INSIDE

Avoid these pitfalls for new business ownersCPA-3

5 Questions to ask your Accountant this year-end (other than taxes)CPA-4

What you need to know about estimated taxesCPA-4

Natural disaster planning for small businessesCPA-5

LIST: Top CPA Firms in Boulder ValleyCPA-6

LIST: Top CPA Firms in Northern ColoradoCPA-7

Show them the love: low-cost, high-value employee benefitsCPA-2

Colorado Society ofCertified Public Accountants

This supplement produced in cooperation with:

303-773-2877800-523-9082cocpa.org

CPA GuidePROTECTING YOUR FINANCIAL FUTURE

Copyrighted and permission to reprint stories has been granted by the American Institute of CPAs.

Choice of entityWhether you are just starting out or whether

you are an established business, it is never too late to consider your choice of business entity, especially as it relates to income taxes and liability protection.

For income tax purposes, you and your sole proprietorship are treated as one taxpayer, while partnerships and S corporations are pass-through tax entities that pass through items of income and deduction to you, and C corporations are separate tax entities on which you pay a double tax--once at the corporate level and again when dividends are distributed.

Different entities provide you with different levels of liability protection: sole proprietorships and general partner interests provide little pro-tection, while limited partner interests, member interests in a limited liability company, and interests in a corporation may offer much greater protection against liabilities of the business entity. You may be able to reduce your liability exposure with insurance coverage.

Financing for your businessAn important ingredient to a successful busi-

ness is adequate financing (capital). The failure to acquire adequate financing often determines whether a business can get off the ground, not to mention whether it can sustain itself after it does.

Generally, there are two ways to capitalize your business. You can borrow money (debt) or, if you don’t mind sharing ownership, you can find investors willing to provide the funds you need in exchange for a “piece of the pie” (equity). Debt must be repaid. Equity, however, generally does not; it is simply exchanged for an ownership inter-est in your business. Which method, or combina-tion thereof, is right for your business depends upon (among other things) how much money you need, your financial situation, what type of busi-ness it is or will be, and how much control over the business you are willing to surrender to others.

Sources of financing for your small business might include yourself, your family and friends, banks, credit unions, Small Business Administra-tion related programs, angel investors, venture capital, public offerings, or private placements.

Business record keepingYou can keep your own books, or hire some-

one, such as an accountant, to keep them for you. There are many commercial record-keeping systems available.

Keeping good business records will not only help you stay in business, but may also help you increase profits. Your business records let you analyze where your business is and where it’s going. They point out potential trouble spots and serve as a guide to where you want your business to be.

But they aren’t just for your own benefit. You will need good records if you wish to borrow money, if you have co-owners or wish to encour-age new investment in your business, if you’d like to facilitate tax filing and payment, and if you decide to sell your business.

Business succession planningEvery successful business owner must

eventually face the question: What will happen to my business when I become disabled, retire, or die? Sooner or later, you will generally need

to identify someone to transfer your ownership interest to among family members, co-owners, key employees, or an outside party.

You will need to consider whether you wish to sell the business, possibly using a buy-sell agreement or an installment sale, or whether you wish to give the business away; you might even use some combination of these techniques.

Without a succession plan, the business may need to be liquidated and all your hard work may go down the drain.

Copyright 2016 American Institute of Certi-fied Public Accountants. Reprinted with per-mission. 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy is a national volunteer effort of the nation’s CPAs to help Americans understand their per-sonal finances and develop money management skills. For more information about the profes-sion’s efforts, visit www.360financialliteracy.org.

Four planning considerations for every small business owner

If you are a small business owner or thinking of becoming one, here are some things you should consider.

An advertising supplement to BizWest | | December 2016

CPA-2 | BizWest | December 2016 www.bizwest.comAn advertising supplement to BizWest

NEW DUE DATE FOR FORMS 1099-MISC The IRS has made some changes to the

due dates for filing Form 1099-MISC. Be-ginning with 2016 forms, businesses must file all Forms 1099-MISC with the IRS and present the recipient with their copy by January 31, 2017 if the 1099-MISC in-cludes amounts in box 7 for “nonemployee compensation.” If the 1099-MISC does not include amounts in box 7, the IRS filing deadline remains February 28.With the earlier deadline this year, it is

important to begin gathering the required information for filing your forms 1099-MISC right away. To properly report the required information on Form 1099, you will need the taxpayer identification num-ber (TIN) for the individual or business for whom you are filing the Form 1099. The best way to acquire their TIN is by request-ing that the vendor fill out and return to you a Form W-9, Request for Taxpayer Iden-tification Number and Certification, which can be found online at https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf. As a reminder, you must file a Form 1099-

MISC for each person to whom you have paid any of the following amounts in the course of operating your business or trade: • At least $10 in royalties; • At least $600 in rents, services per-

formed by someone who is not your employee, prizes and awards, other income payments;

• Gross proceeds of $600 or more paid to an attorney

If you fail to file your Form 1099-MISC’s by the deadline, fail to include all of the required information on the forms, or you include incorrect information on the forms you may be subject to penalties imposed by the IRS. Penalties begin at $50 per form 1099 correctly filed within 30 days after the deadline, and increase up to $260 per form 1099 filed after August 1st or not filed at all.

NEW DUE DATE FOR W-2 FORMSThe due date for filing 2016 Forms W-2

and W-3 is now January 31, 2017. Em-ployee copies are also due at the same time. The same penalties for late filing of 1099 forms also apply to W-2 forms filed after January 31, 2017.

EXTENSION OF TIME TO FILE FORMS 1099-MISC AND FORMS W-2An automatic 30 day extension to file

forms 1099 –MISC is available. Request the 30 day extension by filing Form 8809 not later than January 31, 2017. The 1099 extension does not require a signature and we can file the form for you if you let us know in advance of the due date.There is also a 30 day extension available

for filing forms W-2 but it is not automatic. Request an extension of Form 8809 by January 31, 2017. The extension request must include a detailed explanation of why additional time is needed. The form is also required to be signed by the taxpayer.Don’t get strangled with these penalties!

Please contact your tax advisor for further details or assistance.

The Compliance Noose Tightens This Filing SeasonNot only have due dates moved up for commonly filed forms but penalties for not filing

them have increased significantly.

As a small business owner, you are probably aware of the importance of offering a basic employee benefit

package that includes health and disability insur-ance, and a retirement savings plan. However, recruiting and retaining top talent often requires going above and beyond the basics. By offering creative, low-cost benefit programs, you can differentiate your business from other potential employers.

Flexible work environments

In today’s hectic world, time is nearly as valu-able as money. Consider the following statistics from the Families and Work Institute (Source: National Study of the Changing Workforce, 2008): • 59%ofemployeesdon’t feel theyhave

enough time for themselves • 61%believetheydon’thaveenoughtime

for their spouses/partners • 75%(morethan7outof10)feeltheydon’t

have enough time for their children

For these reasons, one of the most popular and appreciated employee benefits available today is a flexible work environment. Once the hallmark of only small and “hip” technology companies, flexible work arrangements are now offered by larger, more established organiza-tions. Some examples of flexible work programs include:

• Flexschedules:workhoursthatareoutsidethenorms,suchas7a.m.to4p.m.insteadof8a.m.to5p.m.

• Condensed work weeks: for example,working four 10-hour days instead of five 8-hour days

• Telecommuting: working from home oranother remote location

• Job-sharing:allowingtwoormoreemploy-ees to “share” the same job, essentially doing the work of one full-time employee. Forexample,JanworksMondaythroughWednesday noon, while Sam works Wednesday afternoon through Friday.

Allowing your employees to tailor their work schedules based on their individual needs dem-onstrates a great deal of respect and can gener-ate an enormous amount of loyalty in return. Even if your business requires employees to be on-site during standard operating hours, having a process in place that supports occasional paid time off to attend to outside obligations such as doctors’ appointments or family commitments and even unexpected emergencies can have enormously positive effects, too. In some cases, these benefits have no costs associated with them, while in others, the costs may be minimal (e.g., the price of a smartphone or laptop to help employees remain productive on the go).

Free food

Another popular perk at smaller companies

is a well-stocked kitchen. Soft drinks, snacks, and inexpensive meal items such as cereal and bagels can go a long way toward fostering good will (and keeping energy up!). Providing healthy options, such as fruit, nuts, and smoothies, is a subtle way to show employees that you value their well-being.

Social activities

Sponsoring periodic activities can help workers relax and get to know one another. Such events don’t need to take much time out of the day, but can do wonders for building morale. Bring in lunch or schedule an office team trivia competition or group outing. Per-haps your employees would like to share their little-known skills through an art exhibition or talent show. If you work in a particular industry in which colleagues share a common passion, consider organizing events around that interest. For example, a sporting goods retailer could close up early on a slow-business afternoon and go for a hike or bike ride.

Concierge services, discounts

You may also be able to negotiate with other local companies for employee discounts and services. Laundry services, dry cleaning pickup/drop-off, and meal providers that can deliver hot, family-sized take-home dinners may help employees save both time and

worry--and stay focused on the job.

Financial planning/education

For many people, money worries can be distracting and time consuming. Consider inviting a local financial professional into your office to provide counseling sessions for your employees. While you don’t necessarily have to pay for any services provided, simply offering the opportu-nity to get such help during work hours will be appreciated by your workforce.

Survey your employees

The best benefits are those that meet the needs of your employees. Before making any assumptions, survey your employees to see what benefits they value the most. Then, respond to the most commonly identified concerns and desires with creative solutions. That can encour-age employees to respond in kind through hard work and dedication.

Copyright 2016 American Institute of Certi-fied Public Accountants. Reprinted with per-mission. 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy is a national volunteer effort of the nation’s CPAs to help Americans understand their personal finances and develop money management skills. For more information about the profession’s efforts, visit www.360financialliteracy.org.

Show them the love: low-cost, high-value employee benefits

BizWest | December 2016 | CPA-3www.bizwest.com An advertising supplement to BizWest

$

EKS&H is privileged to sponsor the IQ awards.

www.eksh.com

Thereareabout29millionsmallbusi-nesses in the United States, according to the Small Business Administration,

and new ones are being opened every day. Launching and sustaining a successful new ven-ture can be daunting, but there are ways to avoid common challenges that many startups face. The Colorado Society of CPAs highlights some smart ways to avoid common mistakes made by new business owners.

Don’t pick the wrong legal structure

What will your business be: a sole proprietor-ship, limited liability corporation, partnership, S corporation, or corporation? That’s an important question, because choosing the wrong legal structure could have negative tax or legal impli-cations for your fledgling company. Identifying the right one for you will depend on a number of factors, including how many owners are involved and the type and nature of the business. Since this is an important decision, be sure to consult your CPA if you have questions on the best choice for you.

Don’t rely on handshakes

No matter how well you know your partners in your new venture, it makes sense to draw up a partnership or similar agreement at the outset so that there are no misunderstandings. The agree-ment can specify how much of the organization each partner owns, how owner compensation and benefits will be handled, the responsibilities of each partner, how decision making will be addressed and what happens when an owner wants to leave the business or the business shuts down. Conflicts can sap a great deal of a small business owner’s energy, but you can sidestep them if you all start on the same page.

Don’t neglect tax issues

It may not be anyone’s favorite topic, but taxes are complex and your business could face interest and penalties—and potentially serious financial and legal problems--if you ignore tax

considerations. Whether you’re a sole proprietor who needs to plan for quarterly estimated tax payments or a corporation that needs to address issues such as payroll withholding, understand-ing your tax requirements should be one of your first priorities.

Don’t think about payment later

Every company has experiences with cus-tomers who don’t pay on time, and in some cases don’t pay at all. That’s why it’s important to deter-mine early on what steps you will take to ensure you receive the money you’re owed. When you draw up customer contracts, for example, be sure to spell out precisely what products or services the client will receive and when, and when you will be paid. In some cases, it may be a good idea to ask for a percentage of payment up front, especially if you’ll be laying out significant funds for supplies or labor or if the completion date is well into the future.

Don’t miss the big picture

Your own efforts will certainly be crucial to the business’s success, especially in the early years. In lean times, you may have to fill the roles of both boss and worker. However, as you’re tak-ing on day-to-day responsibilities, don’t forget the importance of working on your business and not just in it. While you’re filling orders and send-ing invoices, it’s also important to be planning for the future, promoting the business to potential new clients and identifying growth opportuni-ties. Be willing to delegate whenever possible, so you can focus your time on the big-picture con-cerns that require a business owner’s attention.

Your CPA can help

As you start your new business venture, remember that your CPA can serve as your trusted business advisor. Turn to him or her with all your financial concerns.

Copyright 2016 The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Avoid these pitfalls for new business owners

CPA-4 | BizWest | December 2016 www.bizwest.comAn advertising supplement to BizWest

Most people don’t spend a lot of time during the year think-ing about their tax payments

because their employer simply withholds those payments from their paychecks. If you’re among the nearly 15 million self-employedpeople in the United States, however, you will likely have to submit your own estimated tax payments throughout the year. That’s also true if you receive a certain level of income outside of your regular employment. The Colorado Society of CPAs explains how it works and offers tax planning advice.

Who pays estimated taxes?

How do you know if you’re affected? In most cases, you should pay estimated taxes if you’re going to owe $1,000 or more when you file your tax return. There are exceptions. Those who are filing as corporations, for example, are subject toestimatedtaxesiftheyexpecttoowe$500or more. And simply having additional income, from self-employment or other sources, doesn’t mean you have to pay estimated taxes, as long as the money withheld from your regular employeepaychecksaddsuptoatleast90%ofthetaxyou’llowethisyearor100%ofthe

tax shown on your return for the prior year, whichever is smaller.

How much do you pay?

This part can be tricky, especially if you’re just starting self-employment. The basic idea is to estimate how much you expect to make in the coming year and determine what deductions and credits will apply, in order to calculate your taxable income and figure out how much tax you will owe. It may be helpful to use your prior year’s tax return as a starting point and guide. You will

be paying your estimated taxes quarterly, so be sure to refigure your estimated tax for the next quarter if you determine that you’ve estimated your earnings for the year too high or too low. If you’re not certain how to predict what tax you’ll owe, your CPA can help you come up with a reasonable estimate.

When do you pay?

Estimated tax payments are generally due fourtimesayear,onApril15,June15,andSep-tember15ofthecurrenttaxyearandJanuary15ofthefollowingtaxyear.Ifyou’reinanewbusiness and not yet earning income, you don’t have to start paying estimated taxes until you do generate some, even if you believe you’ll be getting income later in the year.

What if you don’t pay enough?

Ifyoufailtopayatleast90%ofthetaxesyou ultimately owe for the tax year—or at least100%ofthetaxyoupaidlastyear(110%if you’re considered a high-income taxpayer)—youwillfacea3%underpaymentpenalty.Ofcourse, you’ll also have to pay the taxes that

are still due. One thing to remember: Even if you’re not self-employed and don’t have outside income, you may owe estimated taxes simply because your employer isn’t withholding enough for you. You can fix that easily simply by raising your withholding.

Get a handle on your finances

If you’re just launching a new business or starting out as a freelancer, estimated taxes aren’t the only reason to create a budget. Doing so will also help you manage your income and debt more easily. Proper recordkeeping can also ensure that you have the information you need to make important decisions about your growing business.

Your CPA can help

Whether you’re seeking ways to manage or minimize your taxes or you want help with a new or growing business, your local CPA can offer the expertise you need. Turn to him or her with all your financial concerns.

Copyright 2016 The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

What you need to know about estimated taxes

1 Customers & Suppliers – What’s on the Horizon?

As a business owner, you con-stantly monitor the factors that

affect your customers and suppliers – higher interest rates, fewer housing starts, jobs report, and so on. The Accounting team should be put-ting numbers to these thoughts. For example, ifyoupredictalargecustomermayorder20%less, your Accountant needs to evaluate the Cash Flow implications. Can the business cover payroll, rent, supplier obligations?Critical Ask –Detail out the forces and events that historically affect your customers and suppli-ers. How are these factors incorporated into the analytics Accounting provides? When something changes, how quickly can management evaluate impact on the business?

2 Cash Flow Forecast - How did we do in 2016 vs. our Forecast?

Did unforeseen cash shortages arise last year? If so, why? This is a costly problem. Bor-rowing, especially on a short time frame, can mean higher interest rates and a significant amount of time and resources spent working with a lender. Critical Ask – Does the Cash Flow forecast cover at least the next 3 years? Is it detailed enough to show the timing of customer receipts and vendor/supplier payments? Most impor-

tantly, how does it link back to the system of financial record and budget? Accounting should have a consistent plan to review and re-forecast as needed. An insightful Cash Flow Forecast means fewer surprises and, should it be neces-sary, a blueprint to show lenders how the busi-ness will repay.

3 Financial Analytics - Why the wait?

Do you have real time insight? If not, why? If the answer is vague

or simply “we need more staff,” dig in further. Are there disparate systems? What transactions occur outside the system? Where are the manual touches and who in the organization is involved? Critical Ask–DetailtheessentialthingsMan-agement needs to monitor on a (close to) real-time basis. What are the bottlenecks to deliver-ing? The better the understanding, the more efficiently those bottlenecks can be tackled.

4 Audit – Are we able to be Audited?

If you plan to Sell or Raise Cap-ital, an Audit is critical. Broadly

speaking, Auditors require three things. 1) Access to financial records. 2) Documentation of the steps taken to

safeguard assets and produce accurate financial reports, as well as evidence showing these steps or “internal controls” are operational.

3) Support schedule for all numbers in the

financial reports. Critical Ask – Are the items above available and well-documented? If not, what is the plan to get there?

5 Changes to Leases Accounting – Should we care?

Historically, Leases offered a way to use an asset and pay over time while keeping the asset “off balance sheet.” Compa-nies simply recorded a monthly expense. The US GAAP changes will move nearly all Leases on balance sheet - an Asset representing value

of the right to use and a Liability represent-ing obligation to pay. Changes take effect for privately-heldbusinessesstartingin2019(publiccompanies 2018). If you report comparative financials(i.e.2019and2018),you’llneedtostartassessing impacts ASAP. • Tax – New Lease assets will affect book/

tax difference computations and could affect certain state and local tax calcula-tions.

• Bank Loans – Putting a lease liability on the balance sheet changes certain leverage ratios. Is the Company still in compliance with debt covenants?

• Internal Operations and IT – Do we have the systems and processes in place to handle reporting of existing and new lease arrangements?

Critical Ask – How are we affected by the new Lease Accounting Standard? What are we doing to prepare and who from the team – internal and external – should be involved?

Getthese5questionsincorporatedintoyouryear-end review with Accounting to set the stage for2017.And,yes,thatlastoneonLeasesdidinvolve Tax!

Author Kate Ferreira, CPA, is the Founder of OpHaus – a software tool that connects compa-nies with top talent for projects and part-time opportunities in Accounting & Finance. Based in Denver, OpHaus is passionate about connecting outstanding, independent professionals with opportunities to help businesses achieve their goals.

Kate Ferreira, CPAFounder of OpHaus

to ask your Accountant this year-end (other than Taxes)Questions5

BizWest | December 2016 | CPA-5www.bizwest.com An advertising supplement to BizWest

Whether your small business survives a natural disaster may depend as much (if not more) on the plans

you put in place now, before a disaster occurs, as on what you do after a disaster strikes. Here are some disaster preparedness ideas for you to consider for your small business.

Before the disaster

Evaluate possible natural disasters that may affect your small business. Determine the probability of a disaster occurring and its likely impact. Some natural disaster risks to consider might include hurricanes, tornadoes, straight-line winds, thunderstorms, lightning, snow and ice storms, avalanches, extreme temperatures, flooding, drought, volcanoes, earthquakes, tsu-namis, mudslides, sinkholes, and wildfires.

Identify the critical functions of your business that must be maintained or restored as soon as possible. Be sure to consider the means of com-munication for your business, whether through phones, Internet access, or direct contact at a physical location. Also, consider possible disrup-tions to your supply lines.

Identify critical functions of your business that require power. Consider a power backup solution in case of a power outage.

Estimate the revenue that may be lost if disaster strikes. For both the short term and longer, will you still have goods or services to provide, and customers to purchase them?

Identify expenses that must be paid even if a natural disaster strikes. For example, mortgage, lease, or rental payments may still need to be made even after a disaster strikes your business.

Keep emergency contact information handy and in a safe place. Also, back up all of your criti-cal data and keep a copy at one or more other safe locations. If your small business has more than one location, consider whether operations could be redirected to other locations if a natural disaster strikes at one location.

Maintainoneormoredisasterkits.Considerstocking the kits with water, nonperishable food, a flashlight, a portable radio, batteries, a first aid kit, and a cell phone.

Consider any steps that could mitigate the risks of a natural disaster. For example, rent or build facilities that may withstand the forces of a hurricane or an earthquake, or locate on sites less prone to flooding.

Insure against losses to your small business resulting from natural disasters. Property insur-ance may insure against some damage to proper-ty. Key person life insurance may protect against the loss of a key employee. Business interruption insurance may cover certain expenses if you are unable to operate your small business due to a natural disaster.

Caution: Special insurance may be required if you wish to insure your small business against certain natural disasters such as flooding or earthquakes.

Communicate your business plans for a natu-ral disaster with your employees. Consider run-ning a disaster drill to put your plan to the test.

Monitor impendingorapproachingpotentialnatural disasters, where possible. Take appropriate steps to keep your employees and yourself safe.

After the disaster

Communicate with your employees. They may have to deal with personal disaster-related issues of their own.

Focus initially on restoring critical functions as quickly as possible. Hopefully, any planning you did prior to the disaster will serve you well.

Document any damage or losses and contact your insurance company or agent. You may need to mitigate damages (for example, having a roof that is damaged tarped so that further damage does not occur).

TheFederalEmergencyManagementAgen-cy (FEMA),alongwithstateand localgovern-ments, may provide some assistance. However, mostassistanceprovidedbyFEMAistoindividu-als, rather than to businesses, and is intended to provide only for essential needs. The assistance cannot duplicate any benefit you receive from insurance.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) can provide a disaster loan for up to $2 million (generally, at favorable terms). The loans cannot duplicate any benefit you receive from your insur-anceorFEMA.Theloanscanbeforlossesthatare not covered by or compensated for by your insurance (including deductibles). The loans can be used for the repair or replacement of certain physical property used in your small business, or for normal financial obligations of your business that you could have met if the disaster had not occurred.

If your business is in a federally declared disaster area, you may be entitled to special tax treatment. This may include an extended time for filing tax returns and paying tax, or certain other favorable tax provisions occasionally granted to individuals who work or live in a federal disaster area.

Copyright 2016 American Institute of Certi-fied Public Accountants. Reprinted with per-mission. 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy is a national volunteer effort of the nation’s CPAs to help Americans understand their per-sonal finances and develop money management skills. For more information about the profes-sion’s efforts, visit www.360financialliteracy.org.

Natural disaster planning for small businesses

Finding opportunity in every challenge In today’s business environment, it’s essential for you to grow and create

At PwC, we can help you match your distinctive capabilities to opportunities to fuel

For more information, visit www.pwc.com/technology, or contact PwC’s Rockies Technology Practice Leader, Rob Ward, at robert.m.ward@pwc.com or (720) 931 7060.

© 2016 PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, a Delaware limited liability partnership. All rights reserved.

CPA-6 | BizWest | December 2016 www.bizwest.comAn advertising supplement to BizWest

Information presented was provided upon request from facility representatives, and BizWest assumes the data are accurate and truthful. To be considered for future lists or update information, email research@bizwest.com.

CPA Firms - Boulder ValleyRanked by number of local accountants on staff

Rank Company

No. of localCPAs 2016No. of local offices

No. of localemployees 2016 Areas of specialty

Phone/FaxEmailWebsite

Managing partnerTitleYear founded

1Brock and Co. CPAs PC4949 Pearl East Circle, Suite 200Boulder, CO 80301

313 41 Tax compliance and planning; audits; business consulting;

high-net-worth individuals; family office.

303-444-2971/303-444-0869mark@brockcpas.comwww.brockcpas.com

Mark Kaufmannpresident1956

2EKS&H1155 Canyon Blvd., Suite 400Boulder, CO 80302

261 41 Audit, tax, consulting, state and local tax, transaction

services, business technology, and accounting solutions.

303-448-7000/303-448-7099info@eksh.comwww.eksh.com

Jim Cowgillaudit partner/Boulderoffice lead2008

3Kurtz Fargo LLP1470 Walnut St., Suite 201Boulder, CO 80302

141 17 Tax, assurance and advisory services.

720-310-2078/N/Ainfo@kurtzfargo.comwww.kurtzfargo.com

Matt Fargo; ChesterKurtzmanaging partners2010

4Kingsbery CPAs1470 Walnut St., Suite 200Boulder, CO 80302

131 26

Tax preparation, planning, accounting and advisory servicesfor individuals and all business entity types and estate, gift,and non profits. International tax consulting and start-upbusiness consulting.

303-444-2240/303-449-9268mkg@kingsberycpas.comwww.kingsberycpas.com

Mary Kay Gondrezickmanaging shareholder1980

5Eide Bailly LLPOne Boulder Plaza, 1801 13th St., Suite 210Boulder, CO 80302

121 14

Audit, tax, state and local tax, international tax, technologyconsulting, business valuation, cost segregation, employeebenefits, enterprise risk management, forensics, health-carereform.

303-443-1911/303-443-0084rrudolph@eidebailly.comwww.eidebailly.com

Rudy Rudolphpartner1917

6Anton Collins Mitchell LLP4999 Pearl East Circle, Suite 300Boulder, CO 80301

71 11

Audits of nonprofit organizations, closely held privatecompanies including those in the construction and high-techindustries. Personal and business tax preparation andconsulting.

303-440-0399/303-440-5073bhipp@acmllp.comwww.acmllp.com

William F. Jones, Jr. ;Kristin Holthusoffice managingpartner; controller1992

7Johnson Kightlinger & Co. CPAs4999 Pearl East Circle, Suite 103Boulder, CO 80301

71 10 Tax, audit, and small business advisory. Real estate and non-

profits.

303-449-3830/303-449-3889mkightlinger@jk-cpas.comwww.jk-cpas.com

1974

8Watson & Associates CPAs LLC1790 38th St., Suite 106Boulder, CO 80301

61 7 Accounting and tax services.

303-630-0450/303-630-0457tpwatson@watson-cpas.comwww.watson-cpas.com

Timothy WatsonCPA2010

9JBSK CPAs LLP1715 Ironhorse Drive, Suite 210Longmont, CO 80501

41 10 Tax and consulting.

303-651-3626/303-443-0107firm@jbskcpas.comwww.jbskcpas.com

Ramin Karimipartner1969

10Richtr Financial Studio1

1221 Pearl St.Boulder, CO 80302

41 8

Specialize in providing fractional CFO and accounting servicesto the marketing, creative and digital industry as well asselect emerging growth technology and professional-servicecompanies.

303-449-9222/N/AJamesG@BBAcpa.comwww.Richtr.io

James Grahampresident2004

11Gary A. Jacobs & Associates PC5305 Spine Road, Suite DBoulder, CO 80301

41 6

Small-business accounting and consulting. Audits, reviews,compilations, tax services, tax planning and preparation forhigh-net-worth individuals.

303-530-5700/303-530-3270gary@gjassoc.comwww.gjassoc.com

Gary Jacobspresident1996

12Bedell & Associates PC3223 Arapahoe Ave., #305Boulder, CO 80303

41 6 Tax planning, tax return preparation, QuickBooks training and

consulting.

303-440-8866/303-402-9040rick@rmbedell.comwww.rmbedell.com

Rick Bedellmanaging partner1987

13Perry & Roane PC CPA149 Second Ave.Niwot, CO 80544

31 7 Rentals, restaurants, consulting & services, international,

business entity choice

303-652-8282/303-652-3940dayna@perryco.comwww.perryroane.com

Dayna RoaneCPA1978

14Flewelling & Mitton PC287 Century Circle, Suite 200Louisville, CO 80027

32 7

Tax preparation and planning, small-business financialconsulting, audits of nonprofit organizations, accountingservices.

303-499-7445/303-967-2373Info@flewellingcpa.comwww.flewellingcpa.com

Kristin Flewellingpresident1998

15O'Kelley & Associates Inc.6363 W. 120th Ave., Suite 302Broomfield, CO 80020

31 5 Individual and business tax, accounting and business

valuations.

303-438-1040/N/AN/Awww.okellycpa.com

Patrick O'Kellypresident2016

16Weatherwax & Associates PC2995 Baseline Road, Suite 310Boulder, CO 80303-2318

31 4 Tax advisory and preparation services, business and individual

consulting.

303-499-6711/303-499-6714michael@wxwax.comwww.wxwax.com

Michael Weatherwaxpresident1982

17Henry, Waters & Associates Inc.4740 Table Mesa DriveBoulder, CO 80305

21 12 Bookkeeping, accounting, payroll and tax preparation.

303-494-4050/303-494-6352accountants@henrywaters.comwww.HenryWaters.com

1978

18Zoraja & Associates PC3223 Arapahoe Ave., Suite 207Boulder, CO 80303-1092

21 5

Income-tax planning & preparation for individuals, trusts,estates, partnerships & LLCs, C and S-corporations, privatefoundations; gift-tax returns; IRS and states' representation;entity selection.

303-449-8510/303-449-8512bzoraja@zaacpa.comwww.zaacpa.com

Branka Zorajapresident1988

19Kirkland & Co. CPA's PC630 Kimbark St.Longmont, CO 80501

21 5

Provides business consulting, tax return preparation, taxplanning, financial statement preparation, bookkeepingconsulting, financial and estate tax planning services.

303-772-4434/303-772-4744info@kirklandcocpa.comwww.kirklandcocpa.com

J. Michael Kirkland,CPApresident1999

20Daniel L. Swires CPA9830 Isabelle RoadLafayette, CO 80026

11 3 Taxes & small business.

303-665-6477/303-665-6448dan@swirescpa.comwww.swirescpa.com

Daniel SwiresCPA1988

21James D. Pieper CPA MT255 Weaver Park Road, Suite 201Longmont, CO 80501

11 3

Bookkeeping, payroll & related tax, sales tax, business &individual income tax, estate tax, 1099's, tax planning &projection.

303-651-0771/303-651-2902jeffrydpieper@gmail.comN/A

Jeffry Pieperstaff accountant/manager1977

22Gibbs & Associates LLC1818 16th St.Boulder, CO 80302

11 2 Tax-return preparation, tax planning, QuickBooks.

303-449-7334/303-449-0525denyse@gibbscpas.comwww.gibbscpas.com

Denyse Gibbsowner2012

23Kenneth M. Blumstein CPA PC3450 Penrose Place, Suite 230Boulder, CO 80301

11 1 Taxation.

303-449-3223/303-449-0671ken@1gr8cpa.comwww.kenblumsteincpa.com

Ken BlumsteinPresident1990

24Pressey & Power CPAs Inc.201 Terry St., Suite 1-CLongmont, CO 80501

11 1 Small-business accounting, income tax.

303-776-6123/303-776-6127johnpowercpa@aol.comN/A

1977

25Thomas E. Healy CPA PC1015 Pine St.Boulder, CO 80302

11 1 Business and personal income tax; financial and business

planning.

303-443-1804/720-489-3772tom@tomhealycpa.comwww.tomhealycpa.com

Tom Healypresident1979

1 Formerly Bolder Business Advisors CPA PC Researched by BizWest

BizWest | December 2016 | CPA-7www.bizwest.com An advertising supplement to BizWest

CPA Firms - Northern ColoradoRanked by number of local accountants on staff

Rank Company

No. of localCPAs 2016No. of local offices

No. of localemployees 2016 Areas of specialty

Phone/FaxEmailWebsite

Managing partnerTitleYear founded

1EKS&H1321 Oakridge DriveFort Collins, CO 80525

261 37 Audit, tax and consulting. State and local tax, transaction

services, business technology, and accounting solutions.

970-282-5400/970-282-5499info@eksh.comwww.eksh.com

Chris OttoAudit Partner/FortCollins Lead2005

2K·Coe Isom6125 Sky Pond Drive, Suite 200Loveland, CO 80538

201 40

CPA firm growing companies and ag operations withstrategic financial management, business transition, debtand equity raises, sustainability solutions, federal policy andC-suite advice.

970-685-3500/970-663-0223www.kcoe.com

Jeff WaldCEO1932

3Soukup, Bush & Associates CPAs PC2032 Caribou Drive, Suite 200Fort Collins, CO 80525

171 29 Tax, business valuation, cost segregation, auditing,

accounting and consulting.

970-223-2727/970-226-0813scott@soukupbush.comwww.soukupbush.com

Scott Bushpresident1989

4Eide Bailly LLP375 E. Horsetooth Road, Bldg. 4200Fort Collins, CO 80525

161 32

Audit, tax, state and local tax, international tax, technologyconsulting, business valuation, cost segregation, employeebenefits, enterprise risk management, forensics, health-care reform.

970-223-8825/970-223-0817www.eidebailly.com

Denise Julianapartner1917

5Anderson & Whitney PC5801 W. 11th St., Suite 300Greeley, CO 80634

151 23 Financial reporting (audit, review, compilation), tax planning

and reporting, business support and consulting.

970-352-7990/970-352-1855larry@awhitney.comwww.awhitney.com

Larry Atchisonpresident1968

6RLR LLP1235 Riverside Ave.Fort Collins, CO 80524

142 25

Serving small and mid-sized businesses and the owners.Serving a not-for-profit niche. CPA firm. Tax planning andpreparation, business consultants, payroll, bookkeeping,audit and attestation.

970-692-5300/970-692-5301info@rlrcpas.comwww.rlrcpas.com

Scott Rulon ; RobDickersonpartners1999

7Brock and Company CPAs PC3711 JFK Parkway, Suite 315Fort Collins, CO 80525

101 11

Construction, real estate investors, tax and estate planning;high net worth individuals, business advisory services,audits, review and compilations.

970-223-7855/970-223-3926sjohnson@brockcpas.comwww.brockcpas.com

Susan Johnsondirector1956

8Gates, Kirby & Co. PC300 Boardwalk Drive, Building 5BFort Collins, CO 80525

51 7

Tax-return preparation and tax planning. Financialstatement audits, reviews and compilations. QuickBooksassistance and consulting. Individual and business planningand consulting.

970-226-1704/970-223-0157tom@gateskirby.comwww.gateskirby.com

Tom Gatespresident1984

9Dryg & Associates CPAs PC2755 N. Garfield Ave.Loveland, CO 80538

41 8 Tax services for businesses and individuals, business

valuation, cost segregation and accounting.

970-663-2020/970-669-6317kevin@drygcpas.comwww.drygcpas.com

Kevin Drygpresident2011

10Shaw & Associates CPAs & Financial Advisors1044 W. Drake Road, Suite 201Fort Collins, CO 80526

41 6

Tax planning & consulting, tax preparation & compliance,IRS representation, accounting & bookkeeping. TrainingFinancial Statement Preparation & Analysis Compilations &Reviews Business Retirement Plans

970-223-0792/970-223-6509kevin@kevinshawcpa.comwww.kevinshawcpa.com

Kevin Shawpresident1997

11Shaw & Associates CPAs & Financial Advisors1044 W. Drake Road, Suite 201Fort Collins, CO 80526

41 6

Tax preparation and planning, small-business consulting,accounting and bookkeeping, financial planning services,QuickBooks professional advisers.

970-223-0792/970-223-6509info@kevinshawcpa.comwww.KevinShawCPA.com

Kevin Shawpresident1997

12ClearPath Accountants LLC702 W. Drake Road, Building FAFort Collins, CO 80526

41 5 Individual, business, estate, retirement, taxes and financial

planning.

970-206-1435/970-251-7235rshinn@clearpathaccountants.comwww.clearpathaccountants.com

Ralph Shinnpartner1993

13Anton Collins Mitchell LLP2015 Clubhouse Drive, Suite 203Greeley, CO 80634

31 10

Audits of governmental entities, nonprofit organizations,and companies in the construction and high-techindustries. Personal and business tax preparation andconsulting.

970-352-1700/970-352-1708bhipp@acmllp.comwww.acmllp.com

Randy Watkinsmanaging partner1978

14Bates & Bishop CPA Inc.234 Elder DriveLoveland, CO 80538

31 2

Tax planning and preparation: individual, partnership, LLC,corporations. All out-of-state returns, electronic filing,payroll services, business start-up consulting.

970-669-7400/720-889-9705Michelle@bbcpa.prowww.bbcpa.pro

Carolyn Bishopowner1985

15Pisacka, Baker & McFarland LLC3227 S Timberline Road, Suite AFort Collins, CO 80525

21 4 Income-tax return preparation, income-tax planning.

Review and compilation services.

970-488-1888/866-895-4377cody@pisackabaker.comwww.pisackabaker.com

Cody Pisackamanaging member2007

16Dority & Associates LLC5313 N. County Road 11Fort Collins, CO 80524

21 3

Taxes returns for individuals, business, trusts and charities,comprehensive financial planning, payroll, bookkeeping,representation before IRS, financial planning.

970-219-0936/720-230-4877don@dorityandassociates.comwww.dorityandassociates.com

Don DorityCPA/PFS/CFP2004

17B. Sue Wood and Associates PC527 Remington St.Fort Collins, CO 80524

21 3 Tax and accounting services.

970-482-5626/970-482-5629bswpc@bswpc.comwww.bswpc.com

B. Sue WoodCPA/president1990

18Key2 Accounting/Payroll Vault375 E. Horsetooth Road, Unit 2-101Fort Collins, CO 80525

11 8 Payroll services, bookkeeping and tax preparation.

970-682-6600/970-616-6700info@key2accounting.comwww.key2accounting.com

Melissa Clarymanaging member2012

19Mueller & Associates CPA LLC762 W. Eisenhower Blvd.Loveland, CO 80537

12 7

Oil and gas; business tax planning; QuickBooks setup,training and support; merger and acquisition; entityselection; tax elections; enterprise zone tax analysis;advanced philanthropic tax planning.

970-667-1070/970-667-1316info@mueller-cpa.comwww.mueller-cpa.com

Paul Muellermanaging director2008

20Carl Henderson CPA5455 U.S. Highway 36Estes Park, CO 80517

11 1 Taxes.

970-586-5008/970-586-5009estesparkcpa@aol.comN/A

1970

Researched by BizWest

Information presented was provided upon request from facility representatives, and BizWest assumes the data are accurate and truthful. To be considered for future lists or update information, email research@bizwest.com.

CPA-8 | BizWest | December 2016 www.bizwest.comAn advertising supplement to BizWest

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