Houston has a deep bench of CPAs serving everything from solo freelancers to mid-market companies. The hard part is not finding one; it is finding the right one for your situation. Below is what we look for when we match Houston clients to a CPA, plus a shortcut to skip the search.
What to look for in a Houston CPA
Active Texas state license. Specialization that matches your situation (small business, real estate, ecommerce, physician, crypto, startup). Fixed-fee pricing tied to scope rather than hourly billing on intake. A response time on the first call that you can live with at deadline. Houston firms span from solo practitioners charging $250 per individual return to multi-partner firms charging $5,000 plus for complex S-corp engagements; both ends can be the right fit.
Texas tax considerations
Any CPA you hire in Houston needs working knowledge of no individual income tax, the franchise (margin) tax above the $2.47M no-tax-due threshold, and sales and use tax on the business side. This is the layer where a generalist out-of-state preparer typically falls short. Read more on the Texas state tax guide.
2026 fee expectations
| Service | Typical 2026 range |
|---|---|
| CPA hourly rate | $150 to $450 / hour |
| Schedule C (sole proprietor) | $190 to $800 |
| Single-member LLC return | $300 to $1,500 |
| S-corporation return (1120-S) | $1,200 to $3,500 |
| Partnership return (1065) | $1,000 to $5,000+ |
| C-corporation return (1120) | $1,500 to $4,000+ |
- Disorganized records ("shoebox" engagements) typically increase fees by 1.5x to 2.0x.
- Each additional K-1 partner usually adds roughly $300 to $500.
- Ranges reflect entity type, bookkeeping state, and complexity. Quotes vary by region and CPA experience.
Full table with methodology lives in the 2026 CPA Compass Fee Benchmark.
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TaxProMatch is an independent matching resource. We are not a CPA firm and do not provide tax, legal, or financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
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Related: Texas state guide · 2026 fee benchmark · how to choose a CPA