What Forbes & Company does

Forbes & Company is a privately held, family-owned accounting and tax services firm founded in 1997 by Stephen Forbes, Sr. and headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia, with a second office in Charleston, South Carolina. The firm provides bookkeeping, payroll processing, tax preparation and planning, business foundation services (entity structuring, accounting system setup, retirement plan analysis), and fractional CFO support to small and mid-sized professional services clients across four target verticals: real estate, service-based businesses, marketing and entertainment, and entrepreneurs/startups.

The core technology stack is composed of industry-standard third-party tools rather than proprietary systems. Client accounting runs on QuickBooks Online; client communication and document exchange are handled through the newly launched Canopy Client Portal (with Onvio as a legacy system); and client billing is processed through a third-party cpacharge.com integration. Service delivery is consultative and human-led, with no AI/ML or API layer disclosed.

The business model is a mix of subscription recurring revenue (annual tax preparation packages starting at $795, monthly tax-and-accounting retainers starting at $895, and custom full-service engagements including fractional CFO) plus one-time professional services revenue for business foundation work. Go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven: direct phone, email, and in-person consultations from two offices, supplemented by content marketing (blog, annual tax guides) and organic social. The team comprises approximately 12 members under second-generation leadership, with Managing Partner Stephen Forbes, Jr. working alongside the Founder.

Name

Forbes & Company

Legal name

Forbes & Company

Website

https://forbesco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Forbes & Company is a family-owned accounting firm founded in 1997, serving SMB professional services clients in real estate, service-based, marketing/entertainment, and startup verticals across Georgia and South Carolina with tiered tax, bookkeeping, and fractional CFO services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Accounting and Tax Services

akta.pro primary industry

Family Office Administration & Operations (Accounting, Reporting, Payroll) (FSAAADAD)

Keywords

• Accounting services
• Tax preparation
• Bookkeeping services
• Payroll processing
• Business advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Alpharetta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tax Preparation & Planning Services: Annual tax return preparation and year-round strategic tax planning services. Includes corporate tax preparation, quarterly tax estimates, and multi-state tax compliance. Revenue is recurring on an annual basis for return preparation with ongoing advisory revenue throughout the year.
2. Accounting & Bookkeeping Services: Complete back-office accounting including daily bookkeeping, accounts payable/receivable, payroll processing, and financial reporting. Delivered as monthly retainer or full-service engagement.
3. Business Foundation Services: Entity type analysis, accounting system setup, and retirement plan analysis for startups and restructuring businesses. Typically one-time project work with potential for ongoing engagement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Forbes & Company is a family-owned accounting firm that provides tax preparation and planning, full-service bookkeeping, payroll processing, and business foundation services (entity analysis, QuickBooks setup, retirement plan analysis) for professional services firms, real estate investors, marketing/entertainment businesses, and entrepreneurs. Engagements are structured as tiered recurring services or one-time foundational projects, with optional fractional CFO support in the full-service engagement.

Product overview

Forbes & Company offers a tiered accounting and tax service structure with five service levels ranging from Basic Tax ($795/year) to Full-Service Tax & Accounting (custom pricing). The core offering includes three main service areas: (1) Accounting Services with bookkeeping, payroll processing, and financial reporting; (2) Tax Preparation & Planning with corporate and individual tax services; and (3) Business Foundation Services including entity type analysis, accounting system setup (QuickBooks Online), and retirement plan analysis. Services are structured as five tiers—Basic Tax, Proactive Tax, Annual Tax & Accounting, Monthly Tax & Accounting, and Full-Service Tax & Accounting—that build progressively from basic tax return preparation to complete outsourced accounting department services including fractional CFO. The firm also provides industry-specific specializations for real estate, service-based businesses, marketing/entertainment, and entrepreneurs. Clients access services through Canopy and Onvio client portals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tax Preparation & Planning Strategic year-round tax planning and preparation, including corporate tax preparation, quarterly estimates, deduction optimization, and multi-state tax compliance for service-based, real estate, marketing/entertainment, and entrepreneur businesses.
• Bookkeeping Daily transaction recording, bank reconciliation, accounts receivable and accounts payable management, expense tracking, and monthly financial reporting delivered as a recurring engagement for client businesses.
• Payroll Processing Automated payroll calculations, direct deposit, federal, state, and local tax filing, W-2 and 1099 preparation, and compliance support for client businesses.
• Full-Service Outsourced Accounting Complete outsourced accounting department offering tax preparation, estimated payments, financial preparation, year-end planning, 1099s, payroll assistance, payroll processing, accounts payable and receivable, and fractional CFO services for client businesses.
• Entity Type Analysis Business structure consultation recommending LLC, corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship with tax implications analysis for new and restructuring businesses.
• Accounting System Setup QuickBooks Online setup and customization, chart of accounts design, bank integration, and financial reporting template creation for new and growing businesses.
• Retirement Plan Analysis 401(k) plan analysis, tax-deductible contribution strategies, employee matching programs, and catch-up contribution planning for businesses and their owners.
• Real Estate Accounting Services Specialized financial management for property investors, agents, and property management companies, with property-specific record keeping, rental income tracking, and tax optimization.
• Service-Based Business Accounting Financial management for consulting firms, legal practices, medical offices, and professional service providers with time tracking integration and billable-hour-aware bookkeeping.
• Marketing & Entertainment Accounting Accounting services for marketing agencies, entertainers, and social media businesses with multi-income stream management and project-based profitability tracking.
• Entrepreneur & Startup Accounting Specialized financial management for new businesses including entity structure selection, bookkeeping, tax planning, and startup consulting.
• Canopy Client Portal Online client portal for accessing documents, communicating with the Forbes & Company team, and managing client financial information securely.
• Onvio Client Portal

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bench: Tech-enabled bookkeeping and accounting platform serving SMBs with dedicated bookkeepers and software integration. Direct peer targeting the same SMB outsourced accounting market with a similar subscription model.
• Kreischer Miller: Regional CPA and business advisory firm serving closely-held businesses and entrepreneurs in the Mid-Atlantic. Direct peer with industry specializations and full-service accounting/tax offerings and a similar relationship-driven model.
• inDinero: Outsourced accounting, tax, and CFO services for startups and growing businesses. Direct peer in the entrepreneur/startup vertical with comparable full-service accounting offerings.
• Pilot.com: Tech-enabled outsourced bookkeeping, accounting, and fractional CFO services for SMBs and startups. Direct peer delivering subscription-based accounting services to small business clients with overlapping verticals.
• 1-800Accountant: National accounting and tax services provider for small businesses and entrepreneurs. Direct peer serving SMB clients with tiered accounting and tax service offerings and similar target segments.

Broad incumbents

• Aprio: National accounting and business advisory firm with industry specializations including real estate, technology, and professional services. Broader incumbent with similar vertical focus but national scale and broader service portfolio.
• RSM US: Top-5 global accounting firm focused on the middle market with industry specializations including real estate, professional services, and consumer businesses. Broader incumbent offering similar full-service accounting and CFO advisory at significantly larger scale.
• Marcum LLP: Top-15 national accounting and advisory firm with industry specializations including real estate, professional services, and construction. Broader incumbent with comparable vertical depth and full-service offerings.
• CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA): Large national accounting firm serving SMBs and middle-market companies with industry-focused practices. Broader incumbent offering similar outsourced accounting and CFO services at significantly greater scale.

Regional players

• PKF O'Connor Davies: Regional accounting and advisory firm serving closely-held businesses, real estate investors, and professional services firms primarily in the Northeast. Regional peer with similar vertical focus and relationship-driven boutique model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ForbesandCompany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forbes-&-company
• Instagraminstagram.com/forbescocpa
• Xx.com/ForbesCo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Forbes & Company