Tarsus
Tarsus is a Washington, DC-based outsourced accounting firm founded in 2002, serving 1,000+ clients across technology, government contracting, and staffing verticals. Acquired by Cherry Bekaert in January 2026, it provides CFO advisory, bookkeeping, controller, tax, payroll, and M&A services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Tarsus does
Tarsus is a Washington, DC-headquartered outsourced accounting and finance firm founded in 2002 by Paul Bertrand and Paul Burns. It delivers a comprehensive service portfolio spanning CFO consulting, controller services, accounting, bookkeeping, FP&A, payroll, tax planning and compliance, audit preparation, M&A advisory, and capital and funding support, with three product pillars: Accounting & Reporting, Compliance/Tax/Payroll, and Financial Management & Strategy. The firm is a professional services business rather than a software company; its underlying technology is described as standard accounting and ERP platforms (e.g., QuickBooks, Sage Intacct, Microsoft Dynamics), supplemented by an integrated partner ecosystem (ADP, Bill.com, Power BI, etc.). It uses no proprietary AI/ML technology per the input data.
Tarsus targets seven primary verticals, with the strongest emphasis on technology and high-growth companies, government contractors (with DCAA-compliant accounting capabilities), and staffing firms, supported by sub-brands GovCon Accountants, AdminAssist, and Staffworx. The client base exceeds 1,000 served organizations, and the firm claims to manage $500M+ in client revenue annually. Pricing is quote-based on customized monthly recurring engagements, with no long-term contracts, enabling flexible scaling of fractional CFO and controller services up and down.
The go-to-market is sales-led, combining direct outreach, referral partnerships (e.g., VentureCount, Boost Holdings, AdminAssist, GovCon Accountants), content and event marketing, and a 'Book a Call' website CTA. Tarsus operates five offices (Washington DC; California; Missouri; Utah; Bangalore, India), with India enabling around-the-clock service. On January 13, 2026, Tarsus was acquired by Cherry Bekaert, a leading national accounting, tax, and advisory firm, expanding the firm's enterprise reach and integrating it into Cherry Bekaert's Outsourced Accounting Services practice.
Tarsus firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tarsus
- Legal name
- Tarsus
- Website
- https://tarsus.pro
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Tarsus is a Washington, DC-based outsourced accounting firm founded in 2002, serving 1,000+ clients across technology, government contracting, and staffing verticals. Acquired by Cherry Bekaert in January 2026, it provides CFO advisory, bookkeeping, controller, tax, payroll, and M&A services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tarsus industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Outsourced Accounting & Finance Services
- NAICS
- Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services (54121)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Tax Operations Support (Indirect Tax, Withholding, Compliance Admin) (BPAAAGAI)
Keywords
Where Tarsus is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Tarsus business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Outsourced Accounting Services: Recurring professional services revenue from providing outsourced accounting, bookkeeping, controller services, CFO advisory, tax planning, compliance, payroll, and audit preparation services to clients on an ongoing basis.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Monthly | Customized service packages tailored to client needs |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Tarsus product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tarsus is a Washington, DC-based outsourced accounting and finance services firm delivering a full suite of back-office financial services including bookkeeping, accounting, controller services, fractional CFO advisory, FP&A, payroll, tax planning and compliance, audit preparation, and M&A and capital funding advisory. The firm specializes in serving technology and high-growth companies, government contractors (DCAA-compliant), and staffing firms, with additional offerings under sub-brands GovCon Accountants, AdminAssist, and Staffworx. Following its January 2026 acquisition by Cherry Bekaert, Tarsus operates as part of Cherry Bekaert's Outsourced Accounting Services practice.
Product overview
Tarsus is an outsourced accounting and finance services company offering a comprehensive suite of financial services structured around three main pillars: (1) Accounting & Reporting (Accounting, Bookkeeping, Controller Services), (2) Compliance, Tax & Payroll (Audit Preparation, Payroll Services, Tax Planning), and (3) Financial Management & Strategy (CFO Consulting & Advisory, FP&A). The company also provides Transaction Services including M&A Advisory and Capital Funding Support. Tarsus operates specialized vertical offerings including GovCon Accountants for government contractors and AdminAssist/Staffworx for the staffing industry. Following its acquisition by Cherry Bekaert in January 2026, Tarsus serves clients across technology, healthcare, manufacturing, professional services, and government contracting sectors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- AdminAssist: Back-office accounting solution tailored exclusively to staffing companies, providing HR, benefits administration, accounting, project management, and systems integration services.
- GovCon Accountants
- Staffworx
Products and services
- CFO Consulting & Advisory Fractional CFO services providing strategic financial leadership, including capital formation, M&A advisory, financial planning, and stakeholder communications for companies at various growth stages.
- Controller Services Financial management services providing advanced metrics, enhanced reporting, and fractional or interim controller staff beyond basic accounting functions.
- Accounting Services Expert accounting processing including financial reports, insights, analysis, and accounts receivable/payable management for businesses across industries.
- Bookkeeping Financial record-keeping services tailored to business needs with detailed reporting and alignment across financial statements.
- Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) Strategic financial management and planning solutions providing essential insights and tools for effective financial management and long-term stability.
- Payroll Services Payroll operations optimization through analysis of existing strategies and streamlining to eliminate bottlenecks for client organizations.
- Tax Planning, Compliance, Credits & Advisory Tax optimization and regulatory compliance services including current and evolving tax strategies aligned with business goals.
- Audit Preparation & Support Regulatory and GAAP compliance support to reduce risks and handle financial compliance aspects with accuracy and personalization.
- M&A Advisory and Support End-to-end transaction assistance for buy and sell-side deals, tailored to unique transactions to maximize shareholder value.
- Capital & Funding Support Financial and operational assistance for growth including funding term understanding, debt/equity management, and regulatory compliance.
- GovCon Accountants DCAA-compliant accounting, bookkeeping, and consulting services tailored for US government contractors, including indirect rate calculations and compliant timekeeping.
- AdminAssist Back-office accounting solution tailored exclusively to staffing companies, covering HR, benefits administration, accounting, project management, and systems integration.
Quantifiable outcome
- 150+ global employees managing over $500M in client revenue
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Tarsus
Customer profileSegments7 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Tarsus technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration11 records
Tarsus partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- StrategixminorNote: This partnership involves Tarsus Distribution (South Africa), not the US-based Tarsus accounting firm. Tarsus Distribution partnered with Check Point and Strategix for cybersecurity distribution in southern Africa.
- Cherry BekaertcoreCherry Bekaert acquired Tarsus to expand its outsourced accounting services practice. The acquisition strengthens Cherry Bekaert's presence in Washington, DC and Kansas City markets while broadening its geographic footprint with additional offices in California, Missouri, and Bangalore, India.
- VentureCount CFO ServicesminorPartnership to enhance nationwide financial and back-office support, expanding expertise and market presence through combined service offerings.
- AdminAssistcoreAdminAssist provides back-office accounting solutions tailored exclusively to staffing companies, including HR, benefits administration, accounting, project management, and systems integration. Partnership expands outsourced finance and accounting services nationwide.
- GovCon AccountantscorePartnership to enhance DCAA-compliant accounting services for government contractors nationwide, expanding expertise and geographic reach for government contracting clients.
- VentureCountcoreStrategic partnership with VentureCount to provide full-spectrum finance and accounting services to clients nationwide. VentureCount provides outsourced finance and accounting services including bookkeeping, payroll, financial forecasting and analysis, and CFO services from offices in Washington, D.C. and Bangalore, India.
- Boost HoldingscoreBoost Holdings, led by Mario Curci, offers strategic CFO services, M&A advisory, bookkeeping, tax, payroll and accounting services. Combined with VentureCount to create a more scaled outsourced finance and accounting services platform.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Tarsus competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Bench: Bench delivers AI-assisted bookkeeping and financial reporting to small businesses using a hybrid software-plus-human model, representing an emerging threat to traditional outsourced bookkeeping economics.
- Pilot: Pilot is a fast-growing tech-enabled bookkeeping and accounting provider focused on startups and SaaS companies — an emerging direct competitor at the entry of the outsourced accounting stack that Tarsus targets in its tech vertical.
Broad incumbents
- CBIZ: CBIZ is a national provider of accounting, tax, and advisory services whose outsourced finance and bookkeeping practice competes with Tarsus across mid-market, government contracting, and SMB clients.
- Aprio: Aprio is a large US accounting and advisory firm whose outsourced accounting, controller, and CFO services target tech and growth-stage clients, directly overlapping Tarsus's tech/high-growth core vertical.
- Marcum LLP: Marcum LLP is a top-15 US accounting firm providing outsourced accounting, tax, and advisory services to closely-held and mid-market businesses, with comparable service breadth but at a national scale Tarsus cannot match standalone.
- BDO USA: BDO USA is a major national accounting and advisory firm offering outsourced accounting alongside audit, tax, and consulting; it competes with Tarsus at the enterprise end of mid-market engagements where Tarsus also plays post-Cherry Bekaert.
- Wipfli: Wipfli is a top-20 US accounting and advisory firm with a sizable outsourced accounting and CFO advisory practice serving middle-market and growth clients — directly competing with Tarsus's service portfolio and customer base at higher scale.
- Withum: Withum is a major regional accounting and advisory firm with an established outsourced accounting practice serving technology, life sciences, and government contractors — verticals that overlap meaningfully with Tarsus's primary targets.
Direct peers
- CFO Suite: CFO Suite provides outsourced CFO, controller, accounting, and bookkeeping services to growth-stage and middle-market companies, with a team-based fractional delivery model that closely mirrors Tarsus's core stack.
- AccountingDepartment.com: AccountingDepartment.com delivers recurring outsourced bookkeeping, controller, and CFO services to small and mid-sized businesses nationwide, directly overlapping Tarsus's primary service pillars and monthly recurring professional-services model.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Tarsus social profiles
Digital presenceTarsus compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Tarsus financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tarsus leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles18 records
Tarsus funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tarsus 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 Tarsus
What does Tarsus do?
Tarsus is a Washington, DC-based outsourced accounting and finance services firm delivering a full suite of back-office financial services including bookkeeping, accounting, controller services, fractional CFO advisory, FP&A, payroll, tax planning and compliance, audit preparation, and M&A and capital funding advisory. The firm specializes in serving technology and high-growth companies, government contractors (DCAA-compliant), and staffing firms, with additional offerings under sub-brands GovCon Accountants, AdminAssist, and Staffworx. Following its January 2026 acquisition by Cherry Bekaert, Tarsus operates as part of Cherry Bekaert's Outsourced Accounting Services practice.
Is Tarsus a public or private company?
Tarsus is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Tarsus founded?
Tarsus was founded in 2002. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Tarsus based?
Tarsus is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does Tarsus make money?
One revenue line is on record: outsourced Accounting Services.
Who are Tarsus's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Bench and Pilot. Broad incumbents are CBIZ, Aprio, Marcum LLP, BDO USA, Wipfli and Withum. Direct peers are CFO Suite and AccountingDepartment.com.
Does Tarsus have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tarsus.
What industry is Tarsus in?
Tarsus's product category is Outsourced Accounting & Finance Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAAAGAI, Tax Operations Support (Indirect Tax, Withholding, Compliance Admin). Its NAICS code is 54121.