Buying a tax or financial services firm in Space Coast and Volusia

Space Coast and Volusia has 49 established tax and financial services firms by our count: companies in business at least 15 years that still file with the state every year and aren't part of a larger group. Of those, 57% have been in business 20 years or more. Most will never be listed for sale, and many of their owners have never been asked.

established companies

57%

built over 20+ years

$49k+

a year, earned by the top quarter

12%

built over 30+ years

What it takes to own one

Tax and financial services firms in Space Coast and Volusia come in every size. Here's what owning one could look like at three levels, from a solid company to one of the leaders, with a small business loan covering most of the price.

A solid company

Earns about: $33,000 a year
Price about: $91,000
Your cash: $13,000
Could pay you: up to $17,000 a year

A strong company

Top quarter in Space Coast and Volusia

Earns about: $49,000 a year
Price about: $134,000
Your cash: $19,000
Could pay you: up to $25,000 a year

One of the leaders

Top tenth in Space Coast and Volusia

Earns about: $61,000 a year
Price about: $167,000
Your cash: $23,000
Could pay you: up to $31,000 a year

Earnings are owner earnings: profit plus what the owner pays themselves, before loan payments and taxes. They and the prices are our estimates from public records, not the owners' figures, and we value companies like these at about 2.8 times a year's owner earnings. Your cash covers the down payment and closing costs, and what the business could pay you is what's left after the loan payments and the cushion lenders require. The more cash you bring, the further up you can go.

Age, size and location

Revenue is our estimate from public records, grouped into wide ranges.

In business	Companies
Under 20 years	21
20 to 29 years	22
30 to 39 years	5
40 years or more	1

Estimated yearly revenue	Companies
Under $1M	21
$1M to $2M	1

County	Companies
Brevard	27
Volusia	18
Other counties	4

Town	Companies
Melbourne	12

What the best tax and financial services firms have in common

A high share of last year's clients coming back, and records that show it.
A mix of individual and business clients. Business returns and monthly bookkeeping are usually worth more and last longer.
Preparers besides the owner whom clients trust and who plan to stay.
Credentials that fit the work, such as enrolled agents or CPAs for clients who need representation before the IRS.
A clean record with the IRS: no preparer penalties and few rejected e-filed returns.
Secure, modern systems: a client portal, multi-factor logins and a written security plan.
Prices that have kept up with the work.

What to check before you buy

Retention. Returns filed each year, and how many clients came back after any past change of preparer.
Cash flow. Revenue by month, and whether the business covers its costs from May to December.
Transition terms. Many deals tie part of the price to how many clients come back, with the seller working through a filing season. Ask your attorney and lender how that fits your financing.
Compliance. Preparers face extra due diligence rules and penalties on returns that claim the earned income credit and some other credits. Ask about IRS visits, letters or penalties.
Data security. Any breaches or stolen client data, cyber insurance, and whether the security plan is real.
Software. Whether the tax software licenses and client data can move to you, and what any bank products tied to refunds depend on.
Seasonal staff. Whether trained preparers will return next January.

Questions to ask the owner

How many returns did you do in each of the last few years, and how many clients came back?
Which clients deal with you personally, and how would you introduce them to me?
Would you stay on through one or two filing seasons?
What software do you use, and can the licenses and client data come over to me?
Have you ever had an IRS penalty, compliance visit or data breach?
How much of your revenue comes from bookkeeping and payroll outside tax season?
When did you last raise prices, and how did clients react?

To learn what these companies do, which licenses they need and how ownership works, read our full guide to buying a tax or financial services firm in Florida.

Owning a company in Space Coast and Volusia

The local economy

This region covers Brevard, Volusia and Flagler counties: Melbourne, Palm Bay, Titusville, Cocoa, Cocoa Beach, Merritt Island, Daytona Beach, Port Orange, Ormond Beach, DeLand, Deltona, New Smyrna Beach and Palm Coast. Brevard's economy is built around space. Rockets launch often from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, and aerospace and defense manufacturers and their suppliers employ engineers, technicians and machinists across the county. Port Canaveral is a major cruise port.

Volusia depends more on tourism, beaches and big events, with Daytona's motorsports and motorcycle rallies drawing crowds. Health care and a large retired population matter too. Flagler County, around Palm Coast, is mostly residential. Machine shops, electrical and engineering firms, home service companies, marine businesses and restaurants all have a place here.

What's different about owning a company here

Brevard's fortunes follow the space and defense programs. A company that sells to aerospace firms should be able to show you how many customers it depends on and how secure their work is. Business in Volusia spikes around big events and the winter season, so look at revenue by month.

The whole coast faces storm risk. In 2022, Hurricane Ian brought flooding to much of Volusia, and Hurricane Nicole, which came ashore near Vero Beach six weeks later, washed away beaches and seawalls along the Volusia coast. Beachfront property needs careful insurance and structural checks. The Indian River Lagoon and the St. Johns River make boating and fishing part of daily life, which keeps the marine trades busy. Palm Coast and the Palm Bay area have added many new homes, and companies serving those areas have grown with them.