FL Tax & Accounting Services
Kurt Simmons CPA provides comprehensive tax and financial services to individuals and businesses throughout Florida (FL). With its no state income tax and growing business relocation destination, we understand the unique financial landscape that comes with doing business in Florida.
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 Florida clients without the need for an additional state license. This means Florida 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 Florida (FL)
FL Individual Tax Preparation
Comprehensive federal and Florida state tax return preparation, including complex returns with investments, rental properties, and self-employment income.
Learn More →FL Business Tax Services
Tax preparation and planning for Florida-based businesses including S-Corps, C-Corps, partnerships, LLCs, and sole proprietorships.
Learn More →FL Cryptocurrency Tax
Specialized crypto tax services for Florida investors and traders. DeFi, NFTs, staking rewards, and exchange reporting handled with expertise.
Learn More →FL Trader Tax Services
Mark-to-market elections, wash sale tracking, and tax optimization strategies for active traders in Florida.
Learn More →FL IRS Resolution
Professional representation before the IRS for Florida taxpayers facing audits, collections, liens, levies, or offers in compromise.
Learn More →FL 83(b) Elections
Equity compensation planning and 83(b) election filing for Florida startup employees and founders receiving restricted stock.
Learn More →FL Financial Statement Audits
Full-scope GAAS-compliant financial statement audits for businesses, nonprofits, and organizations requiring independent assurance.
Learn More →FL Review Engagements
Limited assurance engagements providing meaningful confidence in financial statements for lender requirements and stakeholder reporting.
Learn More →FL Compilations
Professionally prepared financial statements from management-provided data for internal reporting, small business needs, and bank presentations.
Learn More →FL Agreed-Upon Procedures
Targeted, customized engagements designed to address specific areas of concern with flexible scope tailored to stakeholder needs.
Learn More →FL Employee Benefit Plan Audits
DOL-compliant audits for 401(k), pension, and employee benefit plans meeting ERISA filing requirements and fiduciary obligations.
Learn More →FL Tax Strategy & Advisory
Proactive, year-round tax planning that identifies savings opportunities. Entity structure optimization, multi-state planning, and strategic initiatives.
Learn More →FL Cost Segregation Studies
Engineering-based analysis to accelerate depreciation deductions on commercial and residential rental properties, maximizing cash flow.
Learn More →FL Virtual CFO Services
Fractional CFO capabilities including financial modeling, cash flow management, KPI dashboards, and strategic financial leadership.
Learn More →FL Business Consulting
Operational assessments, process improvement, internal control design, and strategic planning to drive efficiency and profitability.
Learn More →FL Estate & Succession Planning
Comprehensive estate planning, business succession strategies, and wealth transfer optimization for business owners and high-net-worth individuals.
Learn More →FL 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 →Florida Audit Services in Detail
Florida 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:
Florida Nonprofit Audits (Solicitation of Contributions Act)
Under Florida's Solicitation of Contributions Act (Chapter 496, Florida Statutes), charitable organizations registered with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services are required to submit audited financial statements when annual contributions equal or exceed $1,000,000, and reviewed financial statements when annual contributions are between $500,000 and $1,000,000. Audited statements are also routinely expected by major Florida funders — including the Knight Foundation, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative's Miami programs, the Florida Blue Foundation, and large United Way affiliates.
Florida 401(k) & Employee Benefit Plan Audits
Florida 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 Florida, including plans sponsored by South Florida fintech, Tampa Bay healthcare systems, Orlando hospitality and theme park operators, and statewide professional services firms.
Florida Single Audits (Uniform Guidance)
Florida 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).
Florida Lender, Bonding & Investor Audits
Florida banks, surety companies, and South Florida private equity, venture, and family-office investors 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 — including for hospitality, real estate, and construction sectors where bonding is routine.
Florida Reviews & Compilations
Where a full audit is not required, we deliver review engagements (limited assurance) and compilations (no assurance) — both routinely accepted by Florida lenders for smaller credit facilities, by acquirers in FL lower-middle-market M&A diligence, and by stakeholders requiring CPA-prepared financial statements.
Florida (FL) Tax & Business Landscape
Key Florida Tax Numbers. Personal income tax: none — Florida is one of nine states with no broad-based personal income tax (constitutionally protected). Estate tax: none. Corporate income tax: 5.5% on C-corporations earning income from Florida sources (with a $50,000 exemption); S-corporations, partnerships, and LLCs taxed as partnerships are generally pass-through and not subject to FL corporate tax. Sales and use tax: 6% state, with local discretionary surtaxes up to a combined 8.5%. Documentary stamp tax: $0.70 per $100 on deeds (special rate for Miami-Dade non-residential), $0.35 per $100 on notes and mortgages. One-time non-recurring intangible tax: $0.20 per $100 on new mortgages secured by Florida real estate. Tourist development tax (bed tax): typically 4–6% county-by-county on short-term rentals.
Filing Mechanics. No individual income tax return. C-corporations file Form F-1120, due the 1st day of the 4th month after fiscal year end (May 1 for calendar-year filers; the federal extension extends FL to the same date). Annual reports for entities are filed with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations (Sunbiz) by May 1. Sales and use tax is filed with the Florida Department of Revenue (typically monthly). Tourist development tax is filed at the county level.
Florida Residency & Homestead Planning. Florida residency planning is critical for clients relocating from high-tax states (NY, NJ, IL, MA, CA, CT). Documenting Florida domicile typically involves: filing a Florida Declaration of Domicile with the county clerk, registering to vote in Florida, obtaining a Florida driver's license, establishing primary medical care, changing banking and brokerage addresses, filing for the Florida homestead exemption (which provides a Save Our Homes assessment cap, $50,000 exemption, and powerful creditor protection under the Florida Constitution), and demonstrating the "where the heart is" test by spending more time in Florida than in the former state. Florida residents also benefit from tenancy by the entireties for married couples (creditor protection) and Florida's favorable trust law. We provide pre-departure planning and ongoing residency documentation.
Florida Economy & Who We Serve. Florida's economy is powered by tourism and hospitality (Walt Disney World, Universal, theme parks, beaches, cruise lines), real estate and construction, international trade and shipping (Port of Miami, Port Tampa Bay, JAXPORT), aerospace and space (Cape Canaveral, Kennedy Space Center, SpaceX), agriculture (citrus, sugar, cattle), healthcare, financial services and fintech (Miami's growing role), and a rapidly expanding tech sector. Our typical FL clients include real estate investors and developers, short-term rental operators, retirees managing RMDs and Social Security, snowbirds with multi-state issues, crypto traders, and high-net-worth families relocated from the Northeast and Midwest.
CPA Mobility in Florida. Florida 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 Florida clients without obtaining a separate Florida individual license. Kurt Simmons holds active CPA licenses in Maryland, Delaware, and Florida, and we confirm all applicable Florida Board of Accountancy mobility and firm registration requirements before commencing any engagement.
Cities and Communities We Serve. We serve clients across all of Florida, including Miami and Miami-Dade County (international trade, fintech, real estate), Jacksonville (financial services, port logistics, military), Tampa and Hillsborough County (healthcare, finance, port), St. Petersburg, Orlando (tourism, theme parks, technology), Fort Lauderdale and Broward County, Hialeah, Tallahassee (state government, higher education), Cape Coral, Port St. Lucie, Naples, Sarasota, the Florida Keys, the Treasure Coast, the Space Coast, and the Panhandle.
Why Florida Clients Choose Us
- GAAS-compliant audit, review, and compilation experience for nonprofits, benefit plans, and privately held businesses
- Deep expertise in FL-specific issues: residency and domicile planning for clients relocating from high-tax states, homestead exemption and Save Our Homes, F-1120 corporate tax, documentary stamp and intangible taxes on real estate, and snowbird multi-state planning
- 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 (mark-to-market, wash sales), 83(b) elections for FL startup employees, and short-term rental taxation
- Technology-forward, virtual-first delivery — secure client portal, e-signature, and video consultations
- Transparent, fixed-fee engagements where possible — no surprise hourly invoices
Florida CPA — Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Florida-licensed CPA, or can an out-of-state CPA handle my FL tax and audit work?
Florida 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 Florida clients without holding a separate Florida individual license. Kurt Simmons holds active CPA licenses in Maryland, Delaware, and Florida, and we confirm any applicable firm-level Florida Board of Accountancy registration before commencing attest engagements.
Does Florida have a personal income tax?
No. Florida is one of nine states with no broad-based personal income tax. Florida has no individual income tax return. Florida does impose a 5.5% corporate income tax on C-corporations (with a $50,000 exemption), a 6% state sales tax with local add-ons up to a combined 8.5%, and documentary stamp and intangible taxes on real estate transactions and mortgages.
What is the Florida corporate income tax and who has to pay it?
Florida imposes a 5.5% corporate income/franchise tax on C-corporations earning income from Florida sources, with a $50,000 exemption. S-corporations, partnerships, and LLCs taxed as partnerships are generally pass-through entities and not subject to the FL corporate tax (their income flows through to owners, who pay no personal income tax in Florida). Returns are filed on Form F-1120 and are due the 1st day of the 4th month after fiscal year end (May 1 for calendar-year filers).
I'm relocating to Florida from a high-tax state. How do I establish Florida residency?
Florida residency planning is critical for clients relocating from high-tax states (NY, NJ, IL, MA, CA, CT). Key actions: file a Florida Declaration of Domicile with your county clerk, register to vote in Florida, obtain a Florida driver's license, establish primary medical care in Florida, change your banking and brokerage addresses, file for the Florida homestead exemption (which provides Save Our Homes assessment cap and creditor protection), and — most importantly — demonstrate the "where the heart is" test by spending more time in Florida than in your former state. We provide pre-departure planning, ongoing residency documentation, and audit defense if your former state challenges the move.
What are Florida's documentary stamp tax and intangible tax?
Florida imposes documentary stamp tax on deeds, mortgages, and notes — currently $0.70 per $100 of consideration on deeds (Miami-Dade has a special rate for non-residential transactions), and $0.35 per $100 on promissory notes and mortgages. Florida also imposes a one-time non-recurring intangible tax (currently $0.20 per $100) on the principal amount of new mortgages secured by Florida real estate. We model these costs into our Florida real estate planning.
When does my Florida nonprofit need an audit?
Under Florida's Solicitation of Contributions Act (Chapter 496, Florida Statutes), charitable organizations registered with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services must submit audited financial statements when annual contributions equal or exceed $1,000,000, and reviewed financial statements when annual contributions are between $500,000 and $1,000,000. Federal Single Audit requirements under 2 CFR Part 200 apply separately when federal award expenditures exceed $1,000,000 in a fiscal year.
Do you serve Florida clients outside Miami, Tampa, and Orlando?
Yes. Our practice is virtual-first, so we serve clients across all of Florida — including Jacksonville, St. Petersburg, Fort Lauderdale, Hialeah, Tallahassee, Cape Coral, Port St. Lucie, Naples, Sarasota, the Florida Keys, the Treasure Coast, the Space Coast, and every Florida county — with the same level of access and service.