ME Tax & Accounting Services
Kurt Simmons CPA provides comprehensive tax and financial services to individuals and businesses throughout Maine (ME). With its tourism, fishing, and growing remote work population, we understand the unique financial landscape that comes with doing business in Maine.
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 Maine clients without the need for an additional state license. This means Maine 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 Maine (ME)
ME Individual Tax Preparation
Comprehensive federal and Maine state tax return preparation, including complex returns with investments, rental properties, and self-employment income.
Learn More →ME Business Tax Services
Tax preparation and planning for Maine-based businesses including S-Corps, C-Corps, partnerships, LLCs, and sole proprietorships.
Learn More →ME Cryptocurrency Tax
Specialized crypto tax services for Maine investors and traders. DeFi, NFTs, staking rewards, and exchange reporting handled with expertise.
Learn More →ME Trader Tax Services
Mark-to-market elections, wash sale tracking, and tax optimization strategies for active traders in Maine.
Learn More →ME IRS Resolution
Professional representation before the IRS for Maine taxpayers facing audits, collections, liens, levies, or offers in compromise.
Learn More →ME 83(b) Elections
Equity compensation planning and 83(b) election filing for Maine startup employees and founders receiving restricted stock.
Learn More →ME Financial Statement Audits
Full-scope GAAS-compliant financial statement audits for businesses, nonprofits, and organizations requiring independent assurance.
Learn More →ME Review Engagements
Limited assurance engagements providing meaningful confidence in financial statements for lender requirements and stakeholder reporting.
Learn More →ME Compilations
Professionally prepared financial statements from management-provided data for internal reporting, small business needs, and bank presentations.
Learn More →ME Agreed-Upon Procedures
Targeted, customized engagements designed to address specific areas of concern with flexible scope tailored to stakeholder needs.
Learn More →ME Employee Benefit Plan Audits
DOL-compliant audits for 401(k), pension, and employee benefit plans meeting ERISA filing requirements and fiduciary obligations.
Learn More →ME Tax Strategy & Advisory
Proactive, year-round tax planning that identifies savings opportunities. Entity structure optimization, multi-state planning, and strategic initiatives.
Learn More →ME Cost Segregation Studies
Engineering-based analysis to accelerate depreciation deductions on commercial and residential rental properties, maximizing cash flow.
Learn More →ME Virtual CFO Services
Fractional CFO capabilities including financial modeling, cash flow management, KPI dashboards, and strategic financial leadership.
Learn More →ME Business Consulting
Operational assessments, process improvement, internal control design, and strategic planning to drive efficiency and profitability.
Learn More →ME Estate & Succession Planning
Comprehensive estate planning, business succession strategies, and wealth transfer optimization for business owners and high-net-worth individuals.
Learn More →ME 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 →Maine Audit Services in Detail
Maine 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:
Maine Nonprofit Audits
Under Maine's Charitable Solicitations Act, charities registered with the Maine Department of Professional and Financial Regulation are generally required to submit audited financial statements when annual revenue exceeds $500,000. Audited statements are also routinely expected by the Maine Community Foundation, the Bingham Program, the Davis Family Foundation, the Sandy River Charitable Foundation, the United Way of Greater Portland, and major Maine funders.
Maine 401(k) & Employee Benefit Plan Audits
Maine 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. We perform full-scope and §103(a)(3)(C) limited-scope benefit plan audits for 401(k), 403(b), and defined-benefit plans across Maine, including plans sponsored by Bath Iron Works (Bath — General Dynamics' Navy destroyer shipyard), Pratt & Whitney (North Berwick aircraft engines), L.L. Bean (Freeport), Hannaford Supermarkets, IDEXX Laboratories (Westbrook), MaineHealth and other Maine healthcare systems, and Maine's substantial paper and forest products industry.
Maine Single Audits (Uniform Guidance)
Maine nonprofits, municipalities, school districts, and pass-through subrecipients that expend $1,000,000 or more in federal awards in a fiscal year are subject to the Single Audit requirements of 2 CFR Part 200.
Maine Lender, Bonding & Investor Audits
Maine banks (Bangor Savings Bank, Camden National), surety companies, and Maine-based private equity, venture, and growth investors frequently require audited financial statements as a condition of credit facilities, surety capacity, or capital raises.
Maine Reviews & Compilations
Where a full audit is not required, we deliver review engagements (limited assurance) and compilations (no assurance) — both routinely accepted by Maine lenders and stakeholders requiring CPA-prepared financial statements.
Maine (ME) Tax & Business Landscape
Key Maine Tax Numbers. Personal income tax: graduated, top rate 7.15% on income above approximately $58,050 single / $116,100 joint. Corporate income tax: graduated, top rate 8.93%. Sales and use tax: 5.5% state (no general local sales tax). Estate tax: applies above approximately $6.8 million (indexed) with rates up to 12%. Pass-through entity (PTE) elective tax: none — Maine has not enacted a SALT-cap PTE workaround, making it one of the few states without one.
Filing Mechanics. Individuals (residents and nonresidents/PY) file Form 1040ME. C-corporations file Form 1120ME. Partnerships and S-corps file Form 1065ME-PTE. Returns are due April 15 and administered by Maine Revenue Services.
Maine's Lobster Industry. Maine produces the vast majority of U.S. lobster (the largest lobster-producing state by far — typically over 100 million pounds annually). Maine lobstermen and lobster-industry operators face specialized tax issues including schedule of self-employment income reporting, boat and trap depreciation under MACRS, fuel tax credits for commercial fishing, fishing-specific income averaging under IRC §1301, and Maine's specific treatment of fishing-related deductions. We support Maine's lobstermen, lobster dealers, processors, and the broader Maine fishing fleet.
Maine Economy & Who We Serve. Maine's economy is anchored by shipbuilding (Bath Iron Works — General Dynamics' Navy DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyer shipyard; one of Maine's largest single employers), forest products (paper, lumber, pulp), fishing (lobster — the dominant species; plus groundfish, scallops, and aquaculture), tourism (Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, the Maine Coast, Mount Katahdin, the Western Mountains; lighthouses; lobster shacks), agriculture (potatoes — Aroostook County is "the County" for spuds; wild blueberries — the largest U.S. producer; dairy), biotech and life sciences (IDEXX Laboratories in Westbrook — global animal health diagnostics), and L.L. Bean (Freeport — iconic outdoor retailer). Our typical ME clients include Bath Iron Works professionals, lobster fishermen and seafood operators, paper/forest products workers, real estate investors, hospitality operators along the Maine Coast, and high-net-worth families navigating Maine's estate tax.
CPA Mobility in Maine. Maine has adopted CPA mobility provisions under the Uniform Accountancy Act. Kurt Simmons holds active CPA licenses in Maryland, Delaware, and Florida, and we confirm all applicable Maine 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 Maine, including Portland (largest city; financial services; tourism), Lewiston/Auburn (Twin Cities), Bangor, South Portland, Biddeford, Sanford, Brunswick (Bowdoin College; near BIW), Augusta (state capital), Bath (Bath Iron Works), Bar Harbor (Acadia), the Maine Coast, Down East, the Western Mountains, Aroostook County ("the County"), and every Maine county.
Why Maine Clients Choose Us
- GAAS-compliant audit, review, and compilation experience for nonprofits, federal contractors, benefit plans, and privately held businesses
- Deep expertise in ME-specific issues: Maine's no-PTE position and SALT-cap planning workarounds, Maine estate tax planning, lobster and commercial fishing industry tax accounting, Bath Iron Works federal contractor accounting, and Maine forestry/paper products taxation
- 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 ME tech/craft brewing startup employees
- Technology-forward, virtual-first delivery — secure client portal, e-signature, and video consultations
- Transparent, fixed-fee engagements where possible — no surprise hourly invoices
Maine CPA — Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Maine-licensed CPA?
Maine has adopted CPA mobility provisions under the Uniform Accountancy Act. Kurt Simmons holds active CPA licenses in Maryland, Delaware, and Florida, and we confirm any applicable firm-level Maine Board of Accountancy registration before commencing attest engagements.
What is Maine's income tax rate?
Maine has a graduated personal income tax with a top rate of 7.15% on income above approximately $61,600 single / $123,250 joint (indexed). The ME corporate income tax is graduated up to 8.93%. Form 1040ME is due April 15.
Does Maine have a SALT-cap workaround for partnerships and S-corps?
No. Maine has not enacted a state-level Pass-Through Entity Tax election as a SALT-cap workaround — making it one of the few states that has chosen not to provide this federal tax benefit to its residents. Maine S-corp and partnership owners cannot use the workaround that exists in most other states. Multi-state pass-through owners with Maine income should plan accordingly.
Does Maine really have an estate tax?
Yes. Maine imposes its own estate tax with an exemption of approximately $6.8 million (indexed annually). The Maine estate tax rate is graduated up to 12%. While Maine's exemption is more generous than some New England states (MA $2M, RI $1.77M, OR $1M), state estate planning remains important for Maine residents with substantial appreciated assets — particularly given Maine's high population of retirees and waterfront/lakefront property owners.
I run a Maine lobster fishing business. What special tax issues apply?
Maine produces approximately 80%+ of all U.S. lobster catch, and the lobster industry has unique tax considerations: commercial fishing boat depreciation and §179 expensing, the federal Schedule F (farming) treatment for commercial fishing, fuel tax credits (off-highway use), Maine's lobster license/permit fees, capital gains on lobster boats and traps, lobster cooperative/lobster pound accounting, and seasonal income deferral planning. We support Maine commercial fishing operations and lobster cooperatives with these specialized issues.
I work for Bath Iron Works (General Dynamics). What special tax issues apply?
Bath Iron Works (a General Dynamics subsidiary) builds Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and Zumwalt-class destroyers for the U.S. Navy — making BIW one of the largest private employers in Maine. BIW professionals frequently face specialized issues we handle: General Dynamics equity compensation, federal contractor accounting (CAS, DCAA, FAR Part 31), security clearance financial review, deferred compensation and TSP rollover planning, and multi-state tax for traveling defense contractors.
Do you serve Maine clients outside Portland?
Yes. Our practice is virtual-first, so we serve clients across all of Maine — including Lewiston, Bangor, South Portland, Auburn, Biddeford, Sanford, Brunswick (Bath Iron Works area), Augusta (state capital), Bath, Camden, Bar Harbor (Acadia), the Down East coast, the Western Maine mountains, and every Maine county.