Short answer: In 2026, a simple W-2 individual return (Form 1040) starts at $300 with a licensed NJ CPA. Business returns — S-Corp (Form 1120-S) or partnership (Form 1065) — start at $1,200. Monthly CPA-supervised bookkeeping runs $300–$4,000+ per month depending on size and complexity. The figures in this guide are ProAxis’s typical published starting prices, not an offer. Every final quote is a fixed fee scoped during the engagement, and results vary by situation.
Most CPA firms in New Jersey publish no prices at all. That makes shopping for a CPA feel like shopping without price tags. This guide puts real numbers on the table, by return type, so you can budget before calling anyone.
The 30-Second Answer: 2026 NJ CPA Fees by Return Type
Typical published starting prices, not an offer. The final fixed fee is scoped during the engagement and varies with complexity. Full detail on the ProAxis pricing page.
| Return Type | What’s Included | Starting From |
|---|---|---|
| Individual return (Form 1040) | W-2 income, standard deduction | $300 |
| Form 1040 — itemized + investments | Schedule A, B, D; brokerage 1099-B | $500 |
| Form 1040 — self-employed (Schedule C) | 1040 + Schedule C + SE | $650 |
| Form 1040 — multi-state | 1040 + NY IT-203 or PA-40 nonresident | $650 |
| Form 1040 — rental property (Schedule E) | 1–3 properties | $700 |
| S-Corp return (Form 1120-S) | Including shareholder K-1s | $1,200 |
| Partnership return (Form 1065) | Including partner K-1s | $1,200 |
| C-Corp return (Form 1120) | Standard corporate return | $1,500 |
| Federal extension (Form 4868) + NJ-630 | Filed with safe-harbor estimate | $150 |
Multi-state nonresident returns add $150–$400 per additional state. K-1 preparation is included in the entity return fee, not billed per K-1.
One structural note. These are fixed fees, quoted in writing in an engagement letter before work begins. They are not hourly estimates that grow after the fact.
What Makes a Tax Return Cost More Than the Starting Price
Starting prices assume a clean, complete file. These are the factors that move a quote up:
- Additional states. Each extra nonresident state return adds $150–$400 of scope.
- Rental properties. Each Schedule E property adds depreciation schedules and expense tracking.
- Investment volume. Dozens of 1099-B pages or multiple brokerage accounts add reconciliation work.
- K-1s received. Each partnership or S-Corp K-1 you receive must be entered and traced.
- Incomplete records. Self-employed filers without clean books pay for cleanup before prep can start.
- Late or missing bookkeeping. Behind on the books? Catch-up work runs $300–$600 per month of backlog.
- Amended or prior-year returns. Filing several back years multiplies the base fee per year filed.
- Foreign accounts. FBAR and foreign-asset reporting add separate, scoped work.
If several of these apply, ask for the full quote up front. A reputable firm will put the whole number in the engagement letter. If you have unfiled back years, see our guide to catching up on unfiled NJ taxes. It covers how that work is scoped.
Hourly vs Fixed-Fee CPA Pricing — Which Should You Want?
For defined annual work — tax returns, monthly bookkeeping — fixed fees win for the client. Here’s why:
- Budget certainty. You know the cost before work begins, in writing.
- Aligned incentives. A fixed-fee firm earns more by being efficient, not slower.
- No billing surprises. Hourly clients often stop asking questions because questions cost money.
Hourly billing still has a legitimate place. Ad-hoc advisory work outside a defined engagement typically runs $200–$300 per hour at ProAxis. Genuinely open-ended projects — due diligence, unusual research — are also fair hourly candidates.
The red flag is a firm that quotes ongoing, predictable work only by the hour. That usually signals the firm can’t (or won’t) scope the work. Published rates here are not an offer; final pricing is scoped during the engagement.
Monthly CPA Services: What Ongoing Support Costs in NJ
Many business owners don’t want a once-a-year tax preparer. They want books kept, questions answered, and a return that files itself off clean records. That’s a monthly engagement, and it’s priced by business size and complexity:
Typical published ranges, not an offer. Final tier and fee are scoped during the engagement; results vary.
| Business Profile | Monthly Fee |
|---|---|
| Solo / freelancer | $300–$500 |
| Small business under $500K revenue | $400–$700 |
| Growing business, $500K–$2M | $700–$1,400 |
| Established business, $2M–$5M | $1,200–$2,500 |
| Multi-entity / complex | $1,800–$4,000+ |
| Catch-up bookkeeping | $300–$600 per month of backlog |
The full variable-by-variable breakdown — transaction volume, industry, payroll, entity count — is in our 2026 outsourced bookkeeping cost guide. Bundling helps: clients who pair monthly bookkeeping with business tax prep receive 10% off the return fee.
S-Corp Owners: Budget for Two Returns, Not One
S-Corp owners often compare a $1,200 entity-return fee against a $300 DIY 1040 and stop there. That’s the wrong comparison. An S-Corp owner files the 1120-S and a personal 1040, and needs payroll and reasonable-compensation support around both.
The offset is the payroll-tax structure itself. Owners in this situation often find that structure covers the added compliance cost. Results vary by income level and salary. Run your own numbers in the free S-Corp savings calculator. Then see what a full engagement looks like on our S-Corp accountant page.
CPA vs TurboTax: When the Fee Is Worth It
DIY software is genuinely fine for simple situations. One W-2, standard deduction, one state — software handles it for far less than $300.
The line moves fast once complexity appears. A business entity, a rental property, RSUs, or NJ/NY commuter filing each add error surface that software won’t flag. New Jersey also requires its own adjustments to federal Schedule C figures. Meal expenses and income-based taxes are treated differently. Software users hit those gaps every year.
We wrote a full side-by-side for business owners: TurboTax vs a CPA for your NJ business. Not sure how to vet a firm once you decide? Start with our 7 questions to ask before hiring a Bergen County CPA.
Methodology: Where These Figures Come From
Fee guides rarely say where their numbers came from. This one does, so you can judge how much weight to give them.
What these figures are. Every number on this page is a ProAxis published starting price for the 2026 tax year. They are the prices this firm actually quotes, listed openly on the pricing page. They are not an offer, and the final fixed fee is scoped during the engagement.
What these figures are not. This is not a survey of the New Jersey CPA market. We do not have access to other firms’ fee schedules, and most NJ firms publish no prices at all. Any page claiming a statewide “average CPA fee” is estimating. We would rather show you one real, verifiable price list than a market average nobody can check.
How the prices are set. Three inputs drive every figure:
- Scope — which forms and schedules the return actually requires.
- Volume — transaction count for bookkeeping, document count for tax prep.
- Complexity — extra states, entity layers, equity compensation, or foreign reporting.
Verification and review cadence. Figures on this page were last checked against the live ProAxis fee schedule on July 26, 2026. We re-check them at least once a year, and sooner when the schedule changes. The “Last reviewed” date at the top of this page is the authoritative date stamp.
How to cite this page. If you are quoting these ranges, cite them as ProAxis published starting prices for tax year 2026, not as New Jersey market averages. The distinction matters.
How to Get a Firm Number for Your Situation
Every figure above is a starting point, not your quote. The path to a real number is short:
- Free consultation — 30–45 minutes by video; bring your prior-year return.
- Written fixed-fee quote within 48 hours — full scope, one number.
- Engagement letter before work begins — fees, scope, and responsibilities in writing.
You can also browse every published starting price on the ProAxis pricing page. It lists tax prep, bookkeeping, and one-time project fees. Or explore the free tax calculators to model your situation first. The whole process runs through video calls and a secure portal. See how our virtual CPA firm model works for NJ, NY, and PA clients.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a CPA charge to prepare a tax return in NJ in 2026?
In 2026, published NJ CPA starting prices at ProAxis run $300 for a W-2 Form 1040 and $500 for an itemized return with investments. A self-employed Schedule C return starts at $650, and an S-Corp (Form 1120-S) or partnership (Form 1065) return starts at $1,200. These are typical published starting prices, not an offer — the final fixed fee is scoped during the engagement and results vary with complexity.
Do CPAs in NJ charge hourly or flat fees?
Most modern NJ CPA firms quote fixed fees for tax preparation and monthly bookkeeping, documented in an engagement letter before work begins. Hourly billing — typically $200–$300 per hour at ProAxis — applies only to ad-hoc advisory work outside a defined scope. For predictable annual work, a written fixed fee protects the client better than open-ended hourly billing. Published rates are not an offer; final pricing is scoped during the engagement.
How much does a CPA cost for an S-Corp in New Jersey?
An S-Corp return (Form 1120-S), including shareholder Schedule K-1s, starts at $1,200 at ProAxis in 2026. Most S-Corp owners also need a personal Form 1040 (from $300–$650 depending on complexity). Many also need monthly bookkeeping ($400–$700 for a small business under $500K revenue). These are typical published starting prices, not an offer — final fees are scoped during the engagement and results vary.
Why does a multi-state NJ/NY tax return cost more?
A NJ resident who works in New York files a NY nonresident return (Form IT-203) plus a NJ resident return. The credit for taxes paid to NY must then be computed correctly between the two. Each extra state return adds real preparation work. Multi-state individual returns start around $650, and each additional state typically adds $150–$400. These are typical published starting prices, not an offer; final scope is confirmed during the engagement.
What makes a tax return cost more than the starting price?
The most common cost drivers are additional state filings, rental properties on Schedule E, and many brokerage 1099-Bs or K-1s. Incomplete records, late bookkeeping, amended prior-year returns, and foreign account reporting also raise the fee. Published starting prices assume a clean, complete file; the final fixed fee is scoped during the engagement and varies with these factors.
Is hiring a CPA worth the cost compared to TurboTax?
For a single W-2 and the standard deduction, DIY software is often enough. Owners with a business entity, rental property, equity compensation, or NJ/NY multi-state filing are a different story. They often find a CPA fee pays for itself in avoided errors and missed elections. Results vary — a free consultation is the fastest way to find out which side you’re on.
Ready for a Real Quote?
Pricing shouldn’t be a mystery. Schedule a free consultation or call (201) 800-2330. You’ll get a written fixed-fee quote within 48 hours, in an engagement letter before work begins.
Want a real quote instead of a range? ProAxis publishes starting prices and scopes your exact fee in a free 30-minute consultation. No obligation.
Talk to a Licensed NJ/NY CPA
Tell us about your situation. A licensed CPA follows up within one business day. 100% virtual, no obligation.
Free Tax Strategy