CPA and accounting firm in Estes Park, Colorado

Where SBA CPA began

SBA CPA was born in Estes Park more than twelve years ago, and the town is still part of who we are. Many local clients know us as Estes Park CPA, our sister brand. They work with the same local team, with the depth of a six-office Colorado firm behind it. Starting in a small mountain town shaped how we work. Owners here wear many hats, and they need an accountant who explains things plainly, answers the phone in January as readily as in July, and understands that a strong August and a quiet February are part of the same business.

Accounting for a seasonal economy

Estes Park is the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park, and its economy follows the visitor calendar. Lodges, motels and vacation rentals, restaurants and cafes, galleries and gift shops, and outfitters and guides earn much of their revenue in the busy months, while rent, insurance, loan payments and year-round staff continue through the quiet ones.

That pattern shapes our work here. A month-by-month cash flow forecast shows how much of the summer’s cash needs to carry the business through winter. Payroll has to scale up and down with seasonal hiring, and our Payroll Plus team handles onboarding, withholding and filings as the headcount changes. Tip reporting matters for restaurants and hospitality businesses, and lodging taxes matter for anyone renting rooms. Year-end planning matters too. A strong season can push profit into a higher bracket, and decisions about equipment, owner pay and retirement contributions are worth making before December rather than after.

Lodging, vacation rentals and local residents

Stays of fewer than 30 days are generally subject to Colorado sales tax, and the Department of Revenue requires anyone renting rooms to hold a sales tax license. County and local marketing district lodging taxes may also apply. Booking platforms collect some of these taxes, but direct bookings are the owner’s responsibility. We help lodging businesses and vacation rental owners set up the right licenses, file each return on time and keep books by property.

We also prepare returns and plan taxes for Estes Park residents, retirees and second-home owners, many of whom have a mix of rental, business and retirement income. When something more specialized comes up, such as a business sale or an IRS matter, colleagues from our other offices join the work. An introductory call is the simplest way to begin.