Guide · Choosing a CPA
Best CPAs for Real Estate Investors in Charleston (2026)
This list is by Haigler CPA Group, which ranks itself first. The other firms are Charleston-area CPA firms whose websites describe real estate tax work: Hoffman & Hoffman, Fringe Advisory, Tideline CPA Group, WebsterRogers, Elliott Davis and Forvis Mazars. Individual landlords with a few rentals usually fit a smaller firm; funds, developers and syndications that need audits fit a larger one.
Disclosure: This list is published by Haigler CPA Group, which is included in it and appears first. Other firms are described from what their own websites said when we checked them; they did not review this page and are not affiliated with us.
Real estate investors live and die by a handful of tax rules: depreciation, the passive activity limits, 1031 exchanges and the difference between federal and South Carolina depreciation. The firms below have a Charleston-area office and say on their own websites that they work with real estate investors, property managers or developers. We checked each site in September 2026 and only repeat what it says.
What to weigh when you choose
- Real estate work stated on the firm's own website, including the type of owner it serves (individual landlords, developers, funds)
- Experience with the specific transactions you expect: 1031 exchanges, cost segregation, short-term rentals or development
- Year-round planning, not just a return in April, especially before you buy or sell
- Whether you will need audited or reviewed statements for lenders or investors
- Clear handling of South Carolina rules that differ from federal ones
1. Haigler CPA Group
James Island, Charleston · Best for: Individual investors and small partnerships with Lowcountry rentals who want planning before they buy, sell or exchange
Haigler CPA Group is a Charleston CPA firm on James Island, founded in 2023. We prepare returns and plan for rental real estate owners, including depreciation schedules, the passive loss rules, 1031 exchange timelines and multi-state filings for investors with property outside South Carolina. We do not give legal advice or do audit or review engagements, so a fund that needs audited statements for investors should look to a larger firm.
- Rental real estate tax preparation and planning
- Multi-state filings for out-of-state properties
- Free consultation, in person or virtual
- No attest work, legal advice or trust and estate services
2. Hoffman & Hoffman, CPA, P.A.
Charleston (7 Gamecock Avenue) · Best for: Investors and developers who want 1031 help plus audits or valuations from one firm
Hoffman & Hoffman's real estate page says it works with residential builders, commercial land developers, property managers and real estate investors. It lists Section 1031 exchange assistance, due diligence for proposed transactions, lease audits, REIT consulting, business and real estate valuations, and financial statement audits and reviews. Its listed clients include private equity real estate funds, REITs, building owners and property investors.
- Lists Section 1031 exchange assistance
- Lists financial statement audits and reviews
- Serves investors, developers and property managers
3. Fringe Advisory
Mount Pleasant (1125 Bowman Road) · Best for: Property managers and developers who want outsourced accounting and cost segregation
Fringe Advisory presents itself as a real estate CPA firm in Charleston. Its site lists tax compliance, tax reduction planning, cost segregation, cloud and QuickBooks accounting and outsourced CFO services, and names commercial, residential and condo property managers and real estate developers among the clients it serves.
- Real estate focused website
- Lists cost segregation services
- Outsourced accounting and CFO services
4. Tideline CPA Group, LLC
Mount Pleasant (1214 Chuck Dawley Blvd) · Best for: Closely held real estate businesses and investment partnerships that also want bookkeeping and payroll
Tideline CPA Group is a locally owned Mount Pleasant firm. Its industries page lists real estate (commercial, residential, retail and development) and investment partnerships among its tax specialty areas, and its services include payroll, bookkeeping, tax planning, tax compliance, compilation of financial statements and sales tax.
- Lists real estate and investment partnerships as specialty areas
- Bookkeeping and payroll in-house
- Compilation of financial statements
5. WebsterRogers LLP
Downtown Charleston (40 Calhoun Street) · Best for: Developers and investors who also need audits, reviews or bonding support
WebsterRogers has an office on Calhoun Street in Charleston. Its construction and real estate page says it works with real estate developers, investors and property managers, and lists financial audits, reviews and compilations, internal controls, bonding requirements and Section 1031 like-kind exchanges among its specialized real estate services. The firm's services menu also lists cost segregation studies.
- Serves developers, investors and property managers
- Lists audits, reviews and compilations
- Lists Section 1031 and cost segregation work
6. Elliott Davis
Downtown Charleston (100 Calhoun Street) · Best for: Growing real estate firms raising capital from outside investors
Elliott Davis's real estate page says it works with real estate owners, operators, developers and investors across consulting, tax and assurance, from capital raising and diligence to succession planning. It describes serving entrepreneurial real estate firms backed by high-net-worth investors as well as middle-market and national real estate organizations.
- Tax, assurance and consulting for real estate firms
- Capital raising and diligence support
- Charleston office on Calhoun Street
7. Forvis Mazars
Downtown Charleston (200 Meeting Street) · Best for: Real estate funds, REITs and larger partnerships
Forvis Mazars is a national CPA and advisory firm. Its Charleston office page says the office provides audit, tax and consulting services to clients in industries including real estate. The firm's real estate page says it works with investors, brokers, owner and management associations, partnerships, funds and trusts in commercial, residential and international real estate, and has pages on real estate funds and REITs.
- Charleston office lists real estate among its industries
- Real estate funds and REIT groups
- Audit, tax and consulting
The rules your CPA should know cold
- Depreciation: residential rental buildings are depreciated over 27.5 years under the general system. Land is never depreciated.
- Bonus depreciation: qualified property acquired after January 19, 2025 is eligible for a permanent 100 percent first-year deduction, but only property with a recovery period of 20 years or less qualifies, which is why cost segregation studies that separate out shorter-lived components matter. South Carolina does not follow federal bonus depreciation.
- Passive losses: rental activities are generally passive. If you actively participate, up to $25,000 of rental losses can offset other income; that allowance phases out between $100,000 and $150,000 of modified adjusted gross income.
- Real estate professional status: it requires, among other tests, more than 750 hours of services in real property trades or businesses in which you materially participate.
- 1031 exchanges: they apply only to real property held for business or investment. Replacement property must be identified within 45 days and received within 180 days of transferring the property you give up.
- Contractors: repair and maintenance contractors paid $2,000 or more for payments made after December 31, 2025 generally need a Form 1099-NEC.
Questions to ask before you hire
- Do you want to see my purchase before closing, or only after?
- Will you keep separate federal and South Carolina depreciation schedules for each property?
- Have you handled 1031 exchanges with a qualified intermediary, and when do you want to be involved?
- Do you prepare returns for short-term rentals, and how do you decide whether they are treated as rentals?
- If a lender or investor asks for reviewed or audited statements, can you provide them?
Matching the firm to the investor
Someone with two or three long-term rentals mainly needs accurate depreciation, a clear read on the passive loss rules and a call before any sale. A developer or syndicator raising money from outside investors needs partnership returns, investor reporting and often audited statements. The larger firms on this list say they serve funds, REITs and developers; the smaller firms say they serve individual investors, brokers and property managers. Pick the firm that routinely does your kind of work.
Sources
- IRS: Like-kind exchanges, real estate tax tips
- 26 U.S. Code section 1031 (Cornell LII)
- IRS Publication 925, Passive Activity and At-Risk Rules
- IRS Publication 527, Residential Rental Property
- IRS: guidance on the additional first year depreciation deduction under the One Big Beautiful Bill
- 26 U.S. Code section 168 (Cornell LII)
- 26 CFR 1.1031(k)-1(k) — disqualified persons (Cornell LII)
The information on this site is general in nature and is not tax, legal, or accounting advice for your situation. Tax law changes and the right answer depends on facts we would need to review with you. Please speak with a qualified professional before acting on anything you read here.
Questions people ask about this
Can I deduct rental losses against my salary?
Sometimes. If you actively participate in the rental, up to $25,000 of losses can offset nonpassive income, reduced as your modified adjusted gross income rises above $100,000 and gone at $150,000. Real estate professionals who materially participate are not limited by that allowance.
Does South Carolina allow bonus depreciation on rental property improvements?
No. South Carolina does not follow federal bonus depreciation, so the state deduction is spread over the normal recovery period and your federal and state depreciation will differ.
What are the 1031 exchange deadlines?
You must identify replacement real property within 45 days and receive it within 180 days after you transfer the property you are giving up. Personal property no longer qualifies.
Can my CPA act as the qualified intermediary on a 1031 exchange?
No. Under the Treasury regulations, a person who has acted as your accountant within the two years before the exchange is generally a disqualified person and cannot serve as your qualified intermediary. Your CPA handles the tax side, including planning the timeline and reporting the exchange; the intermediary holds the funds, and an attorney handles the legal documents.
Keep reading
- Best Tax Deductions for Real Estate InvestorsNine deductions and rules rental investors use in 2026: depreciation, 100% bonus, repairs, interest, QBI, passive loss relief and how South Carolina differs.
- Best CPA Firms in Charleston, SC (2026)Haigler CPA Group's 2026 list of CPA firms with Charleston-area offices, from a James Island tax practice to regional firms offering audit work.
- Best Construction CPAs in Charleston (2026)Haigler CPA Group's 2026 list of Charleston CPA firms for general contractors, builders and developers, including firms that do reviews and audits for bonding.
- Best Tax Records to Keep and for How LongHow long to keep tax records: the IRS 3, 6 and 7-year rules, 4 years for payroll, 5 for FBAR, property basis records and South Carolina's 36-month limit.
- Real Estate InvestorsRental portfolios, short-term rentals, 1031 exchanges and how the losses actually work.
- Rental Real EstateSchedule E, depreciation, 1031 exchanges, and the short-term rental loophole.
- 1031 Exchange Timeline and RulesA 1031 exchange defers capital gains tax when you sell investment real estate and reinvest. The deadlines are unforgiving, they start before most people start planning, and one of them is shorter than almost everyone thinks.
- Rental Property Tax in South CarolinaThe federal side of a rental is the same in Charleston as it is anywhere. What is different — and what costs Lowcountry owners the most money — is the layer underneath it: the assessment ratio, the accommodations taxes, and which jurisdiction you are actually in.
- Section 179 and Bonus DepreciationBoth write-offs are larger and more permanent than they have been for years. Neither of them is a reason to buy something, and one of them does considerably less in South Carolina than it does on the federal return.
- All Charleston tax & accounting guidesEvery list, choosing a CPA and the tax reference lists.
Talk to a tax expert
Tell us what you are dealing with and we will tell you how we would handle it.