Capstan

What Capstan does

Capstan Tax Strategies is a privately held tax consulting firm headquartered in Dresher, Pennsylvania, that delivers engineering-based tax solutions across all 50 states. The firm's core practice areas are cost segregation studies for commercial and residential rental real estate, federal and state R&D tax credit studies, and energy-efficient tax incentives (179D deductions, Investment and Clean Electricity Tax Credits, and EV Charging Station Credits). Its methodology combines on-site property inspections and asset identification by licensed engineers with documentation built to IRS Cost Segregation Audit Techniques Guide standards, IRS-preferred Project-Based Analysis for R&D credits, and DOE-approved energy modeling under NREL guidelines. Services are produced by multidisciplinary teams of engineers, tax attorneys, and analysts, and the firm offers no-cost audit support with deliverables.

The firm monetizes through project-based, flat-fee professional services engagements, with pricing set at project start and percentage-based fees prohibited under IRS Circular 230. Distribution operates on two rails: direct engagement with property owners, developers, and businesses, and a referral channel built on thousands of CPA partners who maintain primary client relationships while Capstan provides behind-the-scenes technical work. The go-to-market is supported by content marketing, Capstan University (CPE-eligible training for CPAs), a podcast, a monthly newsletter, and SEO-oriented service pages. Named customer engagements span real estate (hotels, multifamily), manufacturing, engineering firms, and public-sector projects (state university system), with cumulative scale signals including 8,000+ cost segregation analyses, 2,700+ R&D tax credit studies, thousands of 179D studies, and over $1 billion in client tax savings.

Capstan is independently owned, with no disclosed external investors, and is led in part by Michael Breeze as Chief Financial Officer. The firm shows no M&A history, no funding rounds, and no public-listing signals. Its competitive position rests on the depth of completed studies, the cross-disciplinary engineer-plus-tax talent profile, and a CPA referral channel that is time-intensive for competitors to replicate.

Name

Capstan

Legal name

Capstan Tax Strategies

Website

https://capstantax.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Capstan Tax Strategies is a privately held tax consulting firm delivering engineering-based cost segregation studies, R&D tax credit studies, and energy-efficient tax incentives to property owners, businesses, and CPA partners nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tax Consulting Services

NAICS

Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services (5412), Tax Preparation Services (541213)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Tax Advisory & Compliance (BPAHABAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Tax Planning & Personal Tax Optimization Tools (FSAGADAJ)

Keywords

• Cost segregation studies
• R&D tax credits
• Engineering tax analysis
• Energy efficiency deductions
• Tax consulting services

Headquarters

HQ city

Jenkintown

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Cost Segregation Studies: One-time project fees for engineering-based cost segregation studies on commercial and residential rental properties. Fees are commensurate with project scope, size, and complexity. Typical ROI exceeds 10 to 1.
2. R&D Tax Credit Studies: Flat-fee project-based engagements for R&D tax credit analysis and documentation. Transparent pricing set at project beginning with no unexpected additional fees. Covers federal and state R&D credit opportunities.
3. Energy Efficiency Studies: Fees for 179D energy deduction studies, Investment Tax Credit analysis, EV charging station credit studies, and related energy-efficient tax incentive consulting.
4. Strategic Tax Credits Consulting: End-to-end strategic tax credits consulting services for identifying, qualifying, and claiming overlooked opportunities. Tailored solutions for specific business goals and asset mixes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Capstan Tax Strategies is a professional services firm that performs engineering-based technical tax analyses, including Cost Segregation Studies for real estate, R&D Tax Credit Studies for innovation-driven businesses, and Energy-Efficient Tax Incentive studies (179D deductions, Investment/Clean Electricity Credits, EV Charging Credits). Deliverables include on-site inspections, asset identification and costing, contemporaneous documentation, and IRS-compliant reports, executed by multidisciplinary teams of engineers, tax attorneys, and analysts for CPAs, real estate investors, and business owners nationwide.

Product overview

Capstan Tax Strategies is a tax consulting firm offering engineering-based tax analysis services rather than a unified software platform. The core offerings include Cost Segregation Studies (for real estate, hotels, restaurants, retail, self-storage), R&D Tax Credit Studies (for architecture, engineering, manufacturing, software, and other industries), and Energy-Efficient Tax Incentives (179D deductions, Investment/Clean Electricity Tax Credits, EV Charging Station Credits). Additional services include Predominant Use Studies, Unit of Property Analysis, and Tangible Property Analysis Consulting. The firm also provides educational resources through Capstan U. Services are delivered by multidisciplinary teams of engineers, tax attorneys, and analysts who perform on-site inspections and provide IRS-compliant documentation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Capstan University: Educational and training services for CPAs and professionals on tax strategies including CPE credits

Products and services

• Cost Segregation Studies Engineering-based forensic analysis that accelerates depreciation by reclassifying building components into shorter-lived asset categories (5, 7, or 15 years instead of 27.5 or 39 years), improving early-year cash flow and tax savings for commercial and residential rental property owners. Engineers perform on-site property inspections, asset identification, cost estimation, and produce detailed IRS-compliant reports following the IRS Cost Segregation Audit Techniques Guide. Available across hotels, restaurants, retail, self-storage, multifamily, and other asset-rich property types with ROI typically exceeding 10 to 1.
• R&D Tax Credit Studies Federal and state research and development tax credit analysis that helps companies quantify and document qualified research expenses, providing dollar-for-dollar tax liability reduction for innovation activities. Uses IRS-preferred project-based analysis methodology including contemporaneous documentation collection, SME interviews, and detailed linkage of qualified activities to qualified expenses. Industry-specific applications include architecture, engineering, manufacturing, software development, and breweries. Recovers up to 10 cents per qualifying dollar spent on research, with multi-year retroactive claim support.
• 179D Energy Deduction Federal tax deduction rewarding energy-efficient construction and renovation for commercial buildings and residential properties 4+ stories, providing up to $5.94/sq ft for qualifying HVAC, lighting, and building envelope improvements meeting Prevailing Wage and Apprenticeship Requirements. Uses DOE-approved energy modeling software and NREL-compliant site visits conducted by properly licensed, qualified individuals.
• Investment Tax Credit and Clean Electricity Investment Credit Tax credits rewarding installation of renewable energy systems including solar panels, geothermal heat pumps, and energy storage systems. Base rate of 6% increases to 30% with prevailing wage compliance for qualifying projects.
• EV Charging Station Credit Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit for installation of electric vehicle charging stations, with recent shift from per-location to per-charger permitting multiple credit iterations on the same site.
• Predominant Use Studies Studies to determine predominant use of properties for utility cost allocation and tax purposes, supporting classification decisions that affect tax treatment and operating cost distribution.
• Unit of Property (UoP) Analysis Engineering-based analysis determining unit of property classification for tax depreciation purposes, supporting accurate asset groupings and depreciation strategy.
• Tangible Property Analysis (TPA) Consulting Consulting services for tangible property rules compliance and asset disposition analysis, helping businesses navigate repair vs. capitalization determinations and disposition treatment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Cost segregation study ROI typically exceeds 10 to 1
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Cherry Bekaert: Mid-market-focused accounting firm with a dedicated Credits & Incentives practice offering R&D credits, cost segregation, and energy incentives. Comparable practice composition though wrapped in a broader audit and tax advisory firm.
• BDO USA: Top-10 accounting and advisory firm with a dedicated Credits & Incentives practice covering R&D, cost segregation, 179D, and energy credits. A broader incumbent that competes for the same mid-market and enterprise tax credit engagements.
• RSM US: Large mid-market accounting firm with tax credit and incentives capabilities including R&D credits and cost segregation. Serves similar mid-market property owners and businesses through CPA-led channels.
• Ryan, LLC: Large global tax services and software firm with significant specialty tax credit practices (R&D, cost segregation, credits and incentives) serving mid-market and enterprise. A broader incumbent that overlaps with Capstan on R&D credits and cost segregation studies.
• Baker Tilly: Top-10 advisory firm with a Federal Tax Specialty Practice covering R&D credits, cost segregation, and energy credits. Competes with Capstan on enterprise and mid-market credits & incentives engagements.
• Aprio (formerly Hungerford Nichols + Powell & Carson): Mid-market advisory and accounting firm with a specialty tax incentives practice including R&D tax credits and cost segregation studies. Overlaps with Capstan's CPA-referral-led, mid-market client base.

Direct peers

• GreenSlate: Specialty R&D tax credit firm focused on software developers and tech-adjacent industries with a CPA-referral-led model. Closely comparable on the R&D side of Capstan's practice and target customer overlap.
• KBKG: One of the largest specialty tax firms in the U.S., with a practice portfolio that closely mirrors Capstan's across cost segregation, R&D tax credits, 179D energy deductions, and fixed asset services. KBKG is the most direct head-to-head competitor in engineering-based cost segregation.
• Engineered Tax Services (ETS): Engineering-driven cost segregation and 179D tax incentive firm targeting CPAs and property owners with a similar engineering-based methodology and CPA referral channel. Direct competitor in cost segregation for hotels, restaurants, retail, and other asset classes.
• Alliant Group: Specialty tax credit consultancy with a heavy emphasis on R&D tax credits, cost segregation, and energy incentives, served primarily through CPA referral channels. Directly comparable business model and target customer segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/capstantax
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/capstan-tax-strategies

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Capstan