Nashville’s CPA market spans solo practitioners, regional mid-tier offices, and full-service firms that handle audit, advisory, and multi-entity tax work side by side. The firms below operate under AICPA professional standards, hold Tennessee Society of CPAs (TSCPA) membership, and carry the partner depth needed for closely held businesses, multi-state filers, and assurance engagements. Each entry below has been verified against the firm’s own website and against current TSCPA listings.
For readers benchmarking firm credentials, the AICPA publishes the Statements on Quality Management Standards (SQMS) and the Statements on Auditing Standards that all licensed firms follow, while the TSCPA peer review program administers the triennial review that every Tennessee CPA practice doing attest work must complete.
Quick Comparison #
| Firm | Credentials | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| KraftCPAs PLLC | Founded 1958, more than 240 professionals across four Tennessee offices, TSCPA member with AICPA peer review on the standard three-year cycle. | Audit and assurance under AICPA Statements on Auditing Standards, federal tax across Forms 1040, 1120, 1120-S, and 1065, Tennessee Business Tax Form BUS-415, business advisory, risk advisory, wealth management, technology services. |
| LBMC, PC | Founded 1984, largest Tennessee-based accounting practice with more than 1,000 team members across Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Carolina, PCAOB-registered firm, AICPA and TSCPA member. | Federal, state and local, individual, and international tax, audit and assurance under AICPA standards and PCAOB auditing standards for issuers, business advisory, healthcare consulting, cybersecurity, transaction advisory, business valuation, technology solutions. |
| Crosslin, PLLC | Founded 1987, TSCPA-listed Nashville office, AICPA peer review participation, three operating units across accounting, technology, and healthcare. | Tax strategy and compliance, audit and assurance under AICPA standards, managed accounting, family CFO, state and local sales tax, valuation, litigation support, asset protection, Yellow Book and Uniform Guidance single audit engagements for not-for-profit and governmental entities. |
1. KraftCPAs PLLC #
KraftCPAs PLLC is the oldest of the three names on this list and one of the largest independent CPA firms headquartered in Tennessee. Joe Kraft opened the practice in 1958 on Mulberry Street in south Nashville, and the firm has grown to more than 240 professionals across offices in Nashville, Chattanooga, Columbia, and Lebanon.
The Nashville headquarters sits at 555 Great Circle Road, Nashville, TN 37228, with a main line at (615) 242-7351.
Service lines at Kraft #
The practice runs six primary service groups: audit and assurance, tax, business advisory, risk advisory, wealth management, and technology services. On the tax side the firm prepares the full federal slate (Form 1040 for individuals, Form 1120 for C corporations, Form 1120-S for S corporations, and Form 1065 for partnerships) and handles Tennessee-specific filings including the Tennessee Business Tax return Form BUS-415 administered by the Department of Revenue. Audit engagements are performed under AICPA Statements on Auditing Standards, and the office applies ASC 740 income tax accounting (formerly FAS 109) for clients producing GAAP financial statements.
Industry depth at Kraft #
KraftCPAs serves healthcare practices, professional service firms, manufacturing and distribution clients, real estate and private equity portfolios, family-owned businesses, and not-for-profit organizations. The group operates affiliated entities for wealth advisory and technology consulting, which lets a single client relationship pull in CFO-level advisory work alongside the annual tax return.
Kraft credentials #
The firm is a TSCPA member organization, individual partners hold AICPA membership, and the practice has completed AICPA peer reviews on the standard three-year cycle. In June 2025 the office announced a definitive agreement to join Baker Tilly under the firm’s Southeast expansion plan, and the Nashville group continues to operate under the KraftCPAs name during integration with the national firm.
2. LBMC, PC #
LBMC, PC is the largest Tennessee-based accounting and consulting practice and one of the top regional firms in the Southeast. Partners Jim Lattimore, Charles Black, David Morgan, and Mike Cain founded the office in 1984 under the name Lattimore, Black, Morgan, and Cain, PC. The group now employs more than 1,000 team members across Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, and remote locations.
The Nashville-area headquarters is at 201 Franklin Road, Brentwood, TN 37027, with the main line at (615) 377-4600.
LBMC service catalog #
LBMC delivers tax (federal, state and local, individual, and international), audit and assurance, business advisory, healthcare consulting, cybersecurity, transaction advisory, business valuation, technology solutions, and staffing through its affiliated entities. The tax practice handles entity-level returns (Forms 1120, 1120-S, 1065) for closely held and private equity-backed companies, individual returns (Form 1040) for owners and executives, and multi-state apportionment work for clients with revenue footprints outside Tennessee.
Public-company assurance #
Because the office handles assurance work for SEC registrants and broker-dealers, audit engagements follow both AICPA Statements on Auditing Standards for private clients and PCAOB auditing standards for issuers. The group is registered with the PCAOB and shows on the PCAOB registered firms list.
Recognition #
LBMC ranked 35th on the Inside Public Accounting list of the largest U.S. CPA firms in 2025 with reported net revenue of $234.6 million. The office has been named a Fortune Best Workplace in Consulting and Professional Services for the fourth time and has earned the Great Place to Work certification six years running. Individual partners hold AICPA and TSCPA memberships and the firm participates in the AICPA peer review program.
3. Crosslin, PLLC #
Crosslin, PLLC is a mid-sized Nashville-headquartered office founded in 1987 to give privately held companies, not-for-profits, and governmental entities a regional alternative to the national firms. The brand spans three operating units: Crosslin Certified Public Accountants, Crosslin Technologies, and Crosslin Healthcare.
The Nashville office is at 107 Kenner Avenue, Nashville, TN 37205, with a main line at (615) 320-5500. The practice also maintains an office in Lexington, Kentucky.
Crosslin service mix #
Crosslin’s accounting service catalog covers tax strategy and compliance, audit and assurance, managed accounting, family CFO, state and local sales tax, valuation, litigation support, and asset protection. The technology unit handles managed IT, managed security, and unified communications. The tax group works the standard federal forms (1040, 1120, 1120-S, 1065) and Tennessee Business Tax filings, and the audit group performs engagements under AICPA Statements on Auditing Standards.
Industries served #
The practice handles banking, construction, educational institutions, food service, healthcare, manufacturing and distribution, not-for-profit and governmental entities, privately owned businesses, public companies, religious organizations, and retail. The not-for-profit and governmental client base is sizeable, which means the audit group runs Yellow Book and Uniform Guidance single audit engagements alongside private-company GAAP work.
Crosslin credentials #
Crosslin is listed in the TSCPA firm directory, partners hold AICPA membership, and the firm participates in the AICPA peer review program required of all Tennessee attest practices on a three-year cycle.
Selection Methodology #
CPA practice in Tennessee runs under the Tennessee State Board of Accountancy at TCA 62-1, with active firm permit registration and individual CPA license verifiable through the Department of Commerce and Insurance license lookup. The filter for the three firms above started at the TSBA firm-permit register and worked through AICPA peer review status (pass rating on file within the three-year cycle), partner-level CPA licensure with EA or attorney credentials where claimed, IRS PTIN registration for tax-return work, scope detail across audit and review engagements under SSARS standards, federal and state tax preparation, advisory engagements, and forensic or valuation work where the practice offers it. Out-of-state preparer franchises without a Tennessee CPA partner of record were excluded.
How to pick between them #
The three names above cover the practical range a Nashville business owner is likely to consider. KraftCPAs offers the longest local history and a wide industry book, paired with affiliated wealth and technology arms. LBMC carries the regional scale, the PCAOB registration, and the deepest specialty-services bench. Crosslin gives privately held companies and not-for-profits a mid-sized practice with integrated accounting and IT under one roof.
For independent verification, the TSCPA company directory and the Tennessee State Board of Accountancy license lookup both let prospective clients confirm individual CPA licenses and firm registrations before engagement.
Frequently Asked Questions #
Q: How does the firm handle confidentiality and data security?
A: Ask the firm to share its written data-security policy, the platforms used for client document exchange (encrypted portal, secure email), the retention policy for sensitive client data, and the notification protocol in the event of a data breach. Financial and tax firms in particular are bound by IRS and state confidentiality rules.
Q: What credentials does the firm hold for the work being requested?
A: Confirm specific credentials by service: CPA license through the Tennessee State Board of Accountancy; Series 65 or CFP registration for financial advisors; bar admission for legal advisors; agency-of-record disclosures for marketing partners. Request the license number or registration ID and verify it through the issuing authority’s public lookup.
Q: Are any of the three firms paid placements?
A: No. The three profiles above are editorial selections drawn from publicly verifiable sources. No firm sponsored placement.
Q: How are project deliverables documented and approved?
A: Ask for the deliverable review-and-approval process in writing: who reviews drafts, the standard turnaround for feedback, the number of revision rounds included, and how out-of-scope requests are handled. A documented review process avoids dispute when expectations differ from the original scope.
Editorial Note #
This guide was published on 2026-05-11 and reflects research current as of that date. Verify licenses, phone numbers, and current business status before engaging any firm.