The Moon Group vs Stephen Merritt: Services, Pricing and Credentials Compared (2026)
Key Takeaways
- The Moon Group: Evidence Score 47 at 86% coverage. Stephen Merritt: 47 at 78% coverage.
- Neither says anything about pricing on its site.
- Only Stephen Merritt names the industries it serves (real estate), on its own site.
Sources cited in this article: Firm's own website, IRS preparer records, State business registry, DNS check, and our published methodology.
How this list is built: Methodology · Disclosures · About · Report a correction
At a glance
| The Moon Group | Stephen Merritt | |
|---|---|---|
| Rank on the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake area list | 1 of 18 | 2 of 18 |
| Evidence Score (out of 100) | 47 | 47 |
| Evidence coverage (%) | 86 | 78 |
| Documented services + buyer fit | 21 of 40 pts | 23 of 40 pts |
| Independently verifiable qualifications | 0 of 20 pts | 0 of 20 pts |
| Operational + pricing transparency | 11 of 25 pts | 11 of 25 pts |
| Verified identity + continuity | 15 of 15 pts | 13 of 15 pts |
| Office locality | Virginia Beach, VA Self-reported | Virginia Beach, VA Self-reported |
| Software supported | Not documented | QuickBooks (5 pts) Self-reported |
| Pricing approach published | Not documented | Not documented |
| Active CPA firm or individual license (state board) | Not verified | Not verified |
| Current QuickBooks ProAdvisor or Xero advisor listing | Not verified | Not verified |
| Entity found in the state business registry | Business registration found: The Moon Group LLC · VA SCC ID S8219190 · Virginia State Corporation Commission · Active (SCC LLC table, data to 2024-09) (6 pts) Third-party | Business registration found: Stephen Merritt, C.P.A., P.C. · VA SCC ID 04764437 · Virginia State Corporation Commission · Active (SCC corporation table, data to 2024-11) (6 pts) Third-party |
| Operating 1+ year (registry formation date) | Formed 2019-04-19 (incorporation/formation date of a Virginia-formed entity) (5 pts) Third-party | Formed 1996-12-19 (incorporation/formation date of a Virginia-formed entity) (5 pts) Third-party |
A search that found nothing reads "Not verified": it is not a mark against a firm (how we search).
Full evidence profile: The Moon Group · Full evidence profile: Stephen Merritt
Where they differ
| Scored item | The Moon Group | Stephen Merritt |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly bookkeeping (8 pts) | Documented (8 pts) | Not documented |
| Industries served (documented) (5 pts) | Not documented | real estate (5 pts) |
| Working contact route verified (2 pts) | [email protected] (mail server found) (2 pts) | Not verified |
What both document
Payroll coordination; Month-end close + reporting; Local / remote model stated; What is included / excluded; Named contact / team; Communication channel / process; Privacy / data-handling page
Our read
On the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake list, The Moon Group and Stephen Merritt tie on score at 47, and The Moon Group sits first on coverage. They differ most in documented services, where Stephen Merritt has 23 of 40 points to 21.
The Moon Group works from Virginia Beach, says it serves clients across the US and has a state registration dated 2019.
Stephen Merritt works from Virginia Beach, names real estate among the industries it serves, works in QuickBooks and has a state registration dated 1996.
The Moon Group is the one of the two whose site documents a fit for a business that wants to work remotely.
Neither site gives us evidence for catch-up work, bill pay and invoicing and pricing, so raise them with both firms on a first call.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for catch-up work, The Moon Group or Stephen Merritt?
Neither site mentions catch-up or cleanup work, so ask both before you commit if you're behind.
Do The Moon Group or Stephen Merritt publish prices?
Neither says anything about pricing on its site. Each profile quotes the page the wording came from.
Where are The Moon Group and Stephen Merritt based?
Both appear on the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake list: The Moon Group lists an office in Virginia Beach, and Stephen Merritt lists one in Virginia Beach.
Sources and further reading
Dates are when we checked. Report an error.
- Firm's own websiteChecked Sep 26, 2026
- IRS preparer recordsChecked Sep 27, 2026
- State business registryChecked Sep 26, 2026
- DNS checkChecked Nov 7, 2026
- How the Evidence Score worksBookkeeping Index methodology
- Commercial disclosuresBookkeeping Index