MarksNelson

What MarksNelson does

MarksNelson is a Kansas City-based accounting and business advisory firm founded in 1968, serving middle-market companies across the United States with a focus on four primary verticals: insurance, real estate, manufacturing and distribution, and construction. The firm operates in an alternative practice structure with MarksNelson LLC as the licensed CPA entity and MarksNelson Advisory, LLC providing non-attest tax and advisory services. Service lines span attest and assurance (including HUD audits and employee benefit plan audits), business and individual tax, financial due diligence, forensic accounting and litigation support, valuation, succession planning, wealth management through MN Wealth Advisors (post-Integrity Advisory acquisition in July 2022), and economic development and location strategy services via the Community EDGE subsidiary (acquired 2015).

In 2023, Trinity Hunt Partners made a strategic investment in the firm's advisory business, and in 2025 MarksNelson rebranded to operate as Springline Advisory — a national advisory platform built for the middle market that includes founding peers Clark, Raymond & Co. and Fiske Advisory. The firm generates revenue through project-based engagements, retainer arrangements, and recurring advisory mandates, with the recent expansion into subscription-based proprietary analytics through MN Navigator (launched August 2021, a four-tier data analytics solution powered at the platinum level by BUCSanalytics). Go-to-market is relationship-driven and partner-led, leveraging the BDO Alliance USA membership (joined October 2021) for international coverage and serving clients concentrated in the Midwest with a national footprint.

Name

MarksNelson

Legal name

MarksNelson LLC

Website

https://mnadvisors.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

MarksNelson is a Kansas City-based accounting and business advisory firm serving middle-market companies across insurance, real estate, manufacturing and distribution, and construction verticals. Now operating as Springline Advisory, a national PE-backed advisory platform, the firm delivers tax, audit, advisory, and technology consulting services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Accounting & Advisory Services

NAICS

Offices of Certified Public Accountants (541211), Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services (5412), Other Management Consulting Services (541618), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Trust & Estate Tax Planning & Compliance (FSAEAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Employee Benefits Brokerage & Consulting (FSAEADAC), Estate, Gift & Trust Valuation (BPAHANAL)

Keywords

• Accounting services
• Tax advisory
• Business advisory
• Forensic accounting
• Wealth management

Headquarters

HQ city

Kansas City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Professional Services (Accounting, Tax, Advisory): MarksNelson generates revenue through a full suite of professional services including attest/audit, assurance, tax preparation and planning, business advisory, litigation support, forensic accounting, valuation, succession planning, financial due diligence, technology consulting, location strategies, and wealth management. Revenue is generated through project-based engagements, retainer arrangements, and recurring advisory mandates. The firm recently expanded through the acquisition of Integrity Advisory (wealth management) to broaden its revenue base with recurring wealth management fees.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

MarksNelson is an accounting and business advisory firm offering a full suite of professional services including accounting, tax preparation and planning, attest/audit and assurance, business advisory, litigation support, forensic accounting, valuation, succession planning, financial due diligence, technology consulting, location strategies, and wealth management. The firm serves middle-market companies across industries such as insurance, real estate, manufacturing and distribution, and construction, and also operates MN Navigator, a proprietary subscription-based data analytics product.

Product overview

MarksNelson is an accounting, tax, and advisory firm (now operating as Springline Advisory in Kansas City) offering a comprehensive portfolio of professional services. The firm operates as a unified practice structure combining accounting and business advisory services. The main service lines include Accounting, Tax, Assurance, Advisory, Technology Consulting (with Fractional CTO Services and Data Analytics), MN Wealth Advisors, Location Strategies, and Incentives. The firm launched its first proprietary product, MN Navigator, a subscription-based data analytics solution structured in four tiers (bronze, silver, gold, platinum) that provides small and mid-sized companies access to internal and industry data to identify trends and business opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Accounting Core accounting services including bookkeeping, financial reporting, and accounting automation solutions for businesses.
• Tax Tax services including business tax, individual tax, international tax, property tax, estate and trust planning, and cost segregation for individuals and businesses.
• Assurance Attest and assurance services including cost certification services, employee benefit plan audits, and HUD audits.
• Advisory Business advisory services including financial due diligence, litigation support, forensic accounting, succession planning, and valuation services.
• Technology Consulting Technology consulting services including fractional CTO services, ERP implementation, Microsoft 365 deployment, business intelligence (Power BI), custom software development, and IIoT solutions.
• MN Wealth Advisors Wealth management services integrated with CPA advisory to provide comprehensive financial planning for clients.
• Location Strategies Site selection, economic development, and location strategy services to help clients make data-driven decisions about where to locate or expand operations.
• Incentives Tax incentive and economic development services including Kansas and Missouri incentive programs, foreign trade zone services, and opportunity zone, historic, low-income housing, and new market tax credits.
• Litigation Support Litigation support services including forensic accounting and economic damages analysis for legal proceedings.
• MN Navigator Subscription-based data analytics solution that gives small and mid-sized companies access to internal and industry data in formats that help them spot trends and business opportunities. Structured in four tiers (bronze, silver, gold, platinum) with the platinum tier powered by BUCSanalytics.
• Succession Planning Succession planning and exit strategy advisory services helping business owners plan ownership transition and successful business exits.
• Valuation Business and asset valuation services including real estate valuation and commercial property tax appeals.
• Economic Development Economic development consulting services supporting communities and businesses with development planning and incentives.

Quantifiable outcome

• Clients of MarksNelson are 60% more likely to be completely satisfied than clients of non-winning firms
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability6 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Integrity AdvisoryminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 July 2022MarksNelson acquired Integrity Advisory, a wealth management firm based in Overland Park, Kansas, in July 2022. The acquisition aimed to integrate wealth management services with CPA advisory services to better serve clients' needs, creating a more comprehensive offering for clients seeking both accounting and wealth management support.
• BDO Alliance USAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 October 2021MarksNelson joined the BDO Alliance USA in October 2021, a nationwide association of independently owned local and regional accounting, consulting, and service firms. The alliance provides access to BDO USA, LLP's resources (65+ offices, 750+ independent alliance firm locations nationwide) and the global BDO International network (91,000+ people across 1,600+ offices in 167 countries). The partnership enhances MarksNelson's client services, broadens capabilities, expands domestic and international coverage, provides greater technical knowledge in specialty areas, and offers access to up-to-date technical information and training programs.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Anders CPAs + Advisors: Anders is a PE-backed (Parthenon Capital) middle-market accounting and advisory firm with comparable service breadth and a similar PE-driven growth trajectory—structurally analogous to MarksNelson/Springline.

Broad incumbents

• BDO USA: BDO USA is the national anchor of the BDO Alliance network of which MarksNelson is an independent member. Highly comparable as a middle-market-focused accounting and advisory firm serving similar industries with a comparable industry-niche structure.

Direct peers

• RSM US: RSM US is a PE-backed (CD&R) middle-market audit, tax, and consulting firm and one of the largest direct competitors in the middle-market advisory space. Comparable in service mix, client profile, and PE-backed growth strategy.
• Crowe LLP: Crowe is a top-10 US public accounting and consulting firm serving middle-market clients across similar industries with comparable audit, tax, and advisory capabilities.
• CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA): CLA is a top-10 US accounting firm focused on middle-market companies with industry specialization in real estate, construction, manufacturing, and insurance—directly overlapping MarksNelson's core verticals.
• Baker Tilly US: Baker Tilly is a top-10 US advisory, tax, and assurance firm serving middle-market companies with similar industry-focused practices (real estate, construction, manufacturing) and comparable PE-backed growth orientation.
• Eide Bailly: Eide Bailly is a top-25 US accounting and advisory firm with comparable middle-market positioning, industry specialization (construction, real estate, manufacturing), and recent PE-backed consolidation activity.
• Wipfli: Wipfli is a top-20 US accounting and advisory firm with deep middle-market focus, multi-vertical industry specialization, and a comparable technology consulting practice—closely mirroring MarksNelson's service portfolio.
• Plante Moran: Plante Moran is a top-15 US accounting, tax, and advisory firm serving middle-market and closely held businesses with comparable industry niches (manufacturing, real estate, construction).
• Forvis (formerly Dixon Hughes Goodman): Forvis is a top-10 US accounting and advisory firm serving middle-market clients with comparable service offerings (audit, tax, advisory) and industry specialization, including insurance and construction verticals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/302178
• Xx.com/marksnelsoncpa
• Facebookfacebook.com/marksnelsoncpa

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MarksNelson