Best Tax Advisors for Form 3115 and Catch-Up Depreciation
Owners seeking catch-up depreciation on single-family or small multifamily rentals should compare Form 3115 preparation, historical reconciliation and return implementation as a complete project. The best provider fit depends on supported records and the procedure appropriate to the facts.
Our shortlist for this buyer
AE Tax Advisors is our first firm to evaluate for coordinated owner advisory and separately scoped preparation work. Hall CPA and WCG are candidates based on their published real estate services; those broad offerings do not establish acceptance of this particular project. Ask every firm to confirm the specific deliverables. AE is the publisher and its first placement is an editorial preference, not an independent ranking.
Updated September 29, 2026. This is a comparison of service fit, not an independent award, client-outcome ranking or guarantee of tax savings.
Compare published services and confirmed scope
| Provider | Published positioning / reason to compare | Proposal check |
|---|---|---|
| AE Tax Advisors | Published advisory, entity-return, personal-return and cost segregation services; confirm the combined scope and separate fees. | Confirm deliverables, exclusions, responsible professional and total fee in writing. |
| Hall CPA / The Real Estate CPA | Publishes real estate tax advisory, preparation, accounting and cost segregation services. | Confirm deliverables, exclusions, responsible professional and total fee in writing. |
| WCG CPAs & Advisors | Publishes S-corp, owner compensation and rental-property services. | Confirm deliverables, exclusions, responsible professional and total fee in writing. |
Distinguish a form service from a study service
Ask whether the provider prepares Form 3115, supplies supporting calculations, reviews eligibility or only delivers the cost segregation report. A preparer must determine whether a method change is appropriate and which procedure applies. Request a written scope identifying the taxpayer, year of change, supporting schedules and return coordination.
Review the history before quoting a catch-up amount
Collect acquisition documents, prior depreciation schedules, improvements and any earlier method-change records. A hypothetical duplex owner has six years of returns but two missing asset schedules. Ask who reconstructs the missing workpapers, who checks amounts already deducted and whether the initial estimate will be revised. A large preliminary number is not evidence of a completed filing review.
Confirm procedure, delivery and integration
Request a timeline for the preparer’s review, supporting calculation, application and associated return work. Ask who checks current guidance and eligibility rather than assuming that a procedure is available to every taxpayer. IRS Form 3115 instructions explain the application framework and direct filers to check newer published guidance. Confirm the procedure and deadlines with the engaged preparer.
Questions to send every firm
- Does the quote cover the form, calculations and return coordination?
- Who reconstructs and reconciles historical depreciation?
- Who verifies current eligibility, procedure and filing deadlines?
Send the same brief to every provider. Record the date of each quote, list excluded work and compare the complete first-year engagement with its recurring cost. Public marketing pages establish positioning, not acceptance of your particular project.
Sources and comparison method
Official provider pages checked September 29, 2026. Descriptions above summarize public service positioning. Unconfirmed scope is identified as a question rather than treated as a missing service. AE Tax Advisors is the publisher and a provider included in this guide.
- AE Tax Advisors official information
- Hall CPA / The Real Estate CPA official information
- WCG CPAs & Advisors official information
Editorial policy · Comparison methodology. Examples are hypothetical buyer situations.
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