Lutz & Carr
Lutz & Carr is a New York-based CPA firm founded in 1951 providing tax, audit, and advisory services to not-for-profit organizations, entertainment and film industry clients, high-net-worth individuals, closely held businesses, private foundations, and real estate owners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1951
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Lutz & Carr does
Lutz & Carr (legally Lutz and Carr CPAs, LLP) is a privately held, independent New York-based CPA firm founded in 1951 by Robert Carr and Edward Lutz, with offices at 551 Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. The firm provides personalized tax compliance, consulting, and planning services alongside specialized audit and attestation services for not-for-profit organizations, with additional practice areas spanning closely held businesses, entertainment industry clients (film, television, and performing arts), high-net-worth individuals and families, private foundations, and real estate. Notably, it is one of a limited number of pre-qualified CPA firms authorized to conduct New York State Empire Development Film Tax Credit Program reviews, supporting a niche in entertainment and film production accounting.
The firm's core product set is organized around nine service/practice lines: tax services, not-for-profit audit, closely held business advisory, entertainment industry and artist services, film production accounting, high-net-worth individuals and families, private foundations, and real estate, delivered through a ShareFile-based client portal and direct partner-led engagement. There is no proprietary technology platform; the underlying capability rests on credentialed human expertise (CPAs, including former Big Four and top-50 national firm alumni), specialized regulatory knowledge (Yellow Book, Uniform Guidance/Single Audit, NY Film Tax Credit Program), and deep institutional knowledge of NYC's nonprofit performing arts, museum, and cultural institution ecosystem built over 75 years.
The business model is a conventional professional services billable-hours/engagement-fee structure with quote-based engagement terms; pricing is not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is almost entirely referral-driven, leveraging long-tenured client relationships (e.g., The Public Theater since the Joe Papp era, Lincoln Center Theater, The Apollo Theater) and deep participation in NYC arts, cultural, and entertainment professional networks. The firm is structured as a Limited Liability Partnership, employs 10 partners and 50 staff as of 2024 (up from 9 partners and 40 staff in 2017), and has remained independent throughout its history with no parent company, subsidiaries, or external funding.
Lutz & Carr firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lutz & Carr
- Legal name
- Lutz and Carr CPAs, LLP
- Website
- https://lutzandcarr.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1951
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Lutz & Carr is a New York-based CPA firm founded in 1951 providing tax, audit, and advisory services to not-for-profit organizations, entertainment and film industry clients, high-net-worth individuals, closely held businesses, private foundations, and real estate owners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Lutz & Carr industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Accounting and Tax Services
- NAICS
- Offices of Certified Public Accountants (541211)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Accounting, Audit & Tax (CPA/CA/ACCA CPE) (EDAAALAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Real Estate Tax, Incentives & Cost Segregation Advisory (BPAJANAJ)
Keywords
Where Lutz & Carr is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Lutz & Carr business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Tax Services: Tax compliance, consulting, and planning services for individuals, closely held businesses, entertainment industry clients, real estate owners, and high-net-worth families. Includes tax return preparation, IRS examination representation, and tax planning.
- Audit and Attestation Services: Financial statement audits, reviews, and compilations for not-for-profit organizations. Conducts internal controls reviews and compliance audits under government auditing standards (Yellow Book) and Uniform Guidance (Single Audit).
- Film Tax Credit Services: Specialized services for New York State film tax credit reviews and Empire State Development Film Tax Credit Program applications. One of few certified CPA firms handling this work.
- Private Foundation Services: Accounting, audit, and tax services for private foundations including minimum distribution compliance, unrelated business income reporting, and expenditure responsibility.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Lutz & Carr product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lutz and Carr is a New York-based CPA firm providing personalized tax compliance, consulting, and planning services to individuals, closely held businesses, entertainment industry clients, real estate owners, and high-net-worth families, along with audit and attestation services for not-for-profit organizations. The firm also delivers specialized services including film tax credit reviews for the New York State Empire Development Film Tax Credit Program, private foundation compliance, and estate and wealth transfer planning.
Product overview
Lutz and Carr is a New York-based CPA firm offering professional accounting and advisory services organized as a unified practice with specialized service lines. The core offerings consist of Tax Services and Not-For-Profit Audit Services, supplemented by industry-specific services for Closely Held Businesses, Entertainment Industry and Artists, Film Production Companies, High Net Worth Individuals and Families, Private Foundations, and Real Estate. The firm also provides a Client Portal for client communication and document sharing. These services are delivered by a team of partners and staff through a collaborative, hands-on approach with big-firm expertise.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Tax Services Strategic tax counsel, proactive tax planning, and tax compliance services for individuals, closely held businesses, entertainment industry clients, real estate owners, and high-net-worth families. Includes tax return preparation, IRS examination representation, and tax planning.
- Not-For-Profit Audit Services Financial statement audits, reviews, and compilations for not-for-profit organizations, including internal controls review and compliance with U.S. GAAP, Yellow Book government auditing standards, and Uniform Guidance (Single Audit).
- Closely Held Business Services Tax planning, advisory, and compliance services for businesses ranging from startups to multigenerational family enterprises, including business entity structuring, succession planning, M&A accounting support, and payroll and sales tax returns.
- Entertainment Industry and Artists Services Tax advisory, planning, and compliance services for film and television producers, directors, writers, actors, musicians, and creative artists, including loan-out company administration, residual payments, and international taxation.
- Film Production Companies Services Accounting and tax services for film production companies including company structuring, tax planning, film tax credit review and processing for the Empire State Development Film Tax Credit Program, and collection account management.
- High Net Worth Individuals and Families Services Comprehensive wealth preservation and transfer services including tax planning, estate planning, charitable giving, succession planning, and tax controversy resolution for high-net-worth individuals and families.
- Private Foundations Services Audit, tax, and consulting services for private foundations including annual distribution compliance, unrelated business income reporting, equivalency determinations, expenditure responsibility, and governance consulting.
- Real Estate Services Full range of accounting, tax preparation, consulting, planning, compliance, and audit services for real estate owners, investors, developers, and managing agents, including property tax evaluation and Section 1031 like-kind exchange advice.
- Client Portal Secure online portal for clients to access documents, share files, and communicate with Lutz and Carr CPAs.
Quantifiable outcome
- Assisted client in obtaining research and development tax credit totaling $766,000
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Lutz & Carr
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Lutz & Carr technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Lutz & Carr partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Lutz & Carr competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Marks Paneth: NYC-headquartered mid-market accounting firm with strong practices in not-for-profit, real estate, and entertainment — directly comparable to Lutz & Carr in client mix and specialty positioning.
- Anchin, Block & Anchin: NYC mid-market CPA firm serving closely held businesses, real estate, and professional services — overlapping service lines and client segments with Lutz & Carr.
- PKF O'Connor Davies: Northeast regional accounting firm with significant nonprofit, government, and closely held business practices — direct competitor for NYC NFP audit and tax engagements.
- Friedman LLP: NYC-based mid-market CPA firm serving closely held businesses, real estate, and nonprofit clients — directly comparable in scale and vertical mix.
- Grassi & Co. NYC accounting and business advisory firm with practices in closely held businesses, nonprofit, and professional services — similar positioning and client overlap.
- Buchbinder Tunick & Company: NYC CPA firm specialized in not-for-profit audit, tax, and advisory — a closer niche peer on the NFP audit side of Lutz & Carr's practice.
- Sobel & Co. Mid-Atlantic CPA firm with strong not-for-profit and closely held business practices — comparable vertical specialization, though primarily NJ-based.
Broad incumbents
- CohnReznick: Top-20 national accounting firm with one of the largest NFP advisory practices in the US — broader scale but overlapping client types and NFP audit services.
- Withum: National accounting and advisory firm with established nonprofit, entertainment, and professional services practices — competes for similar mid-market NFP and entertainment clients.
- BDO USA: Top-5 global accounting network with a substantial NFP and arts & culture practice — competes for larger NFP audits and entertainment clients that may outgrow mid-market firms.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Lutz & Carr social profiles
Digital presenceLutz & Carr financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lutz & Carr leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles17 records
Lutz & Carr funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lutz & Carr M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Lutz & Carr
What does Lutz & Carr do?
Lutz and Carr is a New York-based CPA firm providing personalized tax compliance, consulting, and planning services to individuals, closely held businesses, entertainment industry clients, real estate owners, and high-net-worth families, along with audit and attestation services for not-for-profit organizations. The firm also delivers specialized services including film tax credit reviews for the New York State Empire Development Film Tax Credit Program, private foundation compliance, and estate and wealth transfer planning.
Is Lutz & Carr a public or private company?
Lutz & Carr is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Lutz & Carr founded?
Lutz & Carr was founded in 1951. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Lutz & Carr based?
Lutz & Carr is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Lutz & Carr make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Tax Services are the primary driver. The others are audit and Attestation Services, film Tax Credit Services and private Foundation Services.
Who are Lutz & Carr's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Marks Paneth, Anchin, Block & Anchin, PKF O'Connor Davies, Friedman LLP, Grassi & Co., Buchbinder Tunick & Company and Sobel & Co.. Broad incumbents are CohnReznick, Withum and BDO USA.
Does Lutz & Carr have an API?
No public API is recorded for Lutz & Carr.
What industry is Lutz & Carr in?
Lutz & Carr's product category is Professional Accounting and Tax Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAALAA, Accounting, Audit & Tax (CPA/CA/ACCA CPE), with a secondary code of BPAJANAJ, Real Estate Tax, Incentives & Cost Segregation Advisory. Its NAICS code is 541211.