Most accounting and tax firms expect to raise fees in 2026, and many more are moving away from hourly billing toward pricing that reflects scope and outcomes. In a new benchmark of 219 US-based firms using Ignition’s software, 80 percent plan to increase prices next year; 37 percent expect a 5 percent bump, and 30 percent expect 10 percent. 

According to Accounting Today, cost pressure is the primary driver. 40 percent cite rising business costs as the main reason to lift fees, while 18 percent point to improving margins and 9 percent to revenue growth, both up from last year. Concerns about churn are real but uneven: 28 percent say fear of losing clients holds them back, yet 30 percent report no hesitation. 65 percent feel confident in their pricing, and 26 percent say very confident. Among firms that already raised fees, two-thirds either lost no clients or saw limited attrition with stable profitability. 

Billing models are shifting. With the exception of tax planning and advisory, hourly is now rare: only 3 percent charge hourly for tax preparation, and hourly billing for CFO/controller services fell from more than 20 percent to 10 percent. Advisory remains more mixed, though hourly use continued to decline to 17 percent from 20 percent. 

Upfront billing is gaining ground as firms look for steadier cash flow. 31 percent collected a deposit for tax prep this year, up from 26 percent in 2024; 13 percent collected the full fee before work, unchanged. 

Typical prices were largely steady. The most common fee for individual returns is $400 to $599; for business returns, $1,000 to $1,499 annually. Tax planning and advisory most often exceeds $2,000 per year. Monthly bookkeeping and accounting most commonly run $250 to $499; CFO/controller services are most often more than $2,500 per month.