Straight answers about your numbers — and the workpapers behind them.
Some businesses come for tax planning and a clean set of books. Others call because a year never got filed, or an accountant left mid-job. Either way you get a straight assessment of where you actually stand — and you are welcome to check the work.
CPA · Certified Internal Auditor · Certified Information Systems Auditor — serving Southeast Wisconsin & Chicago-area businesses since 2008
Small Business CPA for Tax, Accounting & QuickBooks Support in Mount Pleasant, Milwaukee & Chicago
Tax, bookkeeping, payroll and financial statements for small and mid-sized businesses — plus internal audit, IT audit and SOX work for organizations that need it. Serving Mount Pleasant, Milwaukee, Racine and the greater Chicago area since 2008. You work with the CPA directly, every time.
Start by Finding Out Where You Actually Stand.
Before anything gets fixed, you get an honest picture of what is really in the books — and what it will take to put it right.
People who call are usually worried about something specific. Most often it is one of these.
You cannot tell if you are actually making money:
The reports come out, but they do not show profitability, cash flow, or where the money is really going.Somebody else left a mess behind:
A bookkeeper who left mid-year, an accountant who stopped answering, or a company that ran things under your name and your EIN.Something never got filed:
A return that was prepared but never sent, payroll forms generated and then forgotten, or a year that quietly got skipped.You are not sure what you might be on the hook for:
Personal and business accounts mixed together, entries posted twice, balances plugged to force a statement to balance. Usually the real worry is not the bookkeeping. It is the exposure underneath it.
None of this is unusual, all of it is fixable, and none of it is the first time it has come through the door.
Books three years behind. A ledger carrying nine overlapping correction series. Eleven bank accounts that never made it onto the books at all. A return that was prepared and then simply never filed. Most firms want clean annual clients and will politely decline all of it.
This practice was built for exactly that work. Not as a favour, and not as a last resort — it is the core of the book. It is closer to forensic reconstruction than to bookkeeping, and doing it properly takes audit training rather than tax software. That is why the credentials read CPA, CIA and CISA instead of CPA alone.
So if you have already been turned away somewhere, you have not run out of options. You have just been talking to firms that do something else for a living.
Tell me what you are dealing with →If a prospect arrives with something you would rather not take on, send them here. You keep the relationship, they stop being your problem, and you can have them back once the file is in order. Call 630-338-9359 or email [email protected].
Meet Your CPA
Steven Towne, CPA, CIA, CISA
Steven brings over 15 years of experience in accounting, auditing, tax, and financial systems. Based in Racine, WI and serving businesses across Mount Pleasant, Kenosha, Milwaukee, and Southeast Wisconsin — with remote clients extending to Chicago and northern Illinois. He works directly with every client. No junior staff. No handoffs.
“One of the few accountants that actually explained all of my options and benefits of following his recommendations. One of the better experiences I’ve had with someone that actually took the time to go through my business return at length and answer every question.”
“They take the time to meet with us and explain complex issues in plain, accessible language, which gives us confidence and peace of mind. JTA has been our trusted accounting partner for more than three years.”
It is a one-week examination of your books, and it works like this. You send your bank and credit card statements and your accounting file. I go through them, establish what is actually there and what is missing, and write it up. You keep the report whether or not you hire me afterwards.
It exists because most people delay dealing with their books for two reasons — not knowing what will be found, and not knowing what it costs simply to find out. This answers both for a fixed price.
What the report tells you
How it works
You Are Not the First Person to Call About This.
Whatever shape things are in, the first step is the same — find out exactly where you stand.
Much of the work here starts with books somebody else left behind: duplicate entries, balances plugged to force a statement to balance, accounts that never got reconciled, a year that quietly went unfiled. Untangling that is ordinary work here, and it is a large part of what we do. It begins with real accounting leadership, not just bookkeeping.
You work with the CPA directly. Not a junior associate, not a call center, not a different person each time you call — the one who has actually been through your file and knows what is in it. That is deliberate, and it is why the firm stays the size it is.
I am a CPA, a Certified Internal Auditor and a Certified Information Systems Auditor. In practice that means your books get tested rather than assumed: cash proved against the statements, activity traced rather than trusted, and workpapers you are welcome to look at. You will know what is true before you have to make a decision on it.
CPA is the tax license. CIA — Certified Internal Auditor — is the one that matters when your books are in bad shape. It is the discipline of proving what is actually there instead of accepting what you were handed. Very few small firms carry both, and it changes how the work gets done.
Where People Usually Start.
Pick whichever one sounds most like your situation.
Taxes
Simplify tax time with accurate returns and year‑round strategic guidance for individuals and businesses.
Business Accounting
Accurate reporting and streamlined workflows that keep your books clean, timely, and decision‑ready.
Accounting Software
Setup and optimization for QuickBooks, Sage, and Microsoft Dynamics so your system delivers reliable insights
Assurance
Independent financial reviews, audits, and compilations that strengthen transparency and confidence.
What You Gain When You Work With JTA-CPA
Simplified Financial Complexity
Accurate Timely Financial Reporting
Tailored Accounting Services
Reliable Month ‑to‑Month Support
Confidence & Clarity
Trusted Since 2008
Deep Experience & Credentials
Thirty minutes costs nothing and you will leave knowing where you actually stand.
Book a free 30-minute consultation →
What working together actually looks like.
Four steps, and you know exactly what is happening at each one.
Start with a conversation
Thirty minutes, no charge. You describe the situation, I ask questions, and we work out whether I am the right fit before anyone commits to anything.
See where you actually stand
I go through the numbers and tell you what is really there — including anything you would rather hear now than at filing time.
Get it in writing first
A written scope before work begins: what gets done, in what order, and what it costs. No billable-hour surprises and no scope creep.
Then stop worrying about it
Monthly closes, quarterly planning, and a CPA who already knows your file when you call. Not just someone you hear from in March.
Industries We Serve
Cost accounting, WIP schedules, IRC §460 compliance, and tax planning for commercial contractors and subcontractors across Wisconsin. Learn more →
Inventory costing, COGS optimization, R&D tax credits, and financial reporting for Wisconsin manufacturers and industrial businesses. Learn more →
Practice overhead management, entity structuring, accounts receivable, and tax planning for physician and dental practice owners. Learn more →
Depreciation strategy, 1031 exchanges, passive activity rules, and Wisconsin-specific tax compliance for residential and commercial real estate investors. Learn more →
We Also Build the Software Our Clients Use
Job costing and manufacturing costing platforms, built in-house — try the live demo yourself, no signup required.
Job Costing Portal
Real-time job costing, change orders, and WIP reporting — built for how contractors track a job.
- Budget vs. Actual, Live
- Synced from QuickBooks Online
- Change Orders Tracked to Budget
- Your Own Login, Anytime
Manufacturing Costing Portal
Real-time standard costing, BOM rollups, and variance reporting — built for a real shop floor.
- Standard Cost Variance, Live
- Synced from QuickBooks Online
- BOMs & Routings Roll Up to Budget
- Your Own Login, Anytime
ADVISORY OPERATIONS
The JTA Advisory Command Center
Where financial data, CPA judgment, and forward‑looking guidance come together to support informed decisions.
Monitoring • Interpreting • Advising
- Direct CPA access for planning and decision‑making
- Systems designed to support visibility, scalability, and insight
- Financial close that supports timely, informed decisions
- Reporting translated into actionable insight
- Financial clarity around profitability and performance
- Compliance with proactive tax planning built in
- Payroll structured to align with cash flow and growth
- Ongoing tax guidance — not just filing
- Advisory oversight as complexity increases
Nothing but Great News!
Proudly Serving Southeast Wisconsin & Northern Illinois
From Racine to Milwaukee — and across the Illinois state line — JTA-CPA delivers trusted tax, accounting, and QuickBooks services wherever your business operates.
Mount Pleasant, WI
Our home base. Full-service tax preparation, small business accounting, QuickBooks advisory, and assurance.
Racine, WI
Tax planning, corporate returns, bookkeeping, and financial reviews for Racine-area businesses.
Kenosha, WI
Payroll, 1099 filing, LLC accounting setup, and ongoing tax support for Kenosha clients.
Milwaukee Metro
Metro Milwaukee accounting, financial reviews, and multi-entity tax strategy for growing businesses.
Chicago & Northern Illinois
Remote CPA services for Chicago-area businesses and individuals seeking Wisconsin-licensed expertise.
JTA-CPA is a Southeast Wisconsin accounting firm serving Mount Pleasant, Racine, Kenosha, and Milwaukee — with remote services extending to Chicago and northern Illinois. We provide tax preparation, small business accounting, bookkeeping, QuickBooks consulting, and assurance services to individuals, LLCs, corporations, and contractors. Community-based. Professionally focused.
Related Services
Common Questions We Hear (And Our Honest Answers)
Choosing an accountant is a big decision. If you’re feeling unsure, you’re not alone. These are some of the most common concerns people share with us.
Worried you might be too small?
You’re not. We work with small and mid‑sized businesses and individuals every day—that’s exactly who we built our firm for.
Switching accountants feels overwhelming?
We handle the transition for you and make sure nothing falls through the cracks, so the process feels smooth and manageable.
Behind or overwhelmed with your books?
No judgment here. Cleanup and catch‑up work is something we do often, and we’ll help you get back on track.
Frustrated by poor communication?
You work directly with Steven Towne, CPA, CIA, CISA—no being passed around, and no unanswered questions.
Do you serve clients in Racine, WI?
Yes — our office is located at 500 College Ave, Racine, WI 53403. We serve individuals and businesses in Racine and Racine County year-round for tax, accounting, and QuickBooks services.
Do you work with Kenosha, WI businesses?
Absolutely. We serve Kenosha County clients both in-person (from our Racine office) and fully remotely. Contractors, LLCs, and established businesses across Kenosha rely on us for tax preparation and ongoing accounting support.
Can I work with JTA-CPA remotely from Milwaukee?
Yes. Milwaukee-area clients work with us primarily via secure remote access and video consultation. In-person meetings are available at our Racine office when needed.
Do you serve Chicago-area clients?
We do. We provide remote CPA services to businesses and individuals in Chicago and northern Illinois who need Wisconsin-licensed expertise or who have cross-border tax situations.
Ready for Better Accounting?
Let’s talk about your goals and build a plan that fits your business or individual needs.
