Tax Preparer Cost: Average Fees Explained

Tax preparers price a return by its complexity, and most set a base fee for the main individual form and add charges for each schedule and each state return. That is why two people with the same income can get very different quotes. The numbers below come from the NATP fee study, which surveys working tax professionals about what they charge.

The NATP's own site blocks automated reading, so the survey figures on this page are as reported by Accounting Today, checked on Oct 14, 2026, and by CPA Trendlines. They describe what preparers say they charge on average, not a price you are guaranteed to be quoted.

The survey measures a base Form 1040 with Schedules 1 to 3. Credentialed preparers charge more. CPAs average $280, enrolled agents average $228, and preparers without a credential average $185.

An enrolled agent is a tax specialist licensed by the IRS. A CPA is a licensed accountant who may also do audit and business work. If your return is straightforward, you may not need the highest credential. For a complicated situation, ask a tax professional which type of preparer fits your return.

The base fee does not cover everything. Common attachments are priced separately. Adding Schedule C, which self employed people file to report business income, costs between $123 and $135 on average. Schedule A, used to itemize deductions, adds between $53 and $61.

The range reflects community size, because add-on prices run higher in larger areas. A state return may cost extra too. In the survey, more than half of preparers charge for a state return, and some include it in the federal price.

Many preparers charge a minimum fee and then add to it based on complexity. Half of surveyed preparers set their minimum between $150 and $350, and more for schedules. For business returns, the average minimum is $634, with extra charges depending on the form.

Some preparers bill by the hour instead. The average set hourly rate is $182/hr, and half of all preparers fall between $129/hr and $250/hr. Hourly billing may come up when records are disorganized or the work goes beyond filing a return.

Yes, according to reporting on the survey. Most preparers raise fees every one to two years, and CPA Trendlines reports that the NATP average base charge for a Form 1040 with schedules rose from $162 in 2024 to $236 in its latest figure.

This average comes from a different measure than the credential breakdown above, so the two sets of numbers will not match exactly. Both point the same direction.

• Complexity. More schedules, income sources, and forms mean a higher quote.
• Credential. CPAs and enrolled agents charge more than non credentialed preparers.
• Where you live. Fees are higher in larger communities.
• Business income. Business returns carry higher minimums than personal returns.
• State returns. Some preparers include them and others bill separately.

Ask for a written fee before you hand over documents, and ask what it includes. Confirm whether schedules, state returns, and e filing are in the price or billed on top. Ask whether the preparer bills a flat fee or by the hour, and whether fees are discussed before or after the work is done. Some preparers only discuss price after finishing the return, which makes the final cost harder to predict.

Compare at least two quotes and check the preparer's credentials. Anyone who is paid to prepare a return must sign it and include their preparer tax identification number. For questions about your own return or which deductions apply, talk to a tax professional.