ND Tax & Accounting Services
Kurt Simmons CPA provides comprehensive tax and financial services to individuals and businesses throughout North Dakota (ND). With its energy sector and agricultural economy, we understand the unique financial landscape that comes with doing business in North Dakota.
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 North Dakota clients without the need for an additional state license. This means North Dakota 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 North Dakota (ND)
ND Individual Tax Preparation
Comprehensive federal and North Dakota state tax return preparation, including complex returns with investments, rental properties, and self-employment income.
Learn More →ND Business Tax Services
Tax preparation and planning for North Dakota-based businesses including S-Corps, C-Corps, partnerships, LLCs, and sole proprietorships.
Learn More →ND Cryptocurrency Tax
Specialized crypto tax services for North Dakota investors and traders. DeFi, NFTs, staking rewards, and exchange reporting handled with expertise.
Learn More →ND Trader Tax Services
Mark-to-market elections, wash sale tracking, and tax optimization strategies for active traders in North Dakota.
Learn More →ND IRS Resolution
Professional representation before the IRS for North Dakota taxpayers facing audits, collections, liens, levies, or offers in compromise.
Learn More →ND 83(b) Elections
Equity compensation planning and 83(b) election filing for North Dakota startup employees and founders receiving restricted stock.
Learn More →ND Financial Statement Audits
Full-scope GAAS-compliant financial statement audits for businesses, nonprofits, and organizations requiring independent assurance.
Learn More →ND Review Engagements
Limited assurance engagements providing meaningful confidence in financial statements for lender requirements and stakeholder reporting.
Learn More →ND Compilations
Professionally prepared financial statements from management-provided data for internal reporting, small business needs, and bank presentations.
Learn More →ND Agreed-Upon Procedures
Targeted, customized engagements designed to address specific areas of concern with flexible scope tailored to stakeholder needs.
Learn More →ND Employee Benefit Plan Audits
DOL-compliant audits for 401(k), pension, and employee benefit plans meeting ERISA filing requirements and fiduciary obligations.
Learn More →ND Tax Strategy & Advisory
Proactive, year-round tax planning that identifies savings opportunities. Entity structure optimization, multi-state planning, and strategic initiatives.
Learn More →ND Cost Segregation Studies
Engineering-based analysis to accelerate depreciation deductions on commercial and residential rental properties, maximizing cash flow.
Learn More →ND Virtual CFO Services
Fractional CFO capabilities including financial modeling, cash flow management, KPI dashboards, and strategic financial leadership.
Learn More →ND Business Consulting
Operational assessments, process improvement, internal control design, and strategic planning to drive efficiency and profitability.
Learn More →ND Estate & Succession Planning
Comprehensive estate planning, business succession strategies, and wealth transfer optimization for business owners and high-net-worth individuals.
Learn More →ND 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 →North Dakota Audit Services in Detail
North Dakota businesses, nonprofits, federal contractors, 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:
Minot AFB, Grand Forks AFB & ND Federal Contractor Audits
North Dakota hosts Minot Air Force Base (5th Bomb Wing operating B-52H Stratofortress bombers, plus the 91st Missile Wing operating Minuteman III ICBMs across central ND), Grand Forks Air Force Base (319th Reconnaissance Wing — RQ-4 Global Hawk UAS; the Grand Sky UAS Business and Aviation Park), and the Cavalier Space Force Station (early-warning radar). Grand Forks is also home to UND's Aerospace program and the Northern Plains UAS Test Site — making the Red River Valley a federal UAS/UAV center of excellence. We support ND federal contractors with GAAS-compliant audits, indirect rate calculations and DCAA-compliant accounting systems, Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) compliance, and audits prepared for security-cleared business operations.
North Dakota Tribal & Reservation Audits
North Dakota is home to five federally recognized tribes: Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Three Affiliated Tribes (Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara — Fort Berthold Reservation, on top of substantial Bakken oil), Spirit Lake Tribe, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, and the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate. Many operate Class III gaming under tribal-state compacts requiring NIGC MICS audits. The Three Affiliated Tribes' Fort Berthold reservation has been one of the largest beneficiaries of the Bakken oil boom (estimated tens of billions in lifetime royalty revenue). We perform tribal gaming audits, tribal-government enterprise audits, and tribal energy enterprise audits.
North Dakota Nonprofit Audits
Audited financial statements for ND charities are routinely required by major North Dakota funders — including the Bush Foundation (regional MN/ND/SD), the North Dakota Community Foundation, the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation, the Engelter Family Foundation, the Fargo-Moorhead Area Foundation, the United Way affiliates, and federal subrecipient grantors.
North Dakota 401(k) & Employee Benefit Plan Audits
North Dakota 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 North Dakota, including plans sponsored by Microsoft Fargo (formerly Great Plains Software — Microsoft's Dynamics ERP development center; one of Microsoft's largest U.S. campuses outside Redmond), Bobcat Company / Doosan (Gwinner — compact equipment manufacturing), MDU Resources Group (Bismarck — diversified utilities/construction), Sanford Health (Fargo — one of the largest rural health systems in the U.S.), Essentia Health, Border States Electric (Fargo), Bakken oil/gas operators (ConocoPhillips, Hess, Continental, Marathon, Whiting/Oasis legacy, Enerplus), Tesoro/Marathon Mandan refinery, the University of North Dakota, and ND's substantial agricultural cooperative network (CHS, ND Mill).
North Dakota Single Audits (Uniform Guidance)
North Dakota nonprofits, counties, school districts, tribal entities, 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.
North Dakota Reviews & Compilations
Where a full audit is not required, we deliver review engagements (limited assurance) and compilations (no assurance) — both routinely accepted by North Dakota lenders (Bank of North Dakota — the only state-owned bank in the U.S.; Gate City Bank; Choice Financial; Bremer Bank) and stakeholders requiring CPA-prepared financial statements.
North Dakota (ND) Tax & Business Landscape
Key North Dakota Tax Numbers. Personal income tax: graduated, top rate 2.5% — among the lowest state income tax rates in the U.S. (effective TY2023 reform reduced from 2.9%). Corporate income tax: graduated, top rate 4.31%. Sales and use tax: 5% state, plus city; combined often 7%–8%. No estate tax. Pass-through entity (PTE) elective tax: rate matches personal IT, available since tax year 2023. Oil & gas extraction tax: 5%, plus 5% gross production tax — among the most significant state tax components for ND given Bakken production.
Filing Mechanics. Individuals (residents and nonresidents/PY) file Form ND-1. C-corporations file Form 40. Partnerships file Form 58; S-corps file Form 60. PTE election is made on partnership/S-corp returns. Returns are due April 15 and administered by the North Dakota Office of State Tax Commissioner.
The Bakken & Williston Basin — North Dakota's Oil Patch. The Bakken/Three Forks formation in western North Dakota is the second-largest U.S. tight-oil play (after the Permian Basin). Production is concentrated in Williams County (Williston), McKenzie County (Watford City), Mountrail County, Dunn County, and Stark County (Dickinson). Major operators include ConocoPhillips, Hess, Continental Resources, Marathon Oil, Whiting/Oasis (now Chord Energy), Enerplus (now Chord), and Equinor. The Three Affiliated Tribes' Fort Berthold reservation sits over substantial Bakken acreage and has been one of the largest tribal beneficiaries of an oil boom in U.S. history. Bakken-area tax issues include severance/extraction tax compliance, depletion (cost vs. percentage; small-producer percentage depletion under §613A), intangible drilling costs (IDC) deductions under §263(c), §1031 like-kind exchanges of working interests, royalty owner taxation (Schedule E with depletion), and the unique multi-state issues facing Bakken roughnecks who are tax-resident in TX/OK/MT but work in ND.
North Dakota Agriculture & the Red River Valley. North Dakota is the #1 U.S. producer of spring wheat, durum wheat, sunflowers, dry beans, dry peas, lentils, flaxseed, canola, and honey, plus a major producer of corn, soybeans, sugar beets (Red River Valley — American Crystal Sugar cooperative), and barley. ND farmers face Schedule F reporting, equipment depreciation, deferred grain contracts, IRC §1301 farm income averaging, federal farm program payments (ARC/PLC, CRP), Section 199A qualified business income on farm partnership/S-corp income, and cooperative patronage dividends from CHS, American Crystal Sugar, NorthStar Bean, ND Mill (the only state-owned flour mill in the U.S.), and similar regional cooperatives.
North Dakota Tech & Aerospace — Microsoft Fargo and the UAS Center. Microsoft Fargo (originally Great Plains Software, acquired by Microsoft in 2001) is one of Microsoft's largest U.S. campuses outside Redmond — anchoring Microsoft Dynamics ERP development. Grand Forks has emerged as a U.S. center of excellence for unmanned aerial systems (UAS/drones), anchored by UND's Aerospace program, the Grand Sky UAS Business and Aviation Park, the Northern Plains UAS Test Site, and Grand Forks AFB's Global Hawk operations. The Bobcat Company (Gwinner — owned by Doosan/HD Hyundai since 2007) is one of the largest manufacturing employers in ND, producing skid-steer loaders, compact track loaders, and excavators.
North Dakota Economy & Who We Serve. North Dakota's economy spans oil and gas (Bakken/Williston Basin — second-largest U.S. tight-oil play), agriculture (#1 spring wheat, durum, sunflowers, dry beans, pulse crops; major sugar beets, soybeans, corn), manufacturing (Bobcat/Doosan, MDU, Border States), technology (Microsoft Fargo, RDO Equipment), military and federal (Minot AFB B-52s and ICBMs, Grand Forks AFB UAS, Cavalier SFS), healthcare (Sanford Health, Essentia), refining (Tesoro/Marathon Mandan refinery), and tribal economic enterprises (Three Affiliated Tribes oil revenue, Standing Rock). Our typical ND clients include Bakken oil/gas professionals (engineers, landmen, royalty owners), ND wheat and sugar beet farmers, Microsoft Fargo employees, Minot AFB and Grand Forks AFB military families, real estate investors in boom-town markets, and tribal-affiliated business owners.
CPA Mobility in North Dakota. North Dakota 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 North Dakota State 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 North Dakota, including Fargo (largest city; Microsoft Fargo; tech), Bismarck (state capital), Grand Forks (UND; Grand Forks AFB; UAS Center of Excellence), Minot (Minot AFB), West Fargo, Williston (Bakken oil hub), Dickinson (Bakken), Mandan (Tesoro/Marathon Mandan refinery), Wahpeton, Devils Lake, Jamestown, the Bakken/Williston Basin counties, the Red River Valley, the Standing Rock and Fort Berthold reservations, and every North Dakota county.
Why North Dakota Clients Choose Us
- GAAS-compliant audit, review, and compilation experience for nonprofits, federal contractors, tribal entities, benefit plans, and privately held businesses
- Deep expertise in ND-specific issues: ND's 2.5% top rate (among the lowest in the U.S.), ND PTE elections, Bakken/Williston Basin oil and gas tax (extraction/severance, depletion, IDC, §263(c), §1031), spring wheat and sunflower agricultural tax, Three Affiliated Tribes (Fort Berthold) royalty and tribal enterprise tax, Microsoft Fargo and Bobcat/Doosan equity comp, and Minot AFB / Grand Forks AFB federal contractor accounting
- 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 ND Fargo tech-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
North Dakota CPA — Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a North Dakota-licensed CPA?
North Dakota 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 North Dakota State Board of Accountancy firm-registration requirements before commencing attest engagements.
What is North Dakota's income tax rate?
North Dakota has one of the lowest state income tax rates in the U.S. — a graduated structure with a top rate of just 2.5% (effective TY2023 reform reduced the prior top rate from 2.9%). The ND corporate income tax has a top rate of 4.31%. Form ND-1 is due April 15.
I'm working in the Bakken oil patch. What special tax issues apply?
The Bakken/Three Forks formation in western ND (Williston Basin — counties of Williams, McKenzie, Mountrail, Dunn, Stark) is the second-largest U.S. tight oil play after the Permian. Oil/gas issues include severance/extraction tax compliance (5% extraction + 5% gross production), depletion (cost vs. percentage; small-producer percentage depletion under §613A), intangible drilling costs (IDC) deductions under §263(c), §1031 like-kind exchanges of oil/gas working interests, royalty owner taxation (Schedule E with depletion), and the unique multi-state issues facing Bakken roughnecks who are tax-resident in TX/OK/MT but work seasonally in ND.
Does North Dakota have a SALT-cap workaround?
Yes. North Dakota enacted an elective Pass-Through Entity Tax effective for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2023. Eligible S-corps and partnerships pay an entity-level tax at the top individual rate on North Dakota-source taxable income, and members receive a corresponding credit on Form ND-1.
I'm a North Dakota wheat or sunflower farmer. What special tax issues apply?
North Dakota is the #1 U.S. producer of spring wheat, durum wheat, sunflowers, dry beans, and pulse crops. ND farmers face Schedule F farm reporting, equipment depreciation under MACRS with §179/bonus depreciation, deferred grain contracts, IRC §1301 farm income averaging, federal farm program payments (ARC/PLC, CRP), Section 199A qualified business income on farm partnership/S-corp income, and cooperative patronage dividends from CHS, American Crystal Sugar, NorthStar Bean, ND Mill, and similar regional cooperatives.
I'm enrolled with the Three Affiliated Tribes (Fort Berthold) and receive Bakken royalty income. What special tax issues apply?
The Three Affiliated Tribes' Fort Berthold reservation sits over substantial Bakken acreage. Tribal members receiving allotted-mineral royalty income face specialized issues: Schedule E royalty reporting with depletion, BIA-administered allotted mineral leases, federal income tax exemption for income derived from allotted lands held in trust under General Allotment Act §6 (limited application — most royalty income IS federally taxable), General Welfare Exclusion analysis, and per-capita distribution treatment. We support tribal-affiliated families through these complex issues.
Do you serve North Dakota clients outside Fargo?
Yes. Our practice is virtual-first, so we serve clients across all of North Dakota — including Fargo (largest city; Microsoft Fargo; tech), Bismarck (state capital), Grand Forks (UND; Grand Forks AFB; UAS Center of Excellence), Minot (Minot AFB), West Fargo, Williston (Bakken oil hub), Dickinson (Bakken), Mandan (Tesoro/Marathon Mandan refinery), Wahpeton (Bobcat/Doosan), Devils Lake, Jamestown, the Bakken/Williston Basin, the Red River Valley, the Standing Rock and Three Affiliated Tribes (Fort Berthold) reservations, and rural North Dakota's farming communities.