Meet the Tax Pros on TaxProExchange: Who's Building the Future of Tax Practice
475 active CPAs, EAs, and tax professionals on TaxProExchange are reshaping how tax work gets done. Here's who they are, where they practice, what they specialize in—and the surprising gaps that create opportunity.
Meet the Tax Pros on TaxProExchange: Who's Building the Future of Tax Practice
Every marketplace is defined by its people.
We've spent the last few months building TaxProExchange as a community for tax professionals—CPAs, EAs, tax preparers, and specialists ready to take on project work, connect with firms, and shape the future of tax practice.
But who's actually here? And more importantly: where do you fit?
We analyzed our active professional community to answer exactly that. The data tells a story about who's embracing new ways of working, what skills are scarce (and therefore valuable), and where the real opportunities are hiding.
The Community Today: 475 Active Professionals
Our platform now has 475 verified tax professionals, with 91% maintaining active, verified profiles. That's unusually high for any marketplace.
What that tells us: These aren't tire-kickers. These are serious professionals who completed verification, filled out their specializations, and are actively looking to build their reputation and find work.
The Credential Breakdown: CPAs Lead, EAs Underrepresented
| Credential | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| CPA | 211 | 44% |
| EA | 108 | 23% |
| Other/Diverse | 156 | 33% |
| Student | 16 | 3% |
| Tax Lawyer (JD) | 3 | <1% |
CPAs dominate—as expected. But here's the interesting part: EAs are underrepresented on TaxProExchange compared to the broader tax profession.
Nationally, CPAs and EAs exist in roughly a 3:1 ratio. On our platform? It's closer to 2:1.
What this means for you: If you're an EA or PTIN-only preparer, you have a competitive advantage. Firms desperately need EA expertise, and there's less competition for your services on TaxProExchange. You'll stand out.
The "Other" category (89+ professionals with diverse credentials) includes CTECs, tax consultants, and specialists—the niche experts who fill gaps that CPAs and EAs alone can't cover.
Geographic Hotspots: Where Tax Pros Are Clustering
| Rank | State | Count |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 36 |
| 2 | Texas | 19 |
| 3 | New Jersey | 11 |
| 4 | Florida | 11 |
| 5 | Georgia | 10 |
| 6 | Washington | 9 |
| 7 | Illinois | 9 |
| 8 | North Carolina | 8 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | 7 |
| 10 | New York | 6 |
California leads by 2x, which tracks with the state's population and tech-forward culture. But Texas, Florida, and Georgia are hot too—Sun Belt professionals embracing remote-first work.
The outlier: Washington (9 pros) punches above its weight, suggesting early adoption among West Coast practitioners.
The gap: 235 professionals haven't listed a state. This isn't unusual for early-stage directories, but it signals an onboarding opportunity—pros may not realize how visibility in their state drives local firm interest.
Experience Levels: The 6-10 Year Sweet Spot
| Years in Tax | Count | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 years | 60 | Rising stars |
| 3-5 years | 62 | Building firms |
| 6-10 years | 64 | Peak (Most Common) |
| 11-15 years | 48 | Established partners |
| 16-20 years | 21 | Seasoned partners |
| 21-30 years | 17 | Veterans |
| 31+ years | 8 | Senior advisors |
The largest cohort is 6-10 years—professionals established enough to have specialized expertise, yet young enough to embrace new platforms, tools, and ways of working.
This is the "sweet spot" for both hiring and freelancing:
- They've seen multiple tax seasons (know what they're doing)
- They're not locked into legacy firms (more flexibility)
- They're tech-comfortable (tools, automation, remote work)
- They have bandwidth (not overloaded with partner responsibilities)
Early-career pros (1-5 years) are also strong—they're hungry, energized, and more likely to take on project work to build their book of business.
Firm Sizes: 62% Are Solo Practitioners
| Firm Size | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Solo (1 person) | 101 | 62% |
| 2-5 people | 32 | 20% |
| 6-10 people | 8 | 5% |
| 11-20 people | 5 | 3% |
| 21-50 people | 3 | 2% |
| 50+ people | 5 | 3% |
Over two-thirds of TaxProExchange professionals are solo practitioners—either solopreneurs building their own practice or contractors/fractional employees.
Why this matters:
- For firms hiring: This is your talent pool for overflow work, peak season overflow, and specialized projects
- For solo pros: You're in the majority. Many peers are in your exact situation—looking for the next gig or trying to build steadier work streams
The 2-5 person firms are the next tier—small teams looking for backup capacity or niche expertise.
The larger firms (50+) are interesting—they're here not to hire, but often to find specialization partners they don't have in-house.
Top Specializations: Where Expertise Clusters
| Specialization | Count | Pros |
|---|---|---|
| Individual Returns (1040) | 7 | Baseline; high-volume |
| S-Corporation (1120-S) | 6 | Entity tax; growing demand |
| Partnership (1065) | 5 | Entity tax; complex |
| Bookkeeping & Close | 5 | Operational; bundled service |
| Multi-State Compliance | 4 | High-value; scarce |
| C-Corporation (1120) | 4 | Entity tax; complex |
| Chart of Accounts Design | 3 | Operational foundation |
| Notice Responses | 3 | High-value; specialized |
| Payroll (941/940) | 3 | Operational; specialized |
| QBO/Xero Setup & Cleanup | 2 | Growing demand |
The pattern: Most pros aren't listing deep specializations. This means if you specialize, you'll have dramatically less competition.
Notice Responses, Chart of Accounts Design, and Payroll setup are high-value but barely listed. If you're strong in these areas, firms will be looking for exactly you.
The gap: AI/automation expertise is virtually non-existent on TaxProExchange. First movers who position themselves as "AI-native" or "automation-focused" will have massive competitive advantage.
What We're NOT Seeing: The Growth Opportunity
Missing: Platform & Software Expertise
Most pros don't list their software proficiency. This could mean:
- They're hesitant to brand themselves as "tech people"
- They want to stay private (understandable)
- Or they don't realize how valuable this positioning is
Implication: Pros who loudly advertise ProConnect, CCH, Drake, or Lacerte expertise will stand out to firms.
Missing: AI & Automation Specialists
Almost no one has listed "AI tools," "automation," or "ChatGPT expertise" on their profile.
This is a massive opportunity. The tax profession is in early stages of AI adoption. Professionals who position themselves as automation-native will be in high demand.
The Bottom Line: Where Do You Fit?
TaxProExchange is home to 475 professionals across every credential, experience level, and specialization.
If you're an EA: You have less competition than you'd expect. Firms need you.
If you're 6-10 years in: You're in the peak earning/work phase. TaxProExchange exists for exactly your stage.
If you're a solo practitioner: 62% of the community is like you. You're not alone, and there's work available.
If you specialize: The more niche, the better. Rare specializations have zero competition.
If you've embraced automation or AI: You're ahead of the curve. Position it. Firms will seek you out.
Ready to Join?
See yourself in this community?
CPAs, EAs, and tax professionals are using TaxProExchange to:
- Find overflow work and fill capacity gaps
- Build their book of business without building a firm
- Connect with firms that need specialized expertise
- Work on your terms—project by project
Verification takes 10 minutes. Your profile builds your reputation.
TaxProExchange is a marketplace for tax professionals. Our data is current as of May 29, 2026, based on active, verified profiles.
