CPA in Racine, WI — Tax, Accounting & QuickBooks for Local Businesses
JTA‑CPA is located at 500 College Avenue in Racine. We serve Racine businesses and individuals with professional tax preparation, accounting, QuickBooks advisory, and assurance.
Located at 500 College Ave, Racine — Serving the Community Since 2008
Professional CPA Services for Racine, WI Businesses & Individuals
Racine has a strong, diverse business community — from manufacturing and trades to professional services and retail. JTA‑CPA understands the specific tax, payroll, and accounting challenges Racine County businesses face. We provide hands-on, year-round support so you stay organized, compliant, and financially confident.
Whether you run a machine shop on Northwestern Avenue, a restaurant near Monument Square, or a contracting operation out of Caledonia, the financial decisions you make each quarter compound over time. The difference between a business that grows and one that stalls is rarely the work — it’s the planning behind it.
Our Racine clients come to us at different stages: some are just forming an LLC and want to get it right from the start; others have been operating for years and are finally ready to get off the reactive tax cycle. Either way, you work directly with Steven — no junior staff, no handoffs.
Why Racine Businesses Choose JTA‑CPA
Direct CPA Access — No Runaround
You work with Steven directly, every time. No intake forms routed to staff, no waiting to hear back from someone who doesn't know your history. One CPA who knows your books.
Built for Racine County Businesses
Contractors, manufacturers, and small businesses in Racine County face specific tax situations — equipment depreciation, job costing, owner compensation structure. We know what applies to your operation.
Tax Planning, Not Just Tax Filing
We review your tax position throughout the year, not just in April. Estimated payment strategy, entity structure decisions, and timing choices happen when they can still help — not after the fact.
Working with Racine, WI Businesses
Racine has more machine shops, fabricators, and industrial service businesses per capita than most SE Wisconsin cities — a legacy of the county’s manufacturing history that still shapes how its businesses run today. That creates accounting needs you don’t find everywhere: job costing to track margin by project, multi-year equipment and tooling depreciation schedules, and reasonable compensation decisions for S-Corps that have been operating for decades. We also work with the newer wave of downtown Racine businesses — food service, retail, and professional services drawn to the 6th Street corridor — who are formalizing their books for the first time and need a structure that grows with them.
Wisconsin’s depreciation rules don’t always mirror federal law. When Congress adjusts bonus depreciation — as it has in recent years — Wisconsin often decouples from those provisions, meaning your federal and state taxable income can diverge significantly in the same year. For a manufacturer or contractor buying equipment, your deduction strategy has to be built at both levels. We run those comparisons before year-end, not after you’ve already filed.
Wisconsin also has specific sales and use tax rules that affect manufacturers and trade businesses in ways many CPAs outside this area don’t track closely. Certain manufacturing inputs qualify for exemption; others don’t. If you’re buying materials, tooling, or equipment and not capturing exemptions correctly, you’re overpaying. If you’re applying exemptions too broadly, you’re creating audit exposure. We help Racine manufacturers understand exactly where the lines are.
For S-Corp owners in Racine — which describes most of our established business clients — reasonable compensation is an ongoing conversation, not a one-time calculation. The IRS has increased scrutiny on officer compensation in profitable S-Corps. We model salary against distributions annually to keep your structure defensible and tax-efficient year over year.
- Job costing and project-margin tracking for manufacturers and fabricators
- Section 179 and bonus depreciation elections for equipment-heavy operations
- S-Corp reasonable compensation review for long-established Racine owner-operators
- Wisconsin sales and use tax compliance for manufacturers and distributors
- Succession and ownership-transition planning for family-owned Racine businesses
What We Offer Racine Clients
Full-service CPA support from tax season through year-round accounting.
Tax Preparation
Individual and business tax returns, multi-year catch-ups, and proactive planning for Racine clients.
Accounting & Bookkeeping
Monthly accounting, reconciliations, financial statements, and clean books year-round.
QuickBooks Advisory
Setup, cleanup, training, and ongoing ProAdvisor support for Racine businesses.
Assurance Services
Reviews, compilations, and agreed-upon procedures for banks, investors, and stakeholders.
Serving Racine and the Surrounding Area
Our office is located at 500 College Avenue, Racine, WI 53403, making it easy for Racine clients to meet in person or work with us remotely. We serve clients throughout Racine County — including Mount Pleasant, Caledonia, Sturtevant, Burlington, and Union Grove — as well as clients in Kenosha and the surrounding region. Most ongoing work is handled remotely using secure file sharing, but in-person meetings are always available when you need them.
If you’ve been filing with a preparer who only sees you in March, you already know what’s missing: no mid-year check-ins, no quarterly planning, no heads-up before the next unexpected bill. That’s the difference year-round service makes at JTA‑CPA.
Meet Your Racine CPA
Steven Towne, CPA, CIA, CISA
Steven brings over 15 years of experience in accounting, auditing, tax, and financial systems. He works directly with every client — no junior staff, no handoffs. Based in Racine and serving Racine and the surrounding region.
Phone: 630-338-9359
Email: [email protected]
Real Results for Racine Area Clients
From Reactive to Planned — A Racine Contractor's Story
A residential contractor came to us after two consecutive years of unexpected tax bills — one year owing over $14,000 at filing. Their prior preparer filed accurately but never reviewed quarterly estimates or depreciation strategy. We restructured their vehicle and equipment deductions, set up a quarterly planning cadence, and modeled two entity structures. Their next filing came in under what they'd projected — and for the first time, they knew what to expect before April.
Getting the numbers right at filing matters. Getting ahead of them throughout the year matters more.
Common Questions from Racine Business Owners
What makes a CPA different from a tax preparer in Racine?
A CPA is licensed to advise, plan, and represent — not just prepare returns. At JTA‑CPA, that difference shows up year-round: reviewing estimated taxes each quarter, running depreciation and entity comparisons mid-year, and being reachable when something changes in your business. A preparer files accurately. We help you control the outcome before you file.
How does JTA‑CPA handle Wisconsin-specific tax issues?
Wisconsin departs from federal law in several areas our Racine clients regularly encounter — bonus depreciation conformity, capital gains treatment, and sales/use tax exemptions for manufacturers. Because our practice is concentrated in SE Wisconsin, these aren’t edge cases for us. They’re part of our standard workflow every year.
Can I work with JTA‑CPA if my business is in Mount Pleasant or Caledonia?
Yes. We serve all of Racine County — Mount Pleasant, Caledonia, Sturtevant, Burlington, Union Grove, and beyond. Most clients work with us remotely and come in for an annual or semi-annual in-person review. Our 500 College Avenue office is easy to reach from anywhere in the county.
When is the right time to switch to an S-Corp?
Generally when net self-employment income is consistently over $50,000 and the administrative cost is less than the SE tax savings. We run the numbers specific to your situation — including Wisconsin’s treatment of S-Corp income — and give you a clear break-even point before you make the switch.
Ready to Work with a Racine, WI CPA?
Let’s talk about your goals and build a plan that fits your business. Schedule a free consultation today.
