Legal & Financial
Tax Preparer cost in the US
Nationally, Tax Preparer runs about $300 per return. In the lowest-cost cities in this guide it is closer to $234, and in the highest-cost cities about $426.
Typical cost
Most people pay about
$300
per return
- On the low end
- $200
- On the high end
- $600
Estimated from national price data. Insurance, coverage, and the details of your situation can change the real number a lot. Not a quote.
What moves the price
- Form complexity
- Schedules
- State returns
- Audit defense
- Drop-off vs meeting
Ways to pay less
- Use software for simple returns
- Ask a fixed price
- Bring last year's return
- E-file
- Skip extra audit insurance if covered
Lowest-cost cities for Tax Preparer
| Place | Typical | Range |
|---|---|---|
| National typical | $300 | $200 to $600 |
| Brownsville, TX | $234 | $156 to $468 |
| Jackson, MS | $240 | $160 to $480 |
| Laredo, TX | $240 | $160 to $480 |
| McAllen, TX | $240 | $160 to $480 |
| Shreveport, LA | $255 | $170 to $510 |
| Amarillo, TX | $317 | $211 to $633 |
| El Paso, TX | $246 | $164 to $492 |
| Lubbock, TX | $246 | $164 to $492 |
Highest-cost cities for Tax Preparer
| Place | Typical | Range |
|---|---|---|
| National typical | $300 | $200 to $600 |
| Honolulu, HI | $426 | $284 to $852 |
| San Francisco, CA | $420 | $280 to $840 |
| New York, NY | $405 | $270 to $810 |
| San Jose, CA | $429 | $286 to $858 |
| Sunnyvale, CA | $426 | $284 to $852 |
| Santa Barbara, CA | $402 | $268 to $804 |
| Cambridge, MA | $365 | $243 to $729 |
| Fremont, CA | $396 | $264 to $792 |
Tax Preparer in every city
Typical estimate for each city. Open one for the full range.
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Anaheim $359
- Bakersfield $282
- Berkeley $396
- Chula Vista $366
- Concord $360
- Corona $336
- Elk Grove $330
- Escondido $363
- Fontana $318
- Fremont $396
- Fresno $304
- Fullerton $356
- Garden Grove $353
- Glendale $362
- Hayward $366
- Huntington Beach $365
- Irvine $374
- Long Beach $356
- Los Angeles $366
- Modesto $327
- Oakland $384
- Oceanside $369
- Ontario $324
- Orange $359
- Pasadena $365
- Rancho Cucamonga $342
- Riverside $324
- Roseville $336
- Sacramento $333
- San Bernardino $306
- San Diego $375
- San Francisco $420
- San Jose $429
- Santa Ana $353
- Santa Barbara $402
- Santa Clarita $359
- Santa Rosa $357
- Simi Valley $347
- Stockton $318
- Sunnyvale $426
- Thousand Oaks $359
- Torrance $362
- Visalia $282
- Colorado
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Boca Raton $348
- Cape Coral $306
- Clearwater $279
- Fort Lauderdale $336
- Fort Myers $309
- Gainesville $282
- Hialeah $324
- Hollywood $324
- Jacksonville $294
- Lakeland $260
- Miami $354
- Orlando $290
- Pembroke Pines $318
- Pensacola $255
- Port St. Lucie $270
- Sarasota $324
- St. Petersburg $282
- Tallahassee $273
- Tampa $288
- West Palm Beach $330
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Maryland
- Mississippi
- Montana
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Texas
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Wyoming
Related Legal & Financial costs
- Lawyer$300 per hour
- Divorce Attorney$8,000 per case
- Personal Injury Lawyer33% of the settlement
- Immigration Lawyer$2,500 per case
- Estate Planning Attorney$1,200 per plan
- Bankruptcy Attorney$2,500 per case
- Criminal Defense Attorney$5,000 per case
- Notary$9.00 per signature
- Accountant$175 per hour
- CPA$250 per hour
Questions people ask
Tax Preparer: what does it cost?
Across the US, Tax Preparer typically costs about $300 per return, with most prices between $200 and $600.
Where is Tax Preparer cheapest?
Among the 250 cities in this guide, the lowest estimates are in Brownsville, TX, Jackson, MS, Laredo, TX, at about $234.
Is this a quote?
No. These figures are estimates built from national price data and each city's cost of living. A local pro will price your actual job.