What Moore Colson does

Moore Colson is an independent, privately held accounting and advisory firm headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, founded in 1981 by Greg Colson and Jack Moore. The firm operates three primary service lines — Tax Services, Assurance Services, and Advisory Services — with a staff of 200+ employees including 28 partners, serving clients across 15+ industry verticals including construction, real estate, healthcare, financial services, technology, transportation, convenience stores, distribution, manufacturing, restaurants and hospitality, retail, and professional services. Client types span closely-held businesses, high-net-worth individuals, private equity funds, large private companies, and public companies. The firm differentiates through a non-book-of-business model that pairs clients with the most relevant experts across the entire team rather than individual partners, supported by deep vertical specialization with dedicated partner coverage per industry.

The firm's product set encompasses business and individual tax compliance and planning, financial statement audits and employee benefit plan audits, SOC examinations, technical accounting, bankruptcy advisory, business valuation, corporate finance, cybersecurity and IT risk assessments, ISO 27001 readiness, SOX compliance, forensic accounting, interim management (CRO/CFO/CEO), restructuring and turnaround, and transaction advisory services. The technology layer centers on the Fieldguide platform for SOC audit engagements, providing real-time task visibility and document management, plus a proprietary combined SOC 2 + ISO 27001:2022 internal audit engagement design. The firm owns Magnolia Trust Company, a wholly-owned trust administration subsidiary launched in 2019 in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Moore Colson generates revenue through professional services fees across its three service lines under a sales-led go-to-market model anchored by direct partner engagement, referrals from long-standing client relationships (some 35+ years), industry expertise, and association memberships including PrimeGlobal, ABC of GA, GACS, NCREIF, CREW Atlanta, and GMGMA. The firm is privately held with no disclosed institutional, PE, or external investors, and operates a single primary office in Atlanta with a secondary office in Chattanooga through Magnolia Trust Company.

Name

Moore Colson

Legal name

Moore Colson

Website

https://moorecolson.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Moore Colson is an independent Atlanta-based CPA and advisory firm founded in 1981, providing tax, assurance, and advisory services across 15+ industry verticals for closely-held businesses, high-net-worth individuals, private equity funds, public companies, and large private companies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Accounting and Advisory Services

NAICS

Offices of Certified Public Accountants (541211), Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services (54121), Other Accounting Services (541219)

SIC

Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Outsourced Finance & CFO Services (BPAHABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

General Ledger & Close (Journal Entries, Month-End Close, Reconciliations) (BPAAAGAC), Financial Planning & Analysis Support (Budgeting, Forecasting, Management Reporting) (BPAAAGAJ), Accounts Payable (Invoice Processing, 2/3-Way Match, Vendor Payments) (BPAAAGAA)

Keywords

• Accounting services
• Tax advisory
• Audit assurance
• Business consulting
• Transaction advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tax Services: Comprehensive tax compliance and advisory services including business tax, individual and family office tax, estate and trust planning, and tax credits and incentives identification. Delivered year-round with ongoing client engagement.
2. Assurance Services: Financial statement audit, review and compilation; employee benefit plan audit; SOC audit and reporting; and technical accounting services providing regulatory compliance and stakeholder confidence.
3. Advisory Services: Broad range of advisory services including bankruptcy advisory, business valuation, corporate finance advisory, cybersecurity, fiduciary and receivership, financial forecasts, forensic accounting, insurance claims preparation, interim management, internal audit, IT risk assessments, outsourced accounting, restructuring and turnaround, SOX compliance, and transaction advisory services.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Moore Colson is an independent accounting and advisory firm providing tax services, assurance (audit) services, and advisory services to businesses and high-net-worth individuals. The firm operates across 15+ industry verticals including construction, real estate, healthcare, manufacturing, financial services, distribution, transportation, retail, technology, restaurants and hospitality, convenience stores, and professional services, serving closely-held businesses, private equity, public companies, and large private enterprises.

Product overview

Moore Colson is a professional services firm offering a comprehensive suite of accounting, tax, and advisory services organized across three primary service lines: Tax Services, Assurance Services, and Advisory Services. The firm's Tax Services encompass business tax preparation and planning, tax credits and incentives, individual and family office tax, and estate and trust planning. Assurance Services include financial statement audits, reviews and compilations, employee benefit plan audits, SOC examinations, and technical accounting. Advisory Services span bankruptcy advisory, business valuation, corporate finance, cybersecurity, fiduciary and receivership, financial forecasts and projections, forensic accounting, interim management, internal audit services, ISO 27001 readiness, IT risk assessments, outsourced accounting, restructuring and turnaround, SOX compliance, and transaction advisory. The firm serves diverse industries including construction, convenience stores, distribution, financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, professional services, real estate, restaurants and hospitality, retail, technology, and transportation, as well as various client types from closely-held businesses to public companies and high-net-worth individuals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tax Services Comprehensive tax preparation, planning, and consulting services covering business tax, individual tax, estate and trust planning, and tax credits and incentives identification. Delivered year-round with ongoing client engagement across all client segments.
• Assurance Services Financial statement audit, review and compilation; employee benefit plan audit; SOC audit and reporting using the Fieldguide platform; and technical accounting services providing regulatory compliance and stakeholder confidence.
• Advisory Services Broad range of advisory services including bankruptcy advisory, business valuation, corporate finance advisory, cybersecurity, fiduciary and receivership, financial forecasts, forensic accounting, insurance claims preparation, interim management, internal audit, IT risk assessments, outsourced accounting, restructuring and turnaround, SOX compliance, and transaction advisory services.
• Business Tax Preparation and Planning Corporate tax advisory covering federal and state compliance, sales and property tax studies, ASC 740 preparation, tax planning and projections, tax credit analysis, and transaction advisory for businesses.
• Tax Credits and Incentives Identification and analysis of federal and state tax credits including R&D credit, Work Opportunity Tax Credit, Georgia Retraining Credit, Georgia Low Income Housing Credit, and Georgia Film Credit.
• Individual and Family Office Tax Tax return preparation, tax minimization strategies, tax research, projections and estimated payments, IRS audit representation, retirement planning, cash flow planning, education funding, and life insurance analysis.
• Estate and Trust Planning Estate and gift planning, trust services via Magnolia Trust Company, succession planning, employee benefit planning, stock option planning, asset allocation, insurance planning, and retirement and survivor cash flow planning.
• Financial Statement Audit, Review and Compilation Verification of financial statements for GAAP compliance, including financial statement audits, reviews, compilations, and agreed-upon procedures engagements.
• Employee Benefit Plan Audit Audit services for 401(k)s, 403(b)s, pensions, health and welfare plans, and ESOPs, including Form 5500 preparation, DOL and IRS assistance, plan design, and fiduciary best practices.
• System and Organization Controls (SOC) Audit and Reporting SOC 1, SOC 2, and SOC 3 examinations for service organizations covering financial transaction controls, security, availability, confidentiality, processing integrity, and privacy, delivered with real-time Fieldguide-enabled engagement visibility.
• Technical Accounting Implementation of new accounting pronouncements, complex business transaction support, equity and liability instrument evaluation, and business advising for executives and audit committees.
• Bankruptcy Advisory Chapter 11 bankruptcy advisory for debtors and creditors including reorganization plans, liquidation strategies, stakeholder negotiations, and trustee services.
• Business Valuation Business valuation services for ownership transitions, benchmark valuations, purchase price allocations, financial reporting requirements, and estate and gift tax planning, performed by ASA, ABV, CPA, and CFA credentialed professionals.
• Corporate Finance Advisory Capital structure evaluation, business loan structure advisory, and surety and bank communication services for debt capital sourcing.
• Cybersecurity Services Cybersecurity and IT risk assessments, cybersecurity audits, DOL cybersecurity assessments for employee benefit plans, penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, and business resiliency planning.
• ISO 27001 Readiness ISO 27001:2022 readiness assessments, internal audits, and Stage 1 and Stage 2 external audit preparation for information security management systems.
• IT Risk Assessments IT risk assessments, application controls reviews, cybersecurity services, SOX documentation and testing, SOC attestation, HIPAA security reviews, and network and cloud security reviews.
• Internal Audit Services Internal control outsourcing, co-sourcing, risk assessments, and forensic auditing to ensure effective controls, governance, and accounting process alignment with regulations.
• Transaction Advisory Services Full lifecycle M&A advisory including pre-deal strategy, acquisition target evaluation, deal structure and execution, post-transaction integration, and financial due diligence for buy-side and sell-side engagements.
• Outsourced Accounting Services Business advisory, financial insight and visibility, operational triage, corporate process reviews, cloud integration and software support, and compliance services for ongoing accounting needs.
• Restructuring and Turnaround Corporate debt restructuring and turnaround services including interim executive support, cost reduction and revenue enhancement, cash flow enhancement, and business valuation.
• Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) Compliance SOX compliance advisory and outsourcing with process documentation, controls evaluation, testing, and reporting, plus IPO readiness services.
• Forensic Accounting and Litigation Support Forensic accounting investigations, insurance claim preparation assistance, and expert witness testimony for business disputes, fraud investigations, and litigation matters.
• Interim Management C-suite interim management services including Chief Restructuring Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Executive Officer roles for crisis situations and underperforming companies.
• Fiduciary and Receivership Chapter 11 bankruptcy trustee, state and federal court receiver, court-appointed examiner, special master, and estate trustee assistance services.

Quantifiable outcome

• Named to Construction Executive's Top 50 Construction Accounting Firms in the United States from over 700 U.S. accounting firms
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments17 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

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Magnolia Trust CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Magnolia Trust Company is a sister company of Moore Colson launched in 2019 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It provides independent trust administration services with a focus on legacy preservation, asset protection, and strategic planning. Moore Colson refers clients requiring independent trustee services to Magnolia Trust Company, and the two firms work together to provide comprehensive estate and trust solutions.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cherry Bekaert: Cherry Bekaert is a large independent CPA and advisory firm headquartered in Raleigh, NC, offering tax, assurance, and advisory services across multiple industries. It is one of the most direct comparable firms to Moore Colson in scale (top-30 US firm), service mix, and independent ownership positioning.
• Plante Moran: Plante Moran is one of the largest independent CPA and business advisory firms in the US, with strong mid-market and industry-specialized practices. Its independent, partner-led structure and multi-industry service offering are closely comparable to Moore Colson's model.
• Wipfli: Wipfli is a top-20 US accounting and advisory firm providing tax, audit, and consulting services to mid-market clients across many of the same verticals as Moore Colson (construction, healthcare, manufacturing, real estate). Comparable in scale and independent ownership structure.
• Carr, Riggs & Ingram (CRI): CRI is a top-30 US accounting and advisory firm offering tax, audit, and consulting services with strong Southeast presence. It competes with Moore Colson for similar closely-held business, construction, and real estate clients in overlapping Southeast geographies.
• Eide Bailly: Eide Bailly is a top-25 US CPA and business advisory firm with industry-specialized practices in construction, real estate, healthcare, and more. Highly comparable service mix and mid-market positioning make it a strong peer for Moore Colson.

Broad incumbents

• Forvis (formerly BKD + Dixon Hughes Goodman): Forvis is a top-10 US accounting firm formed via merger offering tax, audit, and advisory services across all 50 states. It is significantly larger than Moore Colson and competes for many of the same mid-market and PE-backed clients with broader geographic reach.
• Crowe: Crowe is a top-10 US public accounting and consulting firm offering audit, tax, advisory, and risk services. It competes with Moore Colson for advisory, SOC, and assurance engagements from larger mid-market clients, particularly in healthcare and financial services.
• BDO USA: BDO USA is a top-5 US accounting and advisory firm with global reach. While much larger than Moore Colson, it directly competes for SOC, cybersecurity, transaction advisory, and assurance engagements from mid-market and PE-backed clients.

Regional players

• Bennett Thrasher (now part of Forvis): Atlanta-headquartered CPA and advisory firm with deep Southeast roots in closely-held business, real estate, and private equity tax services. Direct Atlanta competitor to Moore Colson before its merger into Forvis, and remains relevant as a benchmark for Atlanta market dynamics.
• Windham Brannon: Atlanta-based CPA and advisory firm serving closely-held businesses, private equity, and high-net-worth clients with tax, assurance, and advisory services. Directly competes with Moore Colson in the Atlanta market for similar mid-market and PE clientele.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/moore-colson
• Instagraminstagram.com/moorecolson
• Xx.com/MooreColson

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Moore Colson