Best HOA Accounting Services (2026): How to Choose
Choose homeowners association (HOA) accounting services by matching the provider to the job: day-to-day bookkeeping and reconciliations, board-ready financial reporting, or Certified Public Accountant (CPA) work such as compilations, reviews, audits, and tax filing. The providers fall into three groups: CPA firms, management companies that sell accounting on its own, and HOA software companies that add a bookkeeping service.
Many associations hire an outside accountant instead of relying on a volunteer treasurer. Once you know which job you are hiring for, compare what each firm includes and how it prices. Then send every finalist the same contract questions so the proposals line up.
Compare HOA accounting services
| Company | Pricing | Best for | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| FeaturedYour company here, pinned above every listing Get featured → | |||
| A+ Association Accounting (HOALiving) | Not published | Self-managed associations under 100 units | Cloud bookkeeping, reconciliations, monthly reports, budgets, collections and a homeowner portal for associations that need accounting only. |
| Clark Simson Miller | Not published | Self-managed and large communities | Accounting, collections, vendor bill payment and a homeowner portal, with a remote management option and no onsite services. |
| CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen) | Not published | Boards wanting CPA-run accounting tiers | CPA firm offering outsourced HOA accounting at Basic, Medium and Advanced service levels. |
| ACCU | Not published | Colorado associations | Colorado HOA management company offering consulting and accounting a la carte or as a comprehensive program. |
| CondoCPA | Not published | Associations needing audits, reviews or tax work | Community association CPA firm offering audits, reviews, compilations, tax services and monthly accounting. |
| PayHOA | Bookkeeping from $199/month | Self-managed boards wanting software plus bookkeeping | HOA software company that also sells a bookkeeping service alongside its self-managed software plans. |
| Condo Control | Not published | Communities wanting software plus accounting | Community software company offering a Managed Accounting service described as expert-led financials. |
| Haynie | Not published | Associations in the Southwest | Accounting and advisory firm with 14 offices across five states that lists homeowners associations among its clients. |
Pricing is as each company publishes it. Confirm current plans before you sign. Listed here? Update your listing.
How to Choose HOA Accounting Services
The right HOA accounting service depends on which of three jobs your board needs covered.
- Monthly bookkeeping. Recording dues and payments, paying vendor bills after board approval, and running monthly bank reconciliations.
- Board-ready reporting. Monthly financial reports, the annual budget, and keeping operating and reserve funds separated.
- CPA work. Compilations, reviews, audits, and tax returns.
Separating operating and reserve funds, monthly bank reconciliations, and annual budgets are standard association accounting tasks. Our guide to how HOA accounting works explains each one if your board is new to them.
If a volunteer treasurer already handles the first two jobs well with association software, you may only need to hire for the third. Our roundup of HOA accounting software covers that route.
Pick the person or firm from outside the board’s circle. Some guidance recommends an accountant with no ties to the board to avoid conflicts of interest.
An accounting-only service is the wrong purchase for a community that needs onsite meetings, inspections, or maintenance handled. Clark Simson Miller, for example, describes its remote model as accounting and administrative support without onsite meetings, inspections, or maintenance. If you need those onsite services, compare HOA management companies instead.
Bookkeepers, CPA Firms, and Management Companies Compared
Each type of HOA accounting provider packages the three jobs differently, so compare the package before you compare firms.
- CPA firm with tiered bookkeeping (CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen)): Three service levels, from dues recording to full outsourcing with audit support Published price: Not published.
- Association CPA specialist (CondoCPA): Audits, reviews, compilations, tax services, and monthly accounting through condobooks.com Published price: Not published.
- Accounting arm of a management company (A+ Association Accounting, by HOALiving): Bookkeeping, reconciliations, budgets, reserve study support, and tax return preparation Published price: Not published.
- Remote management (Clark Simson Miller): Accounting, back-office administration, and collections with no onsite services Published price: Not published.
- Software company bookkeeping add-on (PayHOA): A bookkeeping service sold alongside HOA software Published price: From $199 a month.
Choose a CPA firm when your board wants bookkeeping and assurance work from one source. Choose a management company’s accounting arm or a remote management firm when you also want collections, a homeowner portal, and back-office help. Choose a software add-on when you want a published starting price and already like the software.
Compilation, Review, and Audit Levels
A CPA firm can deliver three levels of work on your financial statements, and each one tells the board something different.
- Compilation. The CPA presents the financial statements and gives no assurance on their accuracy.
- Review. The CPA gives limited assurance.
- Audit. The most thorough level, which aims to show the statements are free of material misstatement.
Some states require an annual audit or review for associations and others do not. Bylaws may also specify which one the association needs. Pull the audit or review clause from your bylaws before you request proposals, and ask the association’s attorney about your state’s rules.
CondoCPA lists audits, reviews, and compilations, plus monthly accounting through condobooks.com. CLA’s Advanced level lists audit support. If one firm keeps your books and you also want an audit, ask that firm in writing who performs the audit.
Service Picks by Community Type
Community size and management structure help narrow the field.
- Associations under 100 units, or self-managed boards wanting accounting only. A+ Association Accounting, by HOALiving, names this audience directly. Its list includes cloud-based bookkeeping, electronic check signing, monthly reports and reconciliations, annual budgets, and board training. Owners pay by check, auto-draft, or credit card through a homeowner portal.
- Self-managed or large communities wanting accounting plus administration. Clark Simson Miller offers financial management, collections processing, and vendor bill payment with board approval from any device. Its homeowner portal runs 24/7.
- Boards that want to start small and add services later. CLA runs a Client Accounting and Advisory Services (CAAS) program in Basic, Medium, and Advanced levels. Associations can move between levels.
- Boards needing audits, reviews, or tax work. CondoCPA has offices in Chicago, Santa Cruz, Sarasota, and Tampa. Haynie, an accounting and advisory firm, lists homeowners associations among the industries it serves and has 14 offices across Utah, Arizona, Texas, Colorado, and Nevada.
- Boards that want bookkeeping from their software company. PayHOA sells a bookkeeping service starting at $199 per month. Condo Control offers a Managed Accounting service described as expert-led financials, with no price on the page we reviewed.
- Colorado associations. ACCU, a Colorado management company, lists consulting and accounting a la carte or as a comprehensive program.
If your association also needs a reserve study, A+ lists reserve study support. Our roundup of reserve study companies covers firms that perform the study itself.
Our advice would change for a board whose bylaws and state rules require no audit or review. For that board, monthly bookkeeping is the whole decision, and a published price like PayHOA’s $199 starting figure can lead the comparison.
What HOA Accounting Services Cost
Most of the HOA accounting services covered here do not publish prices.
PayHOA is the exception among the services covered here. Its bookkeeping service starts at $199 per month, which works out to $2,388 a year ($199 x 12). PayHOA’s software plans for self-managed associations with 0 to 25 units start at $54 per month billed monthly, or $49 per month billed annually. Paying annually saves $5 a month, or $60 a year. PayHOA does not publish bookkeeping tier details beyond the starting price.
Clark Simson Miller states that remote management offers most full-service features at 50% of the cost of traditional management. That figure is the firm’s own claim, and it is a ratio with no dollar amount attached.
A+ Association Accounting, CLA, CondoCPA, Haynie, and ACCU publish no fees. Clark Simson Miller offers a free community assessment or proposal.
Gaps to Watch in Published Offers
Compare the task list in each offer.
CLA spells out its tasks by level. Basic covers dues and payment recording, check runs for approval, monthly bank reconciliations, and core reports. Medium adds credit card coding and extra reconciliations for prepaids, accruals, and subledgers. Advanced adds vendor management, board financial presentations, budgeting, cash planning, audit support, and 1099 compliance.
Use CLA’s list as a template when a proposal arrives without one. Ask the firm to mark which of those tasks it includes.
Watch the payment approval step too. A+ lists invoice review and approval, CLA lists check runs for approval, and Clark Simson Miller lists board approval from any device. Get the approval step for vendor payments written into the contract.
When a firm states savings as a percentage, ask for the dollar figure for your community’s size.
Questions to Ask Before Signing an Accounting Contract
Send every finalist the same written questions so the answers can be compared line by line.
- Which tasks are included each month: dues recording, bill payment, bank reconciliations, financial reports?
- How do you keep operating and reserve funds separated in the books?
- Do you prepare the annual budget, and do you support the reserve study?
- Which level of CPA work do you provide: compilation, review, or audit? If you keep our books, who performs the audit?
- Who approves vendor payments, and how does the board sign off?
- Can owners pay by check, auto-draft, and credit card, and is there a homeowner portal?
- What is the total annual cost, and can we move between service levels?
Send these seven questions and your bylaws’ audit clause to three HOA accounting services, then compare the written answers side by side.
Frequently asked questions
What do HOA accounting services include?
HOA accounting services cover some mix of monthly bookkeeping, financial reporting, and CPA work. Bookkeeping includes recording dues and payments, paying bills, and monthly bank reconciliations. Reporting includes monthly financial statements, annual budgets, and keeping operating and reserve funds separated. CPA work includes compilations, reviews, audits, and tax returns.
Should an HOA hire a bookkeeper, a CPA firm, or a management company?
Hire based on the job. A CPA firm such as CondoCPA can handle bookkeeping and assurance work. A management company's accounting arm, such as A+ Association Accounting by HOALiving, adds collections and a homeowner portal. A full management company fits boards that also need onsite meetings, inspections, or maintenance.
How much do HOA bookkeeping services cost?
Most of the HOA bookkeeping services covered here do not publish prices. PayHOA is an exception, listing its bookkeeping service starting at $199 per month, or $2,388 a year. A+ Association Accounting, CLA, CondoCPA, Haynie, and ACCU do not publish fees.
What is the difference between an HOA audit, review, and compilation?
An audit is the most thorough and aims to show the financial statements are free of material misstatement. A review gives limited assurance. A compilation means the CPA presents the statements and gives no assurance on their accuracy.
Can a self-managed HOA outsource only its accounting?
Yes, several firms sell accounting without full management. A+ Association Accounting by HOALiving names self-managed associations needing accounting only as part of its audience. Clark Simson Miller's remote model provides accounting and administrative support without onsite services. CLA lets associations move between three service levels.
Does my HOA need an annual audit?
It depends on your state and your bylaws. Some states require an annual audit or review for associations and others do not, and bylaws may also specify which one. Read the audit clause in your bylaws and ask the association's attorney about your state's requirements. This is general information, not legal advice; consult an attorney in your state.
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Your association's governing documents and your state's statute control — confirm specifics with a licensed professional.