Accountant in Memphis
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June 15, 2026
Working one-on-one with an accountant in Memphis is a different experience than dropping paperwork at a seasonal tax storefront or retaining a large multi-staff firm. An individual accountant or sole practitioner keeps a manageable client list and handles the work personally, so the person who prepares a return in the spring is the same person who answers a summer question about an estimated payment, a new side business, or a letter from the IRS. Memphis is Tennessee’s second largest city, with a population of roughly 619,000 as of 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau), and its base of logistics workers, healthcare employees, tradespeople, and small business owners creates steady demand for accountants who stay engaged with clients year-round rather than only during filing season.
The work an individual accountant does for a household or small business reaches well beyond the annual return. A typical engagement covers year-round tax planning and preparation, ongoing bookkeeping, QuickBooks setup and cleanup, small-business and personal accounting, quarterly estimated tax projections, entity selection for a new LLC or S corporation, and basic advisory on cash flow and recordkeeping. Many Memphis sole practitioners are QuickBooks-focused and can repair a set of books that drifted out of balance during a busy year, then keep them current month to month. Because the practice is small, the client typically deals with the principal directly rather than a rotating team of associates.
Credentials matter when choosing an individual accountant, and not everyone who prepares taxes is a Certified Public Accountant. A CPA in Tennessee is licensed by the Tennessee State Board of Accountancy, which operates under the Department of Commerce and Insurance and requires a bachelor’s degree plus 150 semester hours, passing the Uniform CPA Examination, qualifying experience, and ongoing continuing education. Anyone who prepares federal returns for compensation must hold an IRS Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN), but a PTIN alone is not a CPA license. Enrolled Agents (EAs) are credentialed directly by the IRS and, like CPAs, hold unlimited rights to represent taxpayers in audits, collections, and appeals. Consumers can verify a CPA license through the State Board’s public lookup at verify.tn.gov and confirm a preparer’s PTIN and any CPA or EA credential through the IRS Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers.
Tennessee’s tax structure shapes how an individual accountant works in Memphis, and the city’s position at the corner of Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi adds a wrinkle. Tennessee has no personal income tax on wages, and the Hall income tax on interest and dividends was fully repealed effective 2021, so most individuals file only a federal Form 1040. A Memphis resident who works across the state line into Arkansas or Mississippi, however, generally files a nonresident return where that income was earned, which is one reason a year-round accountant is useful in this metro. Small business owners may owe Tennessee franchise and excise tax or the state business tax through the Tennessee Department of Revenue, and every taxable sale carries the 7% state sales tax plus the local option. Consumers who encounter deceptive practices can contact the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs, which administers the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104), while complaints about a CPA’s professional conduct go to the Tennessee State Board of Accountancy.
Top Accountant Providers in Memphis
1. Bob Browder, MBA, CPA
Address: 4050 North Germantown Parkway, Suite 102, Bartlett, TN 38133 (serves the Memphis metro)
Phone: (901) 538-8500
Website: https://bobbrowdercpa.com
Services: individual tax preparation and planning, small business tax, bookkeeping, online QuickBooks services, financial statement preparation, estate and trust accounting, IRS representation
Description: Bob Browder, MBA, CPA runs a small CPA practice on North Germantown Parkway in Bartlett, serving Memphis-metro communities including Bartlett, Arlington, and Lakeland along with clients in more than a dozen other states. Browder holds both an MBA and a CPA license and has prepared tax returns since 1990, giving him more than three decades of professional accounting experience. The practice handles individual and small business tax preparation and planning, bookkeeping, online QuickBooks services, financial statement preparation, estate and trust accounting, and IRS representation, supported by a small staff while keeping the principal directly involved with clients. The emphasis is on a year-round relationship and timely, personal advice rather than a once-a-year transaction.
2. Hill CPA Firm, PLLC (Brian C. Hill, CPA)
Address: 5112 Stage Road, Suite 1, Memphis, TN 38134
Phone: (901) 869-1687
Website: https://cpamemphis.com
Services: individual and small business tax preparation, tax planning, bookkeeping, business consulting
Description: Hill CPA Firm, PLLC is a Memphis practice on Stage Road led by Brian C. Hill, a Certified Public Accountant who passed the Uniform CPA Examination and works as an IRS-registered tax preparer. The firm has built its reputation as an integrity-driven partner for small businesses and individuals, and it reports that more than half of the accounting work it prepares each year is for small businesses. Hill tailors bookkeeping to the needs of each small business and prepares returns for both the business and its owners, alongside tax planning and business consulting. The small size of the practice means clients work directly with Hill on year-round planning and recordkeeping rather than only at filing time.
3. Rikard & Neal CPAs, PLLC
Address: 5100 Wheelis Drive, Suite 110, Memphis, TN 38117
Phone: (901) 685-9411
Website: https://www.rikardneal.com
Services: individual income tax preparation and planning, small business accounting, bookkeeping, QuickBooks accounting and training, outsourced accounting, business incorporation and advisory, financial consulting
Description: Rikard & Neal CPAs, PLLC is an East Memphis CPA practice established in 1981 by David Rikard and Edward M. Neal to serve the tax, accounting, and consulting needs of individuals and small businesses across the Memphis metropolitan area. The firm is small enough to offer personal, responsive attention while covering a full range of services, including individual income tax preparation and planning, small business accounting and bookkeeping, QuickBooks accounting and training, outsourced accounting and controller-level support, and business incorporation and advisory work. It carries industry experience with healthcare practices, restaurants, real estate, and law firms, and works with both business owners and individuals on a year-round basis rather than only during the spring filing season.
Frequently Asked Questions About Accountant in Memphis
Q: What is the difference between working with an individual accountant and a large accounting firm in Memphis?
An individual accountant or sole practitioner keeps a smaller client roster and handles the work personally, so the same person prepares your return, keeps your books, and answers your questions throughout the year. A large multi-staff firm assigns work across teams and is often geared toward audits, assurance engagements, and bigger corporate clients in sectors like logistics and manufacturing. For a household, a self-employed person, or a small business that wants a direct relationship and year-round planning, a single accountant frequently fits better; for audited financial statements required by a lender or regulator, a larger registered CPA firm may be necessary.
Q: Does my accountant in Memphis have to be a CPA?
No. General bookkeeping, payroll, and basic tax return preparation can be performed by a non-CPA. The CPA title is reserved for individuals licensed by the Tennessee State Board of Accountancy, which requires a bachelor’s degree plus 150 semester hours, passing the Uniform CPA Examination, experience, and continuing education. A CPA can represent you before the IRS and, with a registered firm, provide attest services such as audits and reviews. Anyone who prepares federal returns for pay must at minimum hold an IRS PTIN, and Enrolled Agents, licensed by the IRS, also have full IRS representation rights.
Q: I live in Memphis but work in Arkansas or Mississippi. Can an individual accountant handle that?
Yes, and it is common in the Memphis metro. Although Tennessee has no wage income tax, Arkansas and Mississippi do tax wages earned there, so a worker who crosses the state line generally files a nonresident return in the state where the income was earned. A CPA or Enrolled Agent experienced in multistate returns can prepare the out-of-state filing and make sure income is reported correctly, so it is worth confirming multistate experience before engaging an accountant.
Q: How do I verify that an accountant in Memphis is a licensed CPA?
You can verify an individual CPA license through the Tennessee State Board of Accountancy’s public lookup at verify.tn.gov, and you can reach the board by phone at 888-453-6150. To confirm that a paid preparer holds a current PTIN and to see any CPA or EA credential, use the IRS Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers. Checking both confirms the person is authorized to use the CPA designation and to represent you before the IRS.
Q: What should I bring to a first meeting with an individual accountant in Memphis?
Bring photo identification, Social Security numbers for everyone on the return, last year’s tax return, and all income documents such as W-2s and 1099s. Self-employed clients and small business owners should bring profit-and-loss records, expense logs, and access to their bookkeeping file, whether that is QuickBooks or a spreadsheet. Anyone who works across the state line should bring records of out-of-state income, and anyone who received an IRS notice should bring it. The more complete your records, the more an accountant can focus on planning rather than data entry.
Q: How do I file a complaint about an accountant in Memphis?
Complaints about a CPA’s professional conduct or licensing go to the Tennessee State Board of Accountancy. Problems specific to a preparer’s work on a federal return, such as a refusal to sign the return or suspected fraud, can be reported to the IRS using Form 14157. For deceptive or unfair business practices generally, the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs administers the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104) and accepts consumer complaints. Keeping your engagement letter, invoices, and a copy of the filed return makes any complaint easier to support.