Top 10 Bookkeepers in the Baltimore-Columbia Area, MD (2026)
Key Takeaways
- First on the list: BrightPath CFO, scoring 67 with 75% of the evidence checked.
- We reviewed 92 firms here; 15 of the 25 that met the listing bar reached 70% evidence coverage, and the 10 with at least 6 documented items are numbered.
- Only 3 of 25 publish a monthly price or a starting price, while 19 say nothing about fees.
- Compared with every firm we list, this group stands out on catch-up work: 6 of 25 say they take on catch-up or cleanup work (24% against 12%).
Sources cited in this article: DNS check, Firm's own website, IRS preparer records, and our published methodology.
92 profiles reviewed, 25 met the listing bar, 15 scored (evidence coverage of 70% or more). 10 document at least 6 of the items we score and are ranked by Evidence Score; the other 5 are under the list as Also scored.
Firms on this page have offices in Columbia (6), Baltimore (5), Ellicott City (4), Towson (4), Annapolis (3), Pikesville (2) and 1 other place. The page covers 115 towns and cities in the metro area, and a firm elsewhere in Maryland appears on the state page.
How this list is built: Methodology · Disclosures · About · Report a correction
This list numbers the 10 Baltimore-Columbia bookkeeping firms with enough documented evidence to rank, out of 25 that met our listing bar, and scores 5 more below it without a number. Narrow it by need first. The filters above the list cover catch-up work (6 firms), a published price (3) and remote service (9).
What firms here charge
We verified a monthly bookkeeping price for 3 of the 25 firms on this list, each from the firm's own site and captured on September 26, 2026. The lowest listed is AllTax Accounting: from $250 a month. The highest listed is CSI Accounting & Payroll: from $600 a month (includes annual taxes and plus an onboarding fee). For the other firms we have no verified monthly bookkeeping price; some may publish other pricing, so ask them for a quote.
| Firm | Price type | Monthly price ($) | Conditions | Captured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AllTax Accounting | Starting price | 250 | None stated | |
| BrightPath CFO | Starting price | 399 | None stated | |
| CSI Accounting & Payroll | Starting price | 600 | Listed below |
Conditions each firm states with its price:
- CSI Accounting & Payroll ($600): includes annual taxes and plus an onboarding fee.
Top 10 Bookkeepers in the Baltimore-Columbia Area, MD, Ranked by Evidence Score
- BrightPath CFO (Columbia, MD). Evidence Score 67/100 at 75% coverage. Read the full profileDocuments 5 of 5 core services; publishes prices. Documented fit: contractors; catch-up and cleanup work; QuickBooks Online users.Who they say they serve (self-reported): contractors.
- Barney & Company (Columbia, MD). Evidence Score 58/100 at 75% coverage. Read the full profileDocuments 5 of 5 core services. Documented fit: restaurants, construction; catch-up and cleanup work; QuickBooks Online users.Who they say they serve (self-reported): restaurants, construction, real estate, medical, healthcare.
- AllTax Accounting (Towson, MD). Evidence Score 57/100 at 75% coverage. Read the full profileDocuments 4 of 5 core services; IRS preparer record found for a named person; publishes prices. Documented fit: real estate, contractors; catch-up and cleanup work; Xero users.Who they say they serve (self-reported): real estate, contractors.
- Nitya LLC (Columbia, MD). Evidence Score 43/100 at 73% coverage. Read the full profileDocuments 3 of 5 core services; IRS preparer record found for a named person. Documented fit: contractors, technology.Who they say they serve (self-reported): contractors, technology, construction, real estate, healthcare.
- Sigma Accountants LLC (Columbia, MD). Evidence Score 38/100 at 75% coverage. Read the full profileDocuments 2 of 5 core services; IRS preparer record found for a named person. Documented fit: healthcare.Who they say they serve (self-reported): healthcare.
- Fisher Ring (Ellicott City, MD). Evidence Score 36/100 at 72% coverage. Read the full profileDocuments 2 of 5 core services; IRS preparer record found for a named person. Documented fit: real estate, construction.Who they say they serve (self-reported): real estate, construction, medical.
- AK & Associates, PA (Ellicott City, MD). Evidence Score 33/100 at 75% coverage. Read the full profileDocuments 3 of 5 core services.
- Express Tax & Credit (Ellicott City, MD). Evidence Score 28/100 at 73% coverage. Read the full profileDocuments 3 of 5 core services; IRS preparer record found for a named person.
- Ally Tax Group (Annapolis, MD). Evidence Score 28/100 at 72% coverage. Read the full profileDocuments 3 of 5 core services.
- Isaacs Accounting (Pikesville, MD). Evidence Score 28/100 at 72% coverage. Read the full profileDocuments 2 of 5 core services; IRS preparer record found for a named person.
Also scored
These firms reached 70% evidence coverage, but fewer than 6 of the items we score are documented for them, so they carry a score and no number.
| Firm | Where | Services documented | Software | Pricing | Credentials verified | Coverage (%) | Evidence Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White Accounting Services, LLC | Baltimore, MD Local | payroll coordination, month-end close | Not verified | Not verified | IRS preparer record | 70 | 21 |
| Dreams NPOS | Glen Burnie, MD Local | payroll coordination | QuickBooks | Not verified | Not verified | 75 | 17 |
| Steven S. Chalawsky CPA | Towson, MD Local | payroll coordination | Not verified | Not verified | IRS preparer record | 73 | 16 |
| Rosario Accounting Firm Says it serves: construction, salons | Baltimore, MD Local + remote | payroll coordination | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | 75 | 14 |
| Alex Blum CPA, LLC | Baltimore, MD | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | IRS preparer record | 75 | 11 |
Top firms in Columbia
BrightPath CFO leads Columbia with an Evidence Score of 67/100 at 75% coverage. Also ranked in Columbia: Barney & Company (58/100, 75% coverage), Nitya LLC (43/100, 73% coverage), Sigma Accountants LLC (38/100, 75% coverage).
Top firms in Ellicott City
Fisher Ring leads Ellicott City with an Evidence Score of 36/100 at 72% coverage. Also ranked in Ellicott City: AK & Associates, PA (33/100, 75% coverage), Express Tax & Credit (28/100, 73% coverage).
Comparison table
| Firm | Where | Services documented | Software | Pricing | Credentials verified | Coverage (%) | Evidence Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BrightPath CFO Says it serves: contractors | Columbia, MD Local + remote | monthly bookkeeping, catch-up/cleanup, AP/AR, payroll coordination, month-end close | QuickBooks Online, Gusto, ADP | Publishes prices | Not verified | 75 | 67 |
| Barney & Company Says it serves: restaurants, construction, real estate, medical, healthcare | Columbia, MD Local + remote | monthly bookkeeping, catch-up/cleanup, AP/AR, payroll coordination, month-end close | QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop | Not verified | Not verified | 75 | 58 |
| AllTax Accounting Says it serves: real estate, contractors | Towson, MD Local | catch-up/cleanup, AP/AR, payroll coordination, month-end close | QuickBooks, Xero | Publishes prices | IRS preparer record | 75 | 57 |
| Nitya LLC Says it serves: contractors, technology, construction, real estate, healthcare | Columbia, MD Local + remote | AP/AR, payroll coordination, month-end close | QuickBooks | Not verified | IRS preparer record | 73 | 43 |
| Sigma Accountants LLC Says it serves: healthcare | Columbia, MD Local + remote | monthly bookkeeping, payroll coordination | Not verified | Not verified | IRS preparer record | 75 | 38 |
| Fisher Ring Says it serves: real estate, construction, medical | Ellicott City, MD | payroll coordination, month-end close | QuickBooks | Not verified | IRS preparer record | 72 | 36 |
| AK & Associates, PA | Ellicott City, MD Local | monthly bookkeeping, payroll coordination, month-end close | QuickBooks | Not verified | Not verified | 75 | 33 |
| Express Tax & Credit | Ellicott City, MD Local | AP/AR, payroll coordination, month-end close | Not verified | Not verified | IRS preparer record | 73 | 28 |
| Ally Tax Group | Annapolis, MD | monthly bookkeeping, payroll coordination, month-end close | QuickBooks | Not verified | Not verified | 72 | 28 |
| Isaacs Accounting | Pikesville, MD Local | payroll coordination, month-end close | QuickBooks | Not verified | IRS preparer record | 72 | 28 |
Also listed (not scored yet)
These firms met the listing bar but have under 70% evidence coverage, so they are not ranked.
| Firm | Where | Services documented | Software | Pricing | Credentials verified | Coverage (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Step Accounting | Baltimore, MD Local + remote | monthly bookkeeping, payroll coordination, month-end close | QuickBooks Online | Quote only (stated) | Not verified | 69 |
| A Little Faith Accounting & Tax Services Says it serves: real estate, healthcare, manufacturing, technology, startups | Baltimore, MD Local + remote | monthly bookkeeping, AP/AR, payroll coordination, month-end close | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | 69 |
| Affordable Accounting | Annapolis, MD Local | payroll coordination, month-end close | QuickBooks | Not verified | IRS preparer record | 29 |
| Balancing Act | Towson, MD | AP/AR, payroll coordination, month-end close | QuickBooks Online | Quote only (stated) | Not verified | 69 |
| CSI Accounting & Payroll Says it serves: technology | Columbia, MD Local + remote | monthly bookkeeping, catch-up/cleanup, payroll coordination, month-end close | Xero, QuickBooks Online | Publishes prices | Not verified | 69 |
| John S. Curtin, CPA Chartered | Ellicott City, MD | month-end close | Not verified | Not verified | IRS preparer record | 68 |
| Joseph L. Stefanski, CPA, PA Says it serves: contractors, medical, startups, law firms | Towson, MD Local | payroll coordination, month-end close | QuickBooks | Not verified | Not verified | 69 |
| PL Consulting Says it serves: medical, landscaping | Pikesville, MD | catch-up/cleanup, payroll coordination, month-end close | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | 45 |
| Pocket CPA Says it serves: real estate, consultants, medical, dental | Columbia, MD Local + remote | monthly bookkeeping, catch-up/cleanup, AP/AR, payroll coordination, month-end close | QuickBooks Online, Xero | Not verified | Not verified | 69 |
| The Harding Group Says it serves: technology, tech companies | Annapolis, MD | monthly bookkeeping, payroll coordination, month-end close | QuickBooks | Quote only (stated) | Not verified | 63 |
What the evidence shows
Pricing
Pricing is where these sites say least: 19 of 25 are silent on fees, 3 say they quote each job, and 3 publish a monthly figure. Figures the firms publish themselves, as their sites word them: BrightPath CFO ("$399/Month"), AllTax Accounting ("$250 per month") and CSI Accounting & Payroll ("$800 per month"). Across Maryland, the share publishing a monthly price is 6%, so this group is ahead of its state. Get the monthly fee, the transaction volume it assumes and what counts as extra in writing.
Services and process
6 of 25 say they take on catch-up or cleanup work, which matters if your books are months behind. On this page that's BrightPath CFO, Barney & Company, AllTax Accounting, CSI Accounting & Payroll, PL Consulting and Pocket CPA. Fewer write down the process: 7 of 25 describe onboarding and 7 name a reporting schedule.
Software and remote work
QuickBooks leads the software firms here name (40%); after it come QuickBooks Online 24% and Xero 12%. If you run Xero, AllTax Accounting, CSI Accounting & Payroll and Pocket CPA name it. Remote work is stated by 9 of 25; the filter above the list narrows to them.
Licenses and public records
Maryland doesn't publish its CPA register or business registry in a form we can match, so most firms here stop below the 70% coverage a ranking needs. The website evidence still counts; it just can't carry a firm over the bar alone. Median evidence coverage here is 72%. Check any CPA claim yourself on the Maryland Board of Public Accountancy lookup.
The ranking
The numbered firms score between 28 and 67; the median across every scored firm is 28. 5 more firms reached 70% coverage with fewer than 6 documented items, so they sit under the list as Also scored, without a number. The top of the list: BrightPath CFO (67 at 75% coverage), Barney & Company (58 at 75% coverage) and AllTax Accounting (57 at 75% coverage). Columbia has the most numbered firms (4), and the list spans 5 towns in all. A high-coverage firm with a modest score isn't a weak firm. Its site simply leaves more for you to ask.
Baltimore-Columbia area in figures
Shares of the 25 firms listed, from accepted evidence only. A firm with no evidence for an item counts as not stating it. Credentials: the Maryland CPA register isn't searched automatically, so licenses read Not verified. Median evidence coverage: 72%; median Evidence Score of the scored firms: 28.
| What the firms state | Share (%) | Firms (of 25) |
|---|---|---|
| Publish a price or starting price | 12 | 3 |
| State they price by quote | 12 | 3 |
| Say nothing about pricing | 76 | 19 |
| Hold a third-party-verified credential | 0 | 0 |
| State a reporting cadence | 28 | 7 |
| Describe onboarding | 28 | 7 |
| Offer catch-up or cleanup work | 24 | 6 |
| Work remotely (stated) | 36 | 9 |
| Mention QuickBooks | 40 | 10 |
| Mention QuickBooks Online | 24 | 6 |
| Mention Xero | 12 | 3 |
| Mention QuickBooks Desktop | 4 | 1 |
| Mention Gusto | 4 | 1 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Baltimore-Columbia bookkeepers publish their prices?
BrightPath CFO, AllTax Accounting and CSI Accounting & Payroll show a price or a starting price on their own site. Open a profile to see the exact wording and the page it came from.
Which firms in Baltimore-Columbia take on catch-up bookkeeping?
BrightPath CFO, Barney & Company, AllTax Accounting, CSI Accounting & Payroll, PL Consulting and Pocket CPA say they do catch-up or cleanup work. The catch-up filter above the list shows only those firms.
Which Baltimore-Columbia bookkeepers work in Xero?
AllTax Accounting, CSI Accounting & Payroll and Pocket CPA name Xero on their site. More firms here name QuickBooks, so ask which one a firm prefers before you switch anything.
Which Baltimore-Columbia bookkeepers say which industries they serve?
13 of 25 name them on their own sites, among them BrightPath CFO (contractors), Barney & Company (restaurants and construction), AllTax Accounting (real estate and contractors), Nitya LLC (contractors and technology) and Sigma Accountants LLC (healthcare). It's self-reported, so ask for a client reference in your trade.
Every place this page covers (115)
Aberdeen, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Abingdon, Annapolis, Annapolis Neck, Arbutus, Arden on the Severn, Arnold, Baltimore, Baltimore Highlands, Barclay, Bel Air, Bel Air North, Bel Air South, Bowleys Quarters, Brooklyn Park, Cape St. Claire, Carney, Catonsville, Centreville, Chester, Church Hill, Cockeysville, Columbia, Crofton, Crownsville, Crumpton, Darlington, Deale, Dundalk, Edgemere, Edgewater, Edgewood, Eldersburg, Elkridge, Ellicott City, Essex, Fallston, Ferndale, Fort Meade, Friendship, Fulton, Galesville, Gambrills, Garrison, Glen Burnie, Grasonville, Hampstead, Hampton, Havre de Grace, Herald Harbor, Highland, Highland Beach, Honeygo, Ilchester, Jarrettsville, Jessup, Joppatowne, Kent Narrows, Kingstown, Kingsville, Lake Shore, Lansdowne, Linthicum, Lisbon, Lochearn, Lutherville, Manchester, Maryland City, Mayo, Mays Chapel, Middle River, Milford Mill, Millington, Mount Airy, Naval Academy, New Windsor, North Laurel, Odenton, Overlea, Owings Mills, Parkville, Parole, Pasadena, Perry Hall, Perryman, Pikesville, Pleasant Hills, Pylesville, Queenstown, Randallstown, Reisterstown, Riva, Riverside, Riviera Beach, Romancoke, Rosedale, Rossville, Savage, Scaggsville, Severn, Severna Park, Shady Side, Stevensville, Sudlersville, Sykesville, Taneytown, Templeville, Timonium, Towson, Union Bridge, Westminster, White Marsh, Windsor Mill, Woodlawn.
Sources and further reading
Dates are when we checked. Report an error.
- DNS checkChecked Sep 26, 2026 to Oct 27, 2026
- Firm's own websiteChecked Sep 26, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026
- IRS preparer recordsChecked Sep 27, 2026 to Nov 10, 2026
- Maryland Board of Public Accountancy: license lookupMaryland Board of Public Accountancy
- Maryland business entity searchState of Maryland
- How the Evidence Score worksBookkeeping Index methodology
- Commercial disclosuresBookkeeping Index