*Note: CPAs may specialize in different areas. Be sure to check credentials and service offerings.*
If this is your first time working with a CPA, don’t worry — most professionals offer a free consultation and will walk you through what to expect. You may be asked to complete an intake form, share financial documents, or set clear goals for your session.
*Note: Every CPA operates a bit differently. Don’t hesitate to ask questions before committing.*
*Tip: Organize your documents in advance to save time and ensure accuracy.*
*Note: Preparation helps you make the most of your CPA’s expertise.*
*Note: Every CPA is different — take time to find one who fits your goals and style.*
1325 Lincoln St Suite 101
Bellingham, Washington 98229
Siobhan and her team are great. They are knowledgeable, very organized and efficient. They have a holistic approach to taxes by not being only focused on doing the returns but by educating their clients. They have helped me plan for the present but also for the future. I highly recommend them to any business owner who wants set their business for success!
Siobhan and her team at Thrive have been nothing less than amazing. They have helped us recover from working with another who was not so attentive, and now our books/business is looking beautiful! I tend to ask a lot of questions and I always get straight-forward, clear answers without any judgement. Office visits are always warm, welcoming and productive. I am so glad we chose to work with Thrive, they are worth every penny! Highly, highly recommend.
The team at Thrive Business Group is top-notch! When I have questions, I get detailed responses in a timely manner. When I need advice, I receive sound advice, usually with options and instructions for how-to make it happen. The business portal for sharing information is easy to use and convenient. I also look forward to the newsletters which are always pertinent to the planning and preparation of our personal and business tax positions. I love everything about this business!
I LOVE Thrive! They are easy and very responsive to work with....doing my taxes. I would have no idea how to do them myself. But they compile info from a worksheet i complete plus my 1099 summary of my mutual funds. Their cost for preparing my taxes is totally commensurate with the amount of expertise and work they perform for me. I highly recommend Thrive Bus Group/CPA.
I highly recommend Thrive Business Group! They helped me get exactly where I wanted to be with my business. I felt lost not knowing exactly what to do as an S-Corp and they took care of everything from payroll to taxes to future planning. I couldn?t be in a better spot! You won?t be disappointed!
Siobhan at Thrive business group is an invaluable asset for my small business. As a new small business owner, she met with me and quickly helped to trouble shoot my questions with Quick Books, cleaned up my QB account so it was easier to use, and set me up so that all my accounting was streamlined and ready for taxes. While she has a busy office she always makes time to answer my questions in an efficient and friendly manner. I highly recommend!
We have worked with Thrive for a few years now and are very impressed by their approach to small business tax returns and personal taxes. Its hard to plan ahead with a small business but between Siobhan and Lauren we have never been led astray. This year we had a very complicated tax year with a business acquisition and much much more. They handled it perfectly and somehow found us savings in it. I have heard many horror stories of bigger cpa firms not caring about the 'little guy' or not helping at all wit
Wonderful to work with and made tax season so much easier on my wife and I. Lauren, was great and went out of her way to make sure I understood everything when handling taxes for my business. I would absolutely recommend and would use their services again in the future.
The team at Thrive Business Group is amazing not only for end of year taxes. They keep our small business running smoothly with payroll support, tax consults and restructuring us based on our tax needs. down to earth professionals with a real desire to see small businesses succeed.
We switched to Thrive Business Group for both our personal and family corporate tax preparation after 10 years with another CPA. Every Thrive staff member--from receptionist to owner--is exceptional. Siobhan Murphy is especially smart, kind and straight forward. I've recommended Thrive to several friends and business acquaintances, and I will continue to do so.
Siobhan at Thrive Business Group is a goddess! A wonderful asset to our community and small local businesses. She's helped so many of our business members and is the busiest gal in town during tax season. We love her!
Thrive Business Group is a must for accuracy, timeliness, fixing past errors - patient, kind, spot on - makes filing necessary annual tax returns as easy for their clients as possible! Our nonprofit business is in the best hands!
After struggling to do my own, increasingly complicated taxes for a couple of years, I decided to hire Thrive Business Group to do them for me. It's one of the best decisions I could have made. Instead of taking my precious time to work on my taxes, I could spend time working on my business instead. Siobhan and everyone at Thrive was great to work with, and I couldn't have been happier with my return.
Thrive Business Group helped me through a very difficult time with the IRS. Siobhan was patient, kind, efficient and extremely knowledgeable. The entire office staff is pleasant and very helpful to deal with. I would highly recommend them and have already.
Such a friendly and competent staff. Everyone is so considerate. They are very good at listening and responding to questions. I got a great tutoring lesson in how to best use my Quickbooks program for my business. Siobhan set everything up for me, then patiently taught me how to use it. She does all my business and personal taxes and I couldn't be happier.
Siobhan and the entire team at Thrive are so great. I have trusted them with my law firm books and taxes for the past two years. It's so amazing knowing that I don't have to stress about this aspect of my business. You'll be in good hands with Thrive and I highly recommend them to everyone I know.
High quality accounting & tax group. They're knowledgable, thorough, have many years of experience, get things done on time, professional, & above all, caring! I highly recommend them! If you don't have them for your accounting / business needs, then you're missing out on great service. Do yourself a favor & stop by Thrive Business Group to schedule your free consultation. I'm glad I did.
Thrive business is one of the most organized accounting firms I have ever had the pleasure of working with. They are patient, knowledgeable, and very professional. We here at Pure Fitness absolutely love what they do.
This is probably the best accounting firm I have ever interacted with. From the initial client meeting to their handling of my taxes and double checking my books. I cannot stress enough that if you choose Thrive, you will be treated with compassion and care. This is a top notch service, and I get more value than I pay for. If you are looking for a new accountant. Choose thrive. You won?t regret it.
I am so glad I found Thrive Business Group. As a small (micro) business owner, it can be tough to go it alone and get the right people for the right job, and with Thrive, I have exactly the right people for the right job. They are helpful and professional. Call them now!
They help me streamline my service oriented business which gives me more time to focus on customers. Jolene and the whole crew are smart, professional, and just fantastic to work with. They offer the full program of accounting services and I would recommend them without hesitation to any business looking for top notch bookkeeping and accounting services. I fired my old lazy accountant and switched to the thrive group, saved money, increased my services, and instilled a renewed sense of peace of mind knowin
I lover Thrive Business Group, they aren't just a group of accountants. They are business savvy people. They have so many resources beyond what you think. Their staff members are knowledgably, friendly, and quick. Thrive business group helped get my business off the ground and I am so glad for it.
I am a new client, and so far have loved the responsiveness and quality work by Thrive. Everything from the consultation where all of my questions were answered in detail, to the thorough email communication we have had to date, I am pleased with my decision to choose Thrive.
Despite in person meetings multiple times, months of emails and the payment of over a years worth of invoices for services, I feel like I don't know where I am at with the taxes I rely on for Thrive to assist me with. I am now not only unsure about where I am at as far as my tax balance but I am unsure if Thrive knows either. I am very much in need of a knowledgeable CPA to tell me exactly what I need to be doing and when to being doing it and keep an ongoing line of communication going. :(
The service that I received from Thrive is absolutely the best. Every single person I?ve met has been professional, thoughtful and efficient. I feel like the integrity of this business is unparalleled and I can easily give it my highest recommendation.
Wow, this is an incredible team of professionals! They helped me get caught up on my taxes, set up business entities, Quickbooks and payroll! We also strategized ways to save money! I can't thank Siobhan and her crew enough! I will continue to recommend them to my fellow real estate colleagues and others.
Siobhan and her team are great! Their professional yet personal approach instills confidence that everything is being handled, not only following the tax laws but also looking for ways that can improve my business. I trust them completely!
Stellar service and surprisingly-affordable pricing, given their level of expertise! It's also been super-helpful to get frequent updates via newsletter about financial resources related to running a business during COVID-19.
Terrible service. From the beginning, don't expect much personal help with figuring out the best way to file. We had several life events and needed help understanding our options. Instead we got a questionnaire to fill out and after having to file an extension because it was late and a huge tax bill. So I consulted with another CPA who found many errors and missed a huge deduction for itemizing our personal expenses. After emailing them they still argued that they did 95% of the work. I offered to pay
I never looked back after going to Thrive. Siobhan and her team are extremely knowledgeable and professional and I've learned to manage my business better through working with them.
I came in with several yrs of unpaid back taxes, I wasn?t even sure which was the last year I had paid...I have to file in two different states, but I?ve never done it myself..and it?s not straightened, I own tiny taxable things in two other states, and was mid divorce...I had virtually no paperwork to give Siobhan, just an email address for the last accountant to do my taxes several years earlier...I?m pretty sure I cried too...at least that first time in her office...Siobhan is a saint, so kind...but also
I've met with Siobhan one on one as a business owner and have also heard her present to groups. She is a wonderful educator, knows her stuff, and cares for her clients and community. Two thumbs up!
We have been using Thrive for several years now. Super Nice, Thorough and Efficient. Look forward to ,God willing, using them for years to come.
"As a new small business owner, I was overwhelmed with city, state, and federal tax information. When I started to receive the notices in the mail at tax time, the first person I called was Siobhan, owner at Thrive Business Group. In less than an hour, Siobhan explained the tax information that was pertinent to me and my business, set up all of my tax filing accounts and helped me file, right there in her office. Siobhan and her team made it incredibly easy for me so I can focus on the things that are impor
Superb customer service! They gently remind me if I have forgotten to upload a document to their portal. They are really good at their work and get questions answered in a timely manner. So friendly and professional, they are a JOY to work with.
Siobhan really knows her stuff and is always so helpful in explaining complicated financial stuff. She has given me so much help and advise over the years.
Thrive went above and beyond in helping me with my taxes and answering my questions quickly and thoroughly. I highly recommend working with them.
The best CPA firm ever!!! Not only did they save me $1000 in tax fees, they saved my company tons of money by making sure I only pay what is needed.
Super friendly, attentive, responsive & enjoyable to work with. Thank you, Thrive, for making taxes seem like a breeze!
The folks at Thrive really know the tax laws, and stay calm when a question arises!
Always a pleasure to work with them - I highly recommend their services.
Staff is amazing to work with. Professional all on levels!
Exceptional CPA services!
Look for a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license, which ensures they’ve passed rigorous exams and meet state requirements. Check for relevant experience in your industry, additional certifications like CFA or CMA, and membership in professional organizations like the AICPA. Verify their credentials through state licensing boards.
Use online directories like the AICPA, CPAverify, or state CPA societies. Search platforms like Yelp or Google for local CPAs with reviews. Ask for referrals from business associates, friends, or financial advisors. Local chambers of commerce can also provide recommendations.
A CPA is a licensed professional who has passed the CPA exam and met state requirements for education and experience. An accountant may lack this certification and could have varying levels of expertise. For complex tasks like tax audits or financial reporting, a CPA is typically more qualified.
Ask about their experience with your specific financial needs, such as tax preparation, small business accounting, or estate planning. Review their website or LinkedIn for case studies or client testimonials. Inquire about their client base to ensure they handle similar financial situations.
Yes, reviews provide insight into a CPA’s reliability, communication, and performance. Check platforms like Google, Yelp, or the Better Business Bureau for client feedback. Look for patterns in reviews, but verify their authenticity, as some may be biased or outdated.
Visit your state’s Board of Accountancy website or use CPAverify.org to check a CPA’s license status. Confirm their license is active and check for any disciplinary actions or complaints. This ensures they’re in good standing and meet professional standards.
Ask about their experience with your financial needs, fee structure, availability, and communication style. Inquire how they handle tax filings, audits, or financial planning. Ask for references or examples of similar work to assess their expertise and fit.
Fees vary based on location, services, and complexity. Basic tax preparation may cost $150-$500, while business accounting or audits can range from $1,000 to $10,000+. Request a detailed fee structure upfront and compare quotes from multiple CPAs.
Yes, many CPAs offer remote services through secure online platforms for document sharing and virtual consultations. Ensure they use encrypted tools for data security. Remote CPAs can be effective if they understand your local tax laws or business regulations.
During consultations, evaluate their ability to explain complex financial concepts clearly. Ask sample questions about taxes or financial strategies and note their responsiveness and clarity. Good communication ensures you understand their advice and fosters a productive relationship.
Beware of CPAs who guarantee specific tax refunds, lack a valid license, or have disciplinary actions on record. Avoid those with poor communication, vague fee structures, or negative reviews highlighting unethical behavior. Always verify their credentials independently.
Large firms offer more resources and specialized teams but may charge higher fees. Solo practitioners often provide personalized service and lower costs but may have limited availability. Choose based on your needs, budget, and preference for personalized attention.
For individuals, annual meetings for tax preparation may suffice. Businesses may need quarterly or monthly check-ins for bookkeeping, tax planning, or financial reporting. Discuss your needs upfront to establish a meeting schedule that aligns with your financial goals.
Yes, many CPAs handle both, but confirm their expertise in both areas. Ask about their experience managing personal taxes and business accounting simultaneously. Ensure they can balance both without compromising attention to your specific financial needs.
Discuss concerns directly with your CPA to resolve issues. If unresolved, check your contract for termination terms. Seek a new CPA by researching reviews, credentials, and referrals. Request your financial records to ensure a smooth transition to a new professional.