Hacker, Nelson, & Co. P.C

What Hacker, Nelson, & Co. P.C does

Hacker, Nelson, & Co., P.C. is a privately-held professional accounting corporation founded in 1950, headquartered in Decorah, Iowa, that delivers tax preparation, payroll processing, accounting/bookkeeping, and advisory services to individuals, small-to-medium businesses, and agricultural operations across Northeast Iowa. The firm operates from three physical office locations in Decorah (123 West Water Street), Waukon (210 7th Avenue SE), and New Hampton (15 East Main Street), serving as its primary client interface in a rural market where in-person service is a competitive necessity.

The firm's service stack layers professional-services delivery over third-party SaaS infrastructure rather than proprietary technology. Core offerings include federal and state tax preparation plus downloadable PDF/Excel Tax Tools and Payroll Tools. Document exchange and e-signature are handled through the SafeSend Client Portal and SafeSend Returns, while ongoing payroll administration is run on the Payroll Relief portal. The firm website (hackernelson.cpa), built and hosted by Iroc Web Design Services, additionally exposes Pay Now and Upload A File functionality. No proprietary platform, no AI/ML features, no patents, and no certifications were disclosed.

Revenue is generated through professional service fees billed on a quote basis per engagement, with no publicly disclosed pricing. The customer base is horizontally segmented across individuals/families, SMBs (primary segments), and agricultural/farming operations (secondary). Distribution is exclusively direct, via in-person consultations at the three Iowa offices, supported by self-service digital portals for existing clients. The firm does not pursue advertising-driven acquisition; go-to-market rests on its long-standing local reputation and multi-generational client relationships. No funding events, M&A, leadership changes, or ownership disclosures were identified, consistent with a typical owner-operated regional CPA practice.

Name

Hacker, Nelson, & Co. P.C

Legal name

Hacker, Nelson & Co., P.C.

Website

https://hackernelson.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hacker, Nelson, & Co., P.C. is a regional CPA firm in Northeast Iowa providing tax preparation, payroll processing, accounting, and advisory services to individuals, small-to-medium businesses, and agricultural operations from three office locations in Decorah, Waukon, and New Hampton.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Decorah

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 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. Professional Accounting Services: Accounting, tax preparation, and payroll processing services provided to individuals and businesses. Revenue generated through professional service fees for ongoing compliance, advisory, and preparation work.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Hacker, Nelson & Co., P.C. is a regional Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm providing professional tax preparation, payroll processing, accounting, and bookkeeping services to individuals, families, and small-to-medium businesses across Northeast Iowa from three office locations in Decorah, Waukon, and New Hampton. The firm supplements its core advisory and compliance work with client-facing digital tools, including electronic tax document delivery and online payroll management portals, to support ongoing client engagements.

Product overview

Hacker, Nelson & Co., P.C. is a regional CPA firm offering accounting and tax services. The core offering consists of tax preparation services supplemented by client-facing digital tools including SafeSend Returns for electronic tax document delivery, the Payroll Relief Portal for payroll management, and the SafeSend Client Portal for secure document exchange. The firm also provides downloadable Payroll Tools and Tax Tools resources to assist clients in organizing their financial information.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tax Preparation Services Professional tax preparation services for individuals and businesses, including preparation of federal and state tax returns and related compliance support.
• Payroll Processing Services Payroll processing and administration services for clients, managed via the Payroll Relief portal platform, including employee payroll management and ongoing payroll compliance.
• Accounting & Bookkeeping Services Accounting and bookkeeping services provided to local businesses, supporting financial record organization, reporting, and ongoing financial management needs.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Iroc Web Design ServicesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWebsite development and hosting services provider for the firm's online presence and digital marketing.

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• ADP: Largest U.S. payroll and HR services provider, competing directly with the Payroll Relief-based payroll offering at Hacker, Nelson & Co. for SMB payroll clients, though at vastly larger scale and with a broader technology suite.
• CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA): National accounting firm with strong Midwest and agribusiness practices, providing tax, audit, payroll, and advisory to individuals and businesses. Comparable service mix and ag-sector exposure, but at substantially larger scale than a regional CPA firm like Hacker, Nelson & Co.
• Paychex: Major SMB-focused payroll, HR, and benefits provider competing for the same small-business payroll and compliance clients served by Hacker, Nelson & Co.'s Payroll Relief practice. Comparable target market, broader product suite, and national scale.
• H&R Block: National tax preparation chain offering DIY software, online, and in-person tax filing for individuals and small businesses. Competes with Hacker, Nelson & Co. primarily on commoditized individual and small-business tax preparation, but with vastly broader scale and a digital-first model.
• Wipfli: Top-20 U.S. accounting and advisory firm with strong Midwest presence offering tax, payroll, audit, and technology services to SMBs. Overlaps with Hacker, Nelson & Co. on SMB tax and payroll services but operates at significantly greater scale and geographic breadth.
• BerganKDV (now FORVIS): Large Midwest-rooted CPA and advisory firm (now part of FORVIS) offering tax, audit, payroll, and consulting with deep ag-sector practices. Comparable in service breadth and rural/Midwest client base, but materially larger and broader in scope than Hacker, Nelson & Co.

Emerging players

• Intuit (QuickBooks / TurboTax): Dominant provider of accounting and tax software for SMBs and individuals (QuickBooks, TurboTax). Represents the most significant competitive threat to Hacker, Nelson & Co.'s bookkeeping and individual tax preparation services via low-cost DIY alternatives.

Direct peers

• Honkamp Krueger & Co. Midwest CPA firm headquartered in Iowa providing tax preparation, accounting, payroll, and advisory services to individuals and businesses, including a strong agricultural practice. Direct overlap in geography, service mix, and ag-sector specialization.
• Eide Bailly: Regional Midwest-based CPA and advisory firm offering tax, audit, payroll, and consulting to individuals, businesses, and ag clients. Closely comparable as a multi-office accounting services firm serving rural and small-city markets similar to Hacker, Nelson & Co.

Regional players

• Jackson Hewitt: National tax preparation franchise with retail storefronts focused primarily on individual tax returns for lower- and middle-income filers. Comparable as a tax-prep services competitor serving similar individual clients, but with a franchise/retail model rather than a professional CPA firm.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Hacker, Nelson, & Co. P.C