A CPA costs anywhere from $200 for a simple W-2 return to $3,500 or more for a small business with an S-Corp election. The base fee for a personal return with Schedules 1 through 3 averages $280 when prepared by a CPA specifically (NATP 2025 Fee Study), though that number moves substantially based on what's on your return, where you live, and how organized your records are.
Quick-Reference Cost Table
| Situation | Typical Range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Simple W-2 return (standard deduction) | $200 -- $350 | NSA Survey |
| Itemized return (Schedule A) | $280 -- $400 | NATP 2025 / NSA |
| Self-employed (Schedule C) | $400 -- $600 | NATP 2025 / NSA |
| S-Corp (Form 1120-S + personal) | $1,200 -- $3,500 | CPA Trendlines |
| Partnership (Form 1065 + K-1s) | $1,500 -- $3,000 | CPA Trendlines |
| Rental properties (Schedule E) | $800 -- $1,000+ | NSA Survey |
| Estate return (Form 706) | $2,500+ | Industry avg. |
These are national averages. Your actual cost depends on geography, firm size, and the complexity of your specific return. Read on for the detail behind each number.
Why the Range Is So Wide
Four variables explain most of the variation:
- What forms your return requires -- a single W-2 is a different engagement than six rental properties with a cost segregation study
- How much advisory work sits behind the filing -- planning saves money but takes time
- What metro area the CPA practices in -- urban firms charge more
- How organized your records are -- a shoebox of receipts costs you extra
The NATP 2025 Fee Study surveyed over 3,400 preparers and found that the average base fee for a Form 1040 with Schedules 1 through 3 rose 45.7% from $162 in 2024 to $236 in 2026 across all preparer types. CPAs specifically charged $280 for that same base return, while Enrolled Agents averaged $228 and non-credentialed preparers charged $185. Those numbers set the floor. Every additional schedule, entity, and complexity layer adds to it.
Costs by Situation
Simple W-2 Return (Standard Deduction)
$200 to $350 for the federal return plus one state. The NSA Income and Fees Survey pegs a simple Form 1040 with a state return at roughly $220.
This is the simplest possible engagement: salary income, standard deduction, no side income or investment complexity. Many CPAs actually prefer not to take these clients because the margins are thin. If this describes your situation, an Enrolled Agent or even quality tax software may be a better fit for your wallet.
Itemized Return (Schedule A)
$280 to $400 with a CPA, or around $323 per the NSA survey. Adding Schedule A runs $53 to $61 on top of the base fee (NATP 2025 Fee Study).
You typically itemize because of:
- A large mortgage
- Significant charitable giving
- High state and local taxes
The complexity here is not the form itself -- it is verifying that your deductions are properly documented. A CPA who knows the charitable giving rules, for instance, might catch that your appreciated stock donation should be valued at fair market value rather than cost basis, a difference that could be worth thousands.
Self-Employed / Schedule C
$400 to $600 for a typical filing. Schedule C adds $123 to $135 to the base fee (NATP 2025 Fee Study). An itemized return with Schedule C and a state return averages $457 (NSA Survey).
But the filing fee is only part of the picture. Self-employed individuals benefit from:
- Quarterly estimated tax planning
- Retirement account strategy (SEP-IRA vs. Solo 401(k) vs. SIMPLE)
- The qualified business income deduction, which lets eligible taxpayers deduct up to 20% of qualified business income
Technical detail
A CPA who understands your industry can often save multiples of their fee through these planning opportunities.
S-Corp (Form 1120-S)
$1,200 to $3,500 for comprehensive preparation, including payroll review, reasonable compensation analysis, and shareholder basis tracking. A basic S-Corp filing alone runs $800 to $1,200 (CPA Trendlines), but you will also need your personal return prepared.
The "reasonable compensation" piece matters. The IRS requires S-Corp owner-employees to pay themselves a reasonable salary before taking distributions:
- Set it too low and you are inviting an audit
- Set it too high and you are paying unnecessary payroll taxes
Getting this number right is one of the more valuable things an S-Corp CPA does.
Partnership (Form 1065)
$1,500 to $3,000 total for a small partnership with two or three partners. The entity filing alone runs $800 to $1,500 (CPA Trendlines). Add the individual partner K-1 reporting on each partner's personal return and the total adds up.
Real Estate with Rental Properties
$800 to $1,000+ when you add Schedule E and the associated depreciation calculations (NSA Survey). Each additional property adds cost, and the complexity ramps quickly when you factor in:
- Passive activity loss rules
- The real estate professional status election
- Multi-state filing requirements if your properties are in different states
Where real estate CPAs really earn their fee is in strategies like cost segregation. These studies cost $5,000 to $15,000 upfront but typically generate $50,000 to $300,000 or more in accelerated tax deductions. The CPA's advisory fee becomes a rounding error compared to the tax benefit.
Technical detail
Estate and Trust Returns (Form 706)
$2,500+, scaling with estate complexity. This is the most expensive category of individual return preparation, and the stakes justify it.
The federal estate tax applies to estates exceeding the current exemption threshold. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) made the higher exemption permanent at $15 million per individual (indexed for inflation) starting in 2026, eliminating the previously scheduled TCJA sunset. A key part of estate return preparation is documenting the step-up in basis on inherited assets, which can eliminate decades of capital gains.
For estates under $10 million where the only purpose is filing for portability, some firms offer streamlined pricing around $995. Technical detail
The risks of getting Form 706 wrong are proportionally high:
- Undervaluing assets can trigger IRS adjustments
- Missing the nine-month filing deadline forfeits the portability election
- Failing to elect portability can cost an estate hundreds of thousands of dollars
This is not the return to price-shop.
What Drives the Variation
Geography
Where your CPA practices matters more than most people expect. The NATP study found that preparers in communities under 10,000 people charge an average base fee of $185, while those in communities of 50,000 or more charge $233 for the same return. Urban CPAs in major metros like New York, San Francisco, or Boston often charge well above those averages.
Firm Size and Specialization
Solo practitioners and small firms typically charge less per hour than regional or national firms, but the gap narrows when you compare by specialization. A solo CPA who focuses exclusively on real estate investors may charge more than a generalist at a larger firm -- and deliver substantially more value for that specific client.
How Organized You Are
This one is entirely in your control. The NATP study found that preparers charge an average surcharge of $166 for disorganized client records.
Disorganized records cost you money. The NATP study found an average surcharge of $166 for disorganized client records -- and that's on top of the base fee.
Seasonal Timing
Most CPAs charge the same rate year-round, but availability affects the dynamic. During tax season (January through April 15), CPAs are stretched thin. If you can file an extension and have your return prepared in the summer, you may get more attention, more thorough planning conversations, and occasionally better pricing.
Fee Trend: Prices Are Rising
Expect sticker shock if you have not hired a CPA in a few years. The NATP study found that:
- 83% of preparers raise their fees every one to two years
- Typical increases run 6% to 10%
- Average base fees jumped 45.7% from 2024 to 2026
That increase reflects a combination of regulatory complexity, preparer shortages, and increased compliance requirements.
How CPAs Price Their Work
The most common model for individual returns. You pay a set price based on the forms required. This gives you predictability: you know the cost before the work begins. Most of the numbers cited above reflect flat-fee pricing.
Hourly
Typical hourly rates for CPAs range from $150 to $400, with $200 to $400 common for complex advisory work (CPA Trendlines). Hourly billing is more common for business clients, audit representation, and ongoing advisory relationships.
The downside is unpredictability. You might budget for three hours and discover your situation required eight.
Value-Based Pricing
A growing number of CPAs price based on the value they deliver rather than the time they spend. A CPA who identifies a $40,000 tax savings opportunity might charge $5,000 for the engagement, regardless of whether it took four hours or forty.
From your perspective, the ROI is obvious. From the CPA's perspective, they are compensated for expertise rather than effort.
When a CPA Is Worth the Premium
The real question is not "how much does a CPA cost?" It is "what does it cost not to have one?" Two scenarios illustrate the math.
- Entire building depreciated over 39 years
- Minimal first-year deduction
- No reclassification of building components
- Components reclassified to 5-, 7-, and 15-year property
- First-year deductions from reclassified components: $41,000
- Study cost: $8,000, CPA engagement: $11,500 total
- Self-employment tax on full $180,000
- No salary vs. distribution split
- Maximum payroll tax exposure
- Reasonable salary set at $95,000
- Remaining $85,000 flows as distribution (no SE tax)
- CPA annual fee: $2,500
Questions to Ask Before Hiring
The best time to find a CPA is late summer or fall, when they have capacity for new clients and can do proactive year-end planning. The worst time is March, when everyone is booked.
"What percentage of your clients have a situation like mine?" You want a CPA who regularly handles your specific situation, whether that is rental properties, stock options, or a recent divorce. Specialization matters more than credentials alone.
"How do you charge, and what does that include?" Get the full picture. Does the quoted fee include the state return? Estimated tax vouchers? A mid-year planning call? Or is everything beyond the basic filing an add-on?
"What's your availability outside of tax season?" If you need year-round planning advice, a CPA who disappears from May through December is not the right fit.
"What tax savings opportunities do you typically find for clients like me?" A good CPA should be able to describe, in general terms, what they look for. If they cannot articulate specific strategies relevant to your situation, they may be a compliance-focused preparer rather than a planning-oriented advisor.
"What do you need from me, and when?" This tells you how organized the CPA is and sets expectations for your side of the relationship. A CPA who sends a detailed intake checklist in December is thinking ahead. One who calls you on April 10 asking for documents is not.