The best accounting firm advertising examples are public and checkable: PwC’s “The New Equation” strategy campaign (2021), EY’s “Shape the future with confidence” brand expansion (2024), CLA’s “We’ll Get You There” and “Right there with you” TV campaigns (2022 and 2026), the AICPA’s “CPA: Where Trust Meets Expertise” cable spots (2026), and the plain search ads that firms like 1-800Accountant, Pilot and H&R Block run every day on Google. Each one works for a reason a five-person CPA firm can copy without a TV budget: one clear promise, proof the reader can check, and copy that would pass a state board review.
Below are 15 real examples with the firm, channel, year, message and the lesson for a small firm, each linked to the press release, trade report or Google Ads Transparency Center record it comes from. Then the actual advertising rules (the AICPA Code text, plus Texas, California, New York and IRS Circular 230), and 8 copy-ready Google Ads templates for tax prep, bookkeeping, fractional CFO and tax resolution with the rule check for each. I describe the creative rather than reproduce it, and there are no screenshots.
Short answer: CPA firms may advertise. The AICPA Code only bars advertising that is “false, misleading, or deceptive” and solicitation by “coercion, over-reaching, or harassing conduct.” State boards add the details: New York bans guarantees and requires price ads to state how long the price holds, Texas presumes a firm name that implies special expertise is misleading, and IRS Circular 230 holds you to a published fee for at least 30 days.
15 accounting firm advertising examples at a glance
Read across a row to see what each firm ran and what you can lift. Big 4 and national firm campaigns teach positioning; the search ads at the bottom teach the copy that actually fills a small firm’s calendar. Ad records were viewed in the Google Ads Transparency Center (region: United States) on November 12, 2026.
| # | Firm | Channel | Year | Core message | What a small firm can copy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PwC | Global strategy and brand launch | 2021 | “The New Equation”: help organisations “build trust and deliver sustained outcomes” (PwC release) | Name the two outcomes clients buy, not your service list |
| 2 | EY | Airports, smart TV, connected TV, podcasts, social | 2024 | “Shape the future with confidence” (EY release) | Place ads where your buyer waits, not where everyone else is |
| 3 | EY | 60s and 30s TV on Bloomberg, CNBC, BBC News, CNN | 2025 | “Will your business shape the future or be shaped by it?” (EY release) | A question headline that names the buyer’s tension |
| 4 | Deloitte | Olympic and Paralympic sponsorship | 2009 to 2028 | Official Professional Services Provider of LA28 (PR Newswire) | Sponsor something where you also do real work |
| 5 | KPMG | Title sponsorship, golf major | 12th edition in 2026 | KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, $13 million purse (KPMG release) | Own one event for years instead of ten events once |
| 6 | Grant Thornton | New co-sanctioned golf event | 2023 | Grant Thornton Invitational, first mixed PGA TOUR and LPGA event since 1999 (Grant Thornton release) | Create a format nobody else owns |
| 7 | CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen) | 30s online video, national cable, CTV, audio, print | 2022 | “We’ll Get You There,” positioning “Deeply Invested” (MediaPost) | One visual idea that carries every channel |
| 8 | CLA | National cable, homepage takeovers, business publishers | 2026 | “Right there with you”: local advisors, national resources (CLA release) | Proximity is a selling point; say where you are |
| 9 | H&R Block | Super Bowl, 60 seconds | 2017 | “Future,” voiced by Jon Hamm, tagline “get your taxes won” (Adweek) | Show the tool behind the service |
| 10 | H&R Block Canada | Films, radio, social and digital, plus a Super Bowl LVIII placement | 2024 | “Life’s Certainties” (Ogilvy Canada) | Humor about the client’s life, not about taxes |
| 11 | AICPA (profession-wide) | National cable, digital, paid social | 2026 | “CPA: Where Trust Meets Expertise” (Journal of Accountancy) | Use the CPA license itself as the trust proof |
| 12 | 1-800Accountant | Google search ads | Live Nov 2026 | State-specific headlines, “Flat Rates, Never Hourly” (Ads Transparency) | Put your city and your pricing model in the ad |
| 13 | Pilot | Google search ads | Live Nov 2026 | “8,000+ Businesses Since 2017” (Ads Transparency) | One specific, provable number |
| 14 | Optima Tax Relief | Google search ads | Live Nov 2026 | “IRS Fresh Start Program,” “Free Consultation” (Ads Transparency) | Match the IRS term the searcher typed; skip outcome claims |
| 15 | RSM US | Google search ads for recruiting | Live Nov 2026 | “Hiring Tax Associates” on jobs.rsmus.com (Ads Transparency) | Ads can fill the bench, not only the client list |
Big 4 accounting firm ad campaigns: what they ran and why it works
PwC, “The New Equation” (June 2021)
PwC unveiled The New Equation on June 15, 2021 as its global strategy, built on “thousands of conversations with clients and stakeholders,” with a pledge that PwC firms would invest US$12 billion over five years and create over 100,000 net new jobs, according to the PwC Malaysia release of the global announcement.
Why it works: the line names two outcomes (trust, sustained outcomes) instead of a menu of audit, tax and consulting. Small firm version: pick the two results your best clients actually pay for, such as “clean books by the 10th” and “no surprise tax bill,” and build every ad around those two.
EY, “Shape the future with confidence” and “Transformations” (2024 to 2025)
EY announced the expansion on October 31, 2024, calling it “EY’s first brand update in more than a decade.” The EY release lists the media: placements in business travel hub airports, smart TVs, digital displays on news and business sites, then TV and connected TV, podcasts and native ads in the new year. The follow-up film, “Transformations,” ran as 60-second and 30-second spots on Bloomberg, Euronews, CNBC, BBC News and CNN, and was directed by Rogier Schalken for production company Not To Scale, per the January 2025 EY release.
Why it works: the media plan follows the buyer (executives in airports and on business TV). Small firm version: your buyer waits in different places. A construction-focused firm reaches owners through the local builders’ association newsletter; a dental niche firm through the state dental society’s vendor page. Same idea, a tiny fraction of the budget.
Deloitte, Team USA and LA28 (since 2009)
On May 19, 2021 Deloitte and LA28 announced a seven-year deal making Deloitte the Official Professional Services Provider of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, with Deloitte continuing as an official sponsor of Team USA through 2028. Deloitte’s chief growth officer said the Team USA sponsorship “has been in place since 2009” (PR Newswire).
Why it works: the sponsor also does consulting work for the organizer, so the logo placement doubles as a case study. Small firm version: sponsor the local chamber’s small business awards or a trade association’s annual conference where you also present the numbers session, not just a banner.
KPMG and Grant Thornton: golf as a client-entertainment platform
The 2026 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship ran June 25 to 28 at Hazeltine National with a $13 million purse, which KPMG calls “the highest in women’s golf history” (KPMG release); KPMG’s championship page describes it as the 12th annual edition, and its sports sponsorship page lists brand ambassadors including Collin Morikawa and Jessica Pegula. Grant Thornton took a different route in 2023: it co-created the Grant Thornton Invitational with the PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour, 16 players from each tour competing for a $4 million purse on NBC and Golf Channel, the first annual mixed-team event between the tours since the JCPenney Classic ended in 1999 (Grant Thornton release).
Why it works: golf puts partners next to decision makers for days, and owning the event’s name makes every broadcast mention an ad. Small firm version: one recurring event you own, such as an annual year-end tax planning breakfast for contractors, run in the same week every year, beats scattered sponsorships.
Mid-size CPA firm advertising examples (CLA, Forvis and award winners)
CLA is the clearest mid-size example because it documents both of its campaigns publicly. “We’ll Get You There” launched in May 2022 as CLA’s “first comprehensive brand awareness campaign,” built with Columbus agency The Shipyard: a riderless bicycle takes viewers through construction sites, hospital halls and government corridors. It started as a 30-second online video, then ran on national cable and connected TV, plus streaming audio, podcasts, print and display (MediaPost, May 25, 2022). The spot later ran on CNBC and Bloomberg and won a silver ADDY at the American Advertising Federation Columbus chapter’s 2023 awards (CLA release, March 21, 2023).
On January 14, 2026 CLA followed with “Right there with you,” built on its nearly 130 locations: advisors who “live and work in the communities they serve” with a national firm’s resources behind them. Launch media: national cable, homepage takeovers and digital placements in Entrepreneur, Forbes and The Wall Street Journal (CLA release). In the Ads Transparency Center, a CLA search ad reads “CLA is right there with you” and points to a page for finding a local CPA, consultant or wealth advisor, so the TV line and the search ad say the same thing.
For more mid-size work, the Association for Accounting Marketing’s 2024 achievement awards are a useful swipe file because they split some categories by size: Forvis won Advertising; HCVT won integrated branding for firms above $40 million in revenue and BGM for firms below it; Landmark CPAs won Website above a $50,000 budget and Kernutt Stokes below it. Look up the winners’ current sites and ads to see what a sub-$40 million firm’s award-winning branding looks like.
The CLA launch film is the best single example for a small firm to watch because it shows how a firm with local offices turns “we are nearby” into a national message.
Tax brand ads: H&R Block and the AICPA’s own campaign
H&R Block is not a CPA firm, but its ads shape what tax clients expect before they ever call you. Its February 5, 2017 Super Bowl spot, “Future,” was a 60-second ad by Fallon in Minneapolis, voiced by Jon Hamm, promoting its IBM Watson partnership under the tagline “get your taxes won” (Adweek). In Canada, Ogilvy’s 2024 “Life’s Certainties” platform, launched nationwide on January 29 with a placement slated for Super Bowl LVIII, jokes about life’s certainties while promising Canadians the maximum tax refund, “guaranteed” (Ogilvy Canada, February 15, 2024). That guarantee is the part not to copy: New York’s rules for licensed professionals list advertising that “guarantees any service” as not in the public interest (details below).
The H&R Block search ads in the Transparency Center are more useful for a small firm: “Upfront Pricing. No Surprises” and “Walk-Ins Welcome.” Both answer the two fears a new tax client has, cost and hassle, in under 30 characters.
The profession now advertises itself too. On June 9, 2026 the AICPA launched CPA Trust, a campaign developed with state CPA societies, opening with a commercial on Squawk Box, Fox & Friends and Morning Joe around the line “CPA: Where Trust Meets Expertise,” plus digital and paid social, with the ad on TrustedCPA.org (Journal of Accountancy; AICPA release). The release says trust “is not a message or marketing claim, but something built into CPA licensing, ethical obligations, professional oversight, and expertise.” For a licensed firm, that is a free brand asset: put “CPA” and your license in the ad, because the national campaign is teaching your prospects what it means.
Small accounting firm ads examples from Google Ads Transparency Center
Search ads are where small firms actually spend, and Google publishes them. Type any firm’s domain into the Ads Transparency Center, set the region to United States, and you see every ad that advertiser has run, with the verified advertiser name. Here is what six accounting and tax advertisers had on file on November 12, 2026, and the pattern in their copy.
| Advertiser (domain) | Ads on file, US | Verified advertiser on the ads shown | Copy pattern in visible ads | Rule note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H&R Block (hrblock.com) | ~2,000 | VaynerMedia, LLC | “Upfront Pricing. No Surprises,” “Walk-Ins Welcome,” appointment sitelinks | Price promise is fine if fee variables are disclosed |
| 1-800Accountant (1800accountant.com) | ~500 | Accounting Fulfillment Services, LLC | State-name headlines (“Vermont Accounting Services”), sitelinks “Pricing & Packages,” “Flat Rates, Never Hourly,” seller rating shown | Flat-rate claims must match the engagement letter |
| Pilot (pilot.com) | ~400 | Pilot.com, Inc. | “Accountant for Startups,” “8,000+ Businesses Since 2017” | Numeric claims need records behind them |
| RSM US (rsmus.com) | ~200 | RSM US LLP | Recruiting headlines (“Hiring Tax Associates”) and service ads (“Strategy consulting services”) | Recruiting ads are not client solicitation |
| Optima Tax Relief (optimataxrelief.com) | ~200 | Optima Tax Relief, LLC | “IRS Fresh Start Program,” “Free Consultation,” BBB rating, sitelinks for wage garnishment and unfiled returns | Outcome claims are where tax resolution ads get risky |
| CLA (claconnect.com) | 83 | CliftonLarsonAllen LLP | Brand line in search (“CLA is right there with you”), service ads for audit and private client wealth | Same message on TV and search |
Counts are as displayed by Google (it rounds larger totals) and cover all time, all formats. Google notes that each of these domains has ads from more than one advertiser account; the H&R Block ads shown ran under an account verified as VaynerMedia, LLC rather than H&R Block itself.
Four copy patterns repeat across these ads, and each one is available to a firm with a small monthly budget:
- Location in the headline. 1-800Accountant writes one headline per state. A local firm writes one per city or county it serves.
- Pricing model as a sitelink. “Flat Rates, Never Hourly” and “Upfront Pricing” answer the cost question before the click. Our guide to Google Ads for CPA and accounting firms covers sitelinks and keyword setup in detail.
- A specific, checkable number. “8,000+ Businesses Since 2017” is believable because it is precise. Your version might be “Serving Tulsa contractors since 2009.”
- The searcher’s exact term. Tax relief advertisers use the IRS program names people type. That works for relevance, but the claim around it has to stay factual (see the tax resolution templates).
CPA firm advertising rules: the AICPA Code text
Advertising itself is allowed. The rule, as it appears in the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct (copy updated through July 2026, hosted by the Minnesota Board of Accountancy), reads in full:
“1.600.001 Advertising and Other Forms of Solicitation Rule .01 A member in public practice shall not seek to obtain clients by advertising or other forms of solicitation in a manner that is false, misleading, or deceptive. Solicitation by the use of coercion, over-reaching, or harassing conduct is prohibited.”
Interpretation 1.600.010 says promotional efforts are false, misleading or deceptive if they:
- “create false or unjustified expectations of favorable results.”
- “imply the ability to influence any court, tribunal, regulatory agency, or similar body or official.”
- quote a fee or fee range “when it was likely at the time of the representation that such fees would be substantially increased and the member failed to advise the prospective client of that likelihood.”
- “contain any other representations that would be likely to cause a reasonable person to misunderstand or be deceived.”
Three more provisions matter for ads. Interpretation 1.600.010 also says that if a third party (a lead platform, a software marketplace, an agency) markets your services, you must make sure its promotion complies, because “members must not do through others what they are prohibited from doing themselves.” Interpretation 1.600.030 lets a firm put an AICPA designation such as PFS in marketing only “if all the firm’s partners hold” it. And 1.600.100 makes breaking your state’s rules on using the CPA credential a violation of the advertising rule too. The Form of Organization and Name Rule (1.800.001) adds that a member “shall not practice public accounting under a firm name that is misleading.”
State board advertising rules compared: Texas, California, New York, IRS
State rules are where the specifics live. This table compiles the advertising provisions from four primary texts; check your own state board before you launch, because they differ.
| Issue | Texas (22 TAC 501) | California (16 CCR, B&P Code) | New York (8 NYCRR 29) | IRS Circular 230 (31 CFR 10.30) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core standard | No “false, fraudulent, misleading or deceptive statement or claim” (501.82) | No advertising “which is false, fraudulent, misleading,” or in violation of B&P 17500 (16 CCR 63) | No advertising that is “false, fraudulent, deceptive or misleading” (29.1(b)(12)) | No “false, fraudulent, or coercive” or “misleading or deceptive” claim in any IRS matter (10.30(a)) |
| Guarantees and results | No claim “likely to create false or unjustified expectations of favorable results” | Covered by the general standard | No advertising that “guarantees any service” | Covered by the general standard |
| Superiority and praise | No “self-laudatory statements that are not based on verifiable facts” or “untrue comparisons with other accountants” | Covered by the general standard | No superiority claims the licensee cannot substantiate; licensee bears the burden of proof | Not addressed separately |
| Price ads | Must not imply services “completely performed for a stated fee when this is not the case” or omit fee variables | Covered by the general standard | Fixed or range prices allowed; must state additional integral charges and “the period of time for which the advertised prices shall be in effect” | May publish fixed fees, hourly rates, ranges, consultation fee; must honor them for at least 30 calendar days after last publication |
| Testimonials | No testimonials “not based upon verifiable facts” | Covered by the general standard | Client must authorize in writing; “fictional client testimonials are not permitted” | Not addressed separately |
| Names, titles, specialty claims | Firm name presumed misleading if it implies “special expertise,” outcomes or a geographic area; “and associates” needs 2+ licensees (501.83) | “Accountant,” “auditor,” “accounting,” “auditing” are titles likely to be confused with CPA (16 CCR 2, B&P 5058) | No CPA title alongside another business you run jointly with the practice (29.10(a)(10)) | Enrolled agents may not use “certified” or imply IRS employment |
| Using “CPA” outside a licensed firm | Needs a firm license; unlicensed entities naming a CPA must carry the board’s disclaimer (501.81) | See B&P 5058 | No “feeder” corporation or business used to obtain clients (29.10(a)(10)) | Not addressed |
| Keep copies of ads | Email and direct mail: copy plus recipient list, 36 months; broadcast: recording, 36 months | Not specified in 16 CCR 63 | Exact copy of each ad for 1 year after last appearance | Broadcast: keep a recording. Direct mail and e-commerce: copy plus recipient list, at least 36 months |
Two rows trip up small firms most. First, Texas: a CPA who sells bookkeeping or fractional CFO work through a separate, unlicensed company and mentions being a CPA in its ads must include, in type as large as the ad body, “This firm is not a CPA firm and these services are not regulated by the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy” (501.81(c)). Second, California: if the person or company advertising is not licensed, headline words like “accountant” or “accounting” are exactly the titles 16 CCR 2 lists as confusable with CPA.
Tax resolution ads: what the IRS data says about outcome claims
Tax resolution is the service where ad copy most often drifts into promises. The IRS put aggressive or misleading Offer in Compromise marketing (“OIC mills”) on its 2026 Dirty Dozen list, saying these promoters “often overpromise results and charge high fees to taxpayers who don’t qualify.” The same IRS guidance tells taxpayers to look for “a licensed enrolled agent or a reputable accountant,” which is your opening if your ads stay factual.
The numbers show why “settle for less” headlines create “unjustified expectations.” According to IRS Data Book 2025, Table 4-1, the IRS received 33,591 offers and accepted 7,199 in fiscal 2024, then received 38,797 and accepted 5,464 in fiscal 2025. Accepted offers totaled $163.4 million in FY2024 and $98.1 million in FY2025. Dividing accepted by received gives roughly 21% and 14%, though offers accepted in a year are not all from offers received that year.
So a compliant tax resolution ad sells the process you control (a transcript review, a written options letter, representation by a credentialed preparer), not the result the IRS controls.
Copy-ready compliant ad templates for small CPA firms
These are Google responsive search ad assets. Google allows up to 15 headlines of 30 characters each and 4 descriptions of 90 characters each (Google Ads Help), so recount after you fill in the brackets. The rule check column says which provision each line is written to satisfy; it is not legal advice for your state.
| # | Service | Headlines (each 30 chars or less when filled) | Description (90 chars or less when filled) | Rule check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tax prep, individuals | [City] CPA Tax Preparation 1040 Prep From $[X] Book a Tax Appointment | Price valid for [tax year] returns. Extra schedules billed per our posted fee list. | Fee shown with variables (TX 501.82(b)(1)(E)); price period stated (NY 29.1(b)(12)(ii)); honor it 30+ days (Circ. 230 10.30(b)(2)) |
| 2 | Tax prep, small business | S Corp Tax Returns, [City] Licensed CPA Firm File On Time, Not in a Rush | CPA-prepared 1120-S and 1065 returns. Send documents by [date] to file by the deadline. | “Licensed CPA Firm” true only with a firm license (TX 501.81(a)); deadline framed as client action, not a guaranteed outcome |
| 3 | Bookkeeping | Bookkeeping in [City] Flat Fee From $[X]/Month Books Closed by the [15]th | Fee depends on transaction volume and accounts. Quote in writing before you sign. | Close date is a service standard you control (substantiate per NY 29.1(b)(12)(i)(c)); fee variables disclosed (AICPA 1.600.010.02c) |
| 4 | Bookkeeping via a non-CPA company (Texas) | QuickBooks Cleanup, [City] Catch-Up Books in Weeks | Cleanup and catch-up for QuickBooks files. Fixed quote after a free file review. | The ad does not mention a CPA, so the 501.81(c) disclaimer is not triggered in the ad. Any ad or page that names the owner as a CPA must carry the full board disclaimer next to the company name, in type at least as large as the body text |
| 5 | Fractional CFO | Fractional CFO for $2M-$20M 13-Week Cash Forecast Monthly CFO Review Meeting | A CPA-led finance lead for growing firms. Fixed monthly scope, written up front. | Describes deliverables, not results (AICPA 1.600.010.02a); no “best” or “top” without proof (TX 501.82(b)(1)(H)) |
| 6 | Fractional CFO, niche | CFO Services for Contractors Job Costing and WIP Reports | We work with [N] contractors in [region]. See sample reports before you hire us. | [N] must be a real count you can document; avoid “construction specialists” in a Texas firm name (TX 501.83(a)(3)(B)) |
| 7 | Tax resolution | IRS Letter? Talk to a CPA Unfiled Returns Help Free 20-Min Case Review | We pull your IRS transcripts and explain your options in writing. Results vary by case. | Process, not outcome (AICPA 1.600.010.02a); no “pennies on the dollar”; consult fee stated (Circ. 230 10.30(b)(1)(i)(D)) |
| 8 | Tax resolution, credential line | Offer in Compromise Review Installment Plan Help CPA Represents You at IRS | We check if you qualify before you pay a filing fee. No promise of IRS acceptance. | No implied influence over the IRS (AICPA 1.600.010.02b); for an EA, use “enrolled to practice before the IRS,” never “certified” (Circ. 230 10.30(a)(1)) |
Before any of these go live, run each asset through this pass/fail check. One fail means rewrite.
- Proof on file: every number, year, client count and rating in the ad has a record you could show the board. Pass or fail.
- No outcome promise: no “guaranteed,” “maximum refund,” “save X%,” “settle for less.” Pass or fail.
- Fees complete: any price has its variables and validity period on the ad or the landing page. Pass or fail.
- Titles correct: “CPA” or “CPA firm” only if you hold the individual and firm license where the ad runs; designations like PFS only if every partner holds them. Pass or fail.
- Testimonials authorized: written client permission, real clients only. Pass or fail.
- Copy archived: a dated copy saved for 36 months, which covers the Texas and Circular 230 retention periods and New York’s one year. Pass or fail.
How to turn these examples into your own ad plan
Nothing on this page requires a national budget. The pattern across all 15 examples is the same: one promise (PwC’s two outcomes, CLA’s proximity), one proof (Pilot’s 8,000, KPMG’s 12 years with the same event), and copy that names the reader’s situation in their words. If you are deciding what share of revenue to put behind ads, our breakdown of how much accounting firms should spend on marketing gives the ranges, and marketing expenses in accounting covers how that spend is booked. For the bigger picture of where ads fit next to referrals and SEO, start with marketing for CPA and accounting firms and what is changing in CPA marketing in 2026. When you are ready to write the one promise behind your ads, the work on brand messaging and positioning for accounting firms comes first.
My opinion after reading all of these side by side: most small firms should copy the boring search ads before the clever TV spots. A headline with your city, your pricing model and one true number will do more in January than any brand line. If you want a second set of eyes on your ad copy and the compliance check before tax season, you can book a consultation.
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Frequently asked questions
What are some examples of accounting firm advertising?
Public examples include PwC's The New Equation strategy campaign (2021), EY's Shape the future with confidence brand expansion (2024), Deloitte's Team USA and LA28 sponsorship, KPMG's Women's PGA Championship, CLA's We'll Get You There and Right there with you TV campaigns, and the AICPA's 2026 CPA Trust campaign. For small firms, the Google Ads Transparency Center shows the live search ads of firms like 1-800Accountant and Pilot.
Are CPA firms allowed to advertise?
Yes. The AICPA Code of Professional Conduct (1.600.001) allows advertising and solicitation and only prohibits doing it in a manner that is false, misleading, or deceptive, or soliciting through coercion, over-reaching, or harassing conduct. State boards then add specific rules on fees, testimonials, titles and firm names, so check your own state before running ads.
What are the CPA firm advertising rules on guarantees and testimonials?
The AICPA Code treats ads that create false or unjustified expectations of favorable results as misleading. New York goes further: licensed professionals may not advertise that they guarantee any service, testimonials need the client's written authorization, and fictional client testimonials are not permitted. Texas bars testimonials and self-praise that are not based on verifiable facts. Keep proof for every claim you publish.
Can a CPA firm advertise its prices?
Yes, with conditions. New York allows fixed prices or price ranges for routine services if the ad states any additional integral charges and how long the price is in effect. Texas prohibits implying a service will be completed for a stated fee when that is not the case. IRS Circular 230 lets practitioners publish fees but requires honoring them for at least 30 calendar days after the last publication.
Can I call my firm tax specialists or advertise a specialty?
Be careful. Texas presumes a firm name misleading if it states or implies special expertise, quality, or expected outcomes, though a name limited to a service such as tax is allowed if you mainly do that work. The AICPA lets a firm use a designation like PFS in marketing only if all partners hold it. Describe your niche with facts instead, such as years and client counts.
What should accounting ads say for tax resolution services?
Sell the process you control, not the result the IRS controls. Offer a transcript review, a written options letter and representation by a credentialed preparer. Avoid pennies on the dollar and similar promises: the IRS lists misleading Offer in Compromise marketing on its 2026 Dirty Dozen, and it accepted 5,464 of 38,797 offers received in fiscal 2025, per the IRS Data Book.
How long do I need to keep copies of my CPA firm ads?
It depends on the rule. Texas requires keeping email and direct mail ads with a recipient list, and broadcast recordings, for at least 36 months. IRS Circular 230 requires 36 months for direct mail and e-commerce copies and a recording of broadcasts. New York requires an exact copy of each ad for one year after it last appears. Saving every ad for 36 months covers all three.