DE Tax & Accounting Services
Kurt Simmons CPA provides comprehensive tax and financial services to individuals and businesses throughout Delaware (DE). With its business-friendly incorporation laws and no sales tax, we understand the unique financial landscape that comes with doing business in Delaware.
Under the CPA Mobility Act, our CPA — licensed in Maryland, Delaware, and Florida — is authorized to provide the full range of attestation, tax, and advisory services to Delaware clients without the need for an additional state license. This means Delaware individuals and businesses receive the same comprehensive service as our home-state clients: financial statement audits, tax strategy, IRS representation, virtual CFO services, and every other service we offer — delivered through our technology-forward, virtual-first practice model.
CPA Services Available in Delaware (DE)
DE Individual Tax Preparation
Comprehensive federal and Delaware state tax return preparation, including complex returns with investments, rental properties, and self-employment income.
Learn More →DE Business Tax Services
Tax preparation and planning for Delaware-based businesses including S-Corps, C-Corps, partnerships, LLCs, and sole proprietorships.
Learn More →DE Cryptocurrency Tax
Specialized crypto tax services for Delaware investors and traders. DeFi, NFTs, staking rewards, and exchange reporting handled with expertise.
Learn More →DE Trader Tax Services
Mark-to-market elections, wash sale tracking, and tax optimization strategies for active traders in Delaware.
Learn More →DE IRS Resolution
Professional representation before the IRS for Delaware taxpayers facing audits, collections, liens, levies, or offers in compromise.
Learn More →DE 83(b) Elections
Equity compensation planning and 83(b) election filing for Delaware startup employees and founders receiving restricted stock.
Learn More →DE Financial Statement Audits
Full-scope GAAS-compliant financial statement audits for businesses, nonprofits, and organizations requiring independent assurance.
Learn More →DE Review Engagements
Limited assurance engagements providing meaningful confidence in financial statements for lender requirements and stakeholder reporting.
Learn More →DE Compilations
Professionally prepared financial statements from management-provided data for internal reporting, small business needs, and bank presentations.
Learn More →DE Agreed-Upon Procedures
Targeted, customized engagements designed to address specific areas of concern with flexible scope tailored to stakeholder needs.
Learn More →DE Employee Benefit Plan Audits
DOL-compliant audits for 401(k), pension, and employee benefit plans meeting ERISA filing requirements and fiduciary obligations.
Learn More →DE Tax Strategy & Advisory
Proactive, year-round tax planning that identifies savings opportunities. Entity structure optimization, multi-state planning, and strategic initiatives.
Learn More →DE Cost Segregation Studies
Engineering-based analysis to accelerate depreciation deductions on commercial and residential rental properties, maximizing cash flow.
Learn More →DE Virtual CFO Services
Fractional CFO capabilities including financial modeling, cash flow management, KPI dashboards, and strategic financial leadership.
Learn More →DE Business Consulting
Operational assessments, process improvement, internal control design, and strategic planning to drive efficiency and profitability.
Learn More →DE Estate & Succession Planning
Comprehensive estate planning, business succession strategies, and wealth transfer optimization for business owners and high-net-worth individuals.
Learn More →DE Capital Markets Advisory
Securities compliance, FINRA regulatory guidance, and capital markets advisory for businesses navigating public offerings, private placements, and broker-dealer requirements.
Learn More →Delaware Audit Services in Detail
Delaware businesses, nonprofits, and benefit plan sponsors typically need an independent audit when state law, federal rules, lenders, grantmakers, or boards require external assurance. We perform GAAS-compliant attest engagements scoped to the specific assurance need — most commonly:
Delaware Nonprofit & Charitable Organization Audits
Delaware does not impose a statewide audit requirement on nonprofits, but audited financial statements are routinely required by major Delaware funders — including the Longwood Foundation, the Welfare Foundation, the Crystal Trust, the Delaware Community Foundation, the United Way of Delaware, and DuPont/Chemours-affiliated grantmaking — as well as by federal subrecipient grantors. We deliver nonprofit audits that meet major funder expectations and Form 990 supporting requirements.
Delaware 401(k) & Employee Benefit Plan Audits
Delaware plan sponsors filing Form 5500 generally require an ERISA-compliant audit when the plan has 100 or more participants with account balances at the start of the plan year — the participant-counting rule effective post-SECURE 2.0. We perform full-scope and §103(a)(3)(C) limited-scope benefit plan audits for 401(k), 403(b), and defined-benefit plans across Delaware, including plans sponsored by Wilmington-area financial services and credit-card operations, DuPont/Chemours and the broader chemicals and pharma sector (AstraZeneca, Incyte), legal industry firms tied to the Delaware Court of Chancery, and Sussex County coastal employers.
Delaware Single Audits (Uniform Guidance)
Delaware nonprofits, municipalities, school districts, and pass-through subrecipients that expend $1,000,000 or more in federal awards in a fiscal year (the OMB threshold for fiscal years beginning on or after October 1, 2024) are subject to the Single Audit requirements of 2 CFR Part 200. We perform Uniform Guidance Single Audits, including major-program testing, internal control work, and preparation of the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA).
Delaware Lender, Bonding & Investor Audits
Delaware banks, surety companies, and Delaware-incorporated funds and operating companies frequently require audited financial statements as a condition of credit facilities, surety capacity, or capital raises. We deliver audited financials on the timeline lenders, bonding agents, and institutional investors need.
Delaware Reviews & Compilations
Where a full audit is not required, we deliver review engagements (limited assurance) and compilations (no assurance) — both routinely accepted by Delaware lenders for smaller credit facilities, by acquirers in DE M&A diligence, and by stakeholders requiring CPA-prepared financial statements.
Delaware (DE) Tax & Business Landscape
Key Delaware Tax Numbers. Personal income tax: graduated, top rate 6.6% on income above $60,000. Personal returns are due April 30 — NOT April 15 (one of the most commonly missed filing deadlines for new Delaware residents). Corporate income tax: 8.7% on Delaware-source income (one of the highest state corporate rates). Delaware corporate franchise tax: separate from corporate income tax — Authorized Shares Method minimum $175 or Assumed Par Value Capital Method minimum $400, with maximums up to $250,000 for Large Corporate Filers; due March 1. Delaware LLC/LP/GP annual tax: flat $300 due June 1. Sales tax: none (one of five states with no sales tax). Gross Receipts Tax: 0.0945% to 0.7468% depending on business activity. Estate tax: none (repealed 2018). Wilmington local wage tax: 1.25% on residents and nonresidents working in Wilmington.
Filing Mechanics. Individuals file Form 200-01 (residents) or Form 200-02 (nonresidents and part-year residents) by April 30. C-corporations file Form 1100 by April 15. Pass-through entities file Form 300. Annual franchise tax + Annual Report for corporations is due March 1; LLC/LP/GP annual tax is due June 1. Returns are administered by the Delaware Division of Revenue; franchise tax by the Delaware Division of Corporations.
Delaware as the Corporate Capital. More than 65% of Fortune 500 companies and the vast majority of U.S. public companies are incorporated in Delaware — primarily for the Delaware Court of Chancery (the most respected business court in the country) and Delaware's well-developed corporate law. We routinely handle Delaware compliance for entities incorporated in Delaware but operating elsewhere: annual franchise tax filings, registered agent coordination, annual reports, and confirming whether Delaware corporate income tax applies to the entity's specific activity.
Delaware Economy & Who We Serve. Delaware's economy is anchored by financial services and credit-card operations (Wilmington — JPMorgan, Capital One, Bank of America, Discover historical), pharmaceutical and chemicals (DuPont, Chemours, AstraZeneca, Incyte), the legal industry tied to the Court of Chancery, the Port of Wilmington and logistics, and tourism along the Sussex County coast. Our typical DE clients include Wilmington financial services professionals, biotech and pharma employees, fund managers using Delaware LLC and LP structures, residents along the I-95 corridor, and Sussex County retirees and second-home owners.
CPA Mobility in Delaware. Delaware has adopted CPA mobility provisions under the Uniform Accountancy Act, allowing CPAs in active good standing in another U.S. jurisdiction to provide tax, advisory, and (subject to applicable firm-level requirements) attest services to Delaware clients without obtaining a separate Delaware individual license. Kurt Simmons holds active CPA licenses in Maryland, Delaware, and Florida, and we confirm all applicable Delaware Board of Accountancy mobility and firm registration requirements before commencing any engagement.
Cities and Communities We Serve. Our virtual-first practice serves clients across all of Delaware, including Wilmington (financial services, legal, port), Dover (state capital; government, Dover AFB), Newark (University of Delaware; pharma), Middletown, Bear, Hockessin, Glasgow, Pike Creek, Smyrna, Milford, Lewes, Rehoboth Beach, and the rest of New Castle, Kent, and Sussex Counties.
Why Delaware Clients Choose Us
- GAAS-compliant audit, review, and compilation experience for nonprofits, benefit plans, and privately held businesses
- Deep expertise in DE-specific issues: the April 30 personal income tax deadline, Delaware corporate franchise tax for both operating and shell entities, Gross Receipts Tax compliance, Wilmington local wage tax, and Delaware LLC/LP annual tax
- Capital markets background — Kurt Simmons has passed the Series 65 examination (Passed; not currently held as an active license) in addition to holding the CPA
- Specialized practices in cryptocurrency taxation, active trader tax, and 83(b) elections for DE pharma/biotech employees
- Technology-forward, virtual-first delivery — secure client portal, e-signature, and video consultations
- Transparent, fixed-fee engagements where possible — no surprise hourly invoices
Delaware CPA — Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Delaware-licensed CPA, or can an out-of-state CPA handle my DE tax and audit work?
Delaware has adopted CPA mobility provisions under the Uniform Accountancy Act. A CPA in active good standing in another U.S. jurisdiction is generally authorized to provide tax, advisory, and attest services to Delaware clients without holding a separate Delaware individual license. Kurt Simmons holds active CPA licenses in Maryland, Delaware, and Florida, and we confirm any applicable firm-level Delaware Board of Accountancy registration before commencing attest engagements.
What is Delaware's income tax rate, and when is the DE return due?
Delaware has a graduated personal income tax with a top rate of 6.6% on income above $60,000. Critically, the Delaware personal income tax return (Form 200-01 or 200-02) is due April 30 — NOT April 15. This is one of the most commonly missed filing deadlines for new Delaware residents and the most common source of late-filing penalties we see. Corporate returns (Form 1100) follow the federal April 15 deadline.
What is the Delaware corporate franchise tax, and how is it different from the corporate income tax?
Delaware corporations (not LLCs or LPs) are subject to an annual franchise tax that is separate from corporate income tax. The franchise tax is calculated using either the Authorized Shares Method (minimum $175) or the Assumed Par Value Capital Method (minimum $400) — corporations choose whichever is lower. Maximums currently cap at $200,000 ($250,000 for Large Corporate Filers). The franchise tax + annual report is due March 1. Delaware LLCs and LPs instead pay a flat annual tax (currently $300) due June 1.
Does Delaware really have no sales tax?
Correct — Delaware is one of five states with no sales tax (along with Alaska, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon). However, Delaware imposes a Gross Receipts Tax on most business activity, ranging from 0.0945% to 0.7468% depending on the type of activity, with monthly or quarterly filings. The combination of no sales tax + meaningful gross receipts tax catches many new Delaware businesses by surprise.
My company is incorporated in Delaware but doesn't operate there. Do I owe Delaware income tax?
Generally not — Delaware corporate income tax applies to income sourced to Delaware activity, not to income from operations in other states. However, every Delaware corporation owes the annual Delaware franchise tax and must maintain a Delaware registered agent, regardless of where it operates. We routinely handle Delaware compliance for entities incorporated in Delaware but operating in other states (the typical "Delaware C-corp" or "Delaware LLC" structure).
Does Wilmington really have its own local wage tax?
Yes. Wilmington imposes a 1.25% local wage tax (the Wilmington Earned Income Tax) on wages earned within the city — applying to both Wilmington residents and nonresidents who work in Wilmington. Employers withhold the tax. Form WCWT-5 reconciles annual withholding. This is the only Delaware municipality with a local wage tax.
Do you serve Delaware clients outside Wilmington and Dover?
Yes. Our practice is virtual-first, so we serve clients across all of Delaware — including Newark, Middletown, Bear, Hockessin, Glasgow, Pike Creek, Smyrna, Milford, Lewes, Rehoboth Beach, and every community in New Castle, Kent, and Sussex Counties — with the same level of access and service.