team of four partners and more than 30 staff into PKF's platform. The combined practice will operate across Hollywood and PKF O'Connor Davies' Fort Lauderdale office, expanding PKF's Florida footprint and service depth following its strategic growth investment from Investcorp and PSP Investments.

Smith + Howard, an Atlanta-based accounting and advisory firm, has acquired Bauknight Pietras & Stormer, P.A. (BPS), a Columbia, South Carolina-based public accounting firm with nearly 100 certified public accountants and professional staff. Terms were not disclosed; the acquisition expands Smith + Howard's presence in the Southeastern United States and strengthens its advisory and industry-specific capabilities across areas such as construction, insurance, telecommunications, and manufacturing.

Strait Lane Capital Partners, a Dallas-based family-owned private investment firm, has acquired Makosi Audit and Tax LLC in a transaction funded with 100% equity from a Strait Lane-led group of investors. Makosi is a tech-enabled audit and accounting workforce solutions provider (founded in South Africa) that supplies South African Chartered Accountants to support primarily U.S.-based audits; Strait Lane says it will support Makosi’s continued growth and capability expansion.

SAX (SAX Advisory Group) acquired Scheidel, Sullivan & Lanni CPA LLC (SSL) and Sierra Financial Advisors, LLC effective January 4, 2026; Sierra’s wealth management business was integrated into SAX Wealth Advisors, a wholly owned subsidiary. The acquisition expands SAX’s accounting, tax, advisory and wealth management capabilities, bringing the firm to 73 partners and close to 400 team members and enhancing SAX Wealth Advisors’ footprint (approximately 20 wealth advisors and over $4.5 billion AUM).

SSC CPAs + Advisors, a 100% employee-owned CPA and wealth management firm based in Overland Park, Kansas, has merged with Harrison Henderson PLLC, an Oklahoma-based accounting firm with offices in Tulsa, Norman, and Perry. The combined firm will operate under the SSC CPAs + Advisors name and terms were not disclosed. The transaction expands SSC's geographic footprint into Oklahoma and transitions Harrison Henderson to employee ownership.

Aprio announced combinations with two Oregon-based accounting and advisory firms, Delap LLP (Lake Oswego) and Hoffman, Stewart & Schmidt, P.C. (Portland), with the combinations closing on January 1, 2026. The moves expand Aprio's Pacific Northwest presence and add capabilities including public company audits, advanced tax planning, digital forensics, cybersecurity, and broader advisory services.

Symphona LLP, a CPA and technology firm based in Savannah, Georgia, has acquired Schell & Hogan LLP, an accounting and advisory firm serving Southeast Georgia and North Florida, effective January 1, 2026. The acquisition expands Symphona's regional footprint and service capabilities while keeping Schell & Hogan's Saint Simons Island office and partner team in place under the Symphona name.

BELAY, a U.S.-based virtual staffing and outsourced services provider, has acquired Fully Accountable, a Fairlawn, Ohio outsourced accounting firm that serves eCommerce and digitally native brands. The deal expands BELAY's financial solutions capabilities (including fractional CFO and ecommerce accounting) and is supported by BELAY's private equity backer, Tenex Capital Management.