Off-market deal: Fast-growing accounting firm with 5,500 clients and 50%+ margins

Hey it’s Ben!

In this week’s off-market deal, we’re highlighting a tax and accounting firm in the Chicago suburbs that has grown from 157 clients to over 5,500 in eleven years (entirely through word of mouth) that just came across our radar.

With $2.4M in 2025 revenue, 50-55% net margins, and early 2026 numbers already running 36% ahead of last year, this is one of the stronger growth stories we’ve seen in the accounting space.

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The Deal Overview

This is a full-service tax and accounting firm serving primarily small and mid-sized businesses across corporate tax prep, bookkeeping, payroll, and compliance.

The owner is not a CPA and has built the firm as an operator and growth driver, meaning a buyer doesn’t need accounting credentials to step in.

The firm has 23 employees across multiple functions including CPAs, payroll specialists, client coordinators, and internal managers who handle day-to-day operations.

Most client work is delivered digitally through cloud systems, giving it flexibility beyond its physical Chicago-area office.

This opportunity came through direct outreach in the Midwest accounting community and is not publicly listed.

The Numbers

2025 Revenue: ~$2.4M

2024 Revenue: ~$2.1M (13.2% YoY growth)

Net margins: 50-55% (normalized closer to 60% with add-backs)

Clients: 5,500+

Team: 23 employees

Debt: None

Early 2026: Already ~$930K revenue through 7 weeks, up ~36% YoY

The largest single client represents only $60K annually, meaning there’s no client concentration risk here.

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Why this Deal Stands Out

Eleven consecutive years of organic growth with zero marketing spend is extraordinarily rare.

This firm has never needed to advertise, because its reputation does all the work for them.

The combination of zero debt, strong margins, a fully staffed team, and accelerating early 2026 performance makes this one of the cleanest accounting firm opportunities we’ve come across.

And with several hundred thousand dollars in potential add-backs still to be identified during diligence, the normalized profitability picture could look even better than it does on paper.

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