Best Accountants for Hire in St. Louis

St. Louis Area Accounting Services

The St. Louis metropolitan area — spanning both Missouri and Illinois — has long been recognized as a hub for entrepreneurship, logistics, and financial growth. From industrial manufacturing to tech startups, businesses in St. Louis depend on expert financial leadership to navigate evolving tax regulations, manage growth capital, and build resilience in an increasingly competitive environment.

That’s where accountants and financial consultants play a defining role. They’re not just number crunchers — they’re strategic advisors who help businesses scale, secure investment, and stay compliant.

Methodology - Hiring the Best St. Louis Accountant for Your Needs

At Digital Reference, we understand how critical these professionals are to St. Louis’s economic backbone, which is why we’ve curated a list of top-tier accounting experts in the St. Louis area.

These professionals — a mix of freelancers, solo operators, and firm-based consultants — were selected through our research-driven methodology, which includes:

✨ Comprehensive Research – Reviewing credentials, certifications (CPA, CMA, MBA), and client case studies.
✨ Performance Evaluation – Assessing measurable outcomes such as improved cash flow, process optimization, and audit success rates.
✨ Reputation & Impact – Evaluating peer recognition, client testimonials, and industry contributions.

This methodology ensures that each name listed here reflects reliability, innovation, and leadership in financial consulting.

🌟 Meet the Leading Accountants in St. Louis

♦️ Joseph Martin, MBA

Fractional CFO, CEO & Founder of The Caffeinated Accountant
🔗 LinkedIn

As the founder of The Caffeinated Accountant, Joseph Martin has become a recognizable name in Missouri’s small business community. His firm’s mission — “Accounting without the stress” — resonates deeply with local entrepreneurs.

💼 Highlights:

☕ Provides real-time bookkeeping and tax solutions tailored to small businesses and coffee shops.

📊 Known for simplifying complex tax code for startups transitioning to S-corps.

💬 Hosts educational webinars to help owners understand financial literacy and cash flow management.

Martin’s approach integrates automation tools and cloud-based accounting systems — allowing clients to scale without hiring full-time staff. His combination of technical innovation and approachable client service makes him one of St. Louis’s standout consultants.

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♦️ Ed Vandeven

Chief Financial Officer, Founder and President of Vandeven Executive Accounting Services
🔗 LinkedIn

With over two decades of accounting experience, Ed Vandeven leads a family-run firm known for precision, reliability, and personalized service. Vandeven Service offers tax preparation, payroll solutions, and financial consulting to businesses across Missouri and Illinois.

💼 Highlights:

📈 Oversees financial structures for mid-sized construction and logistics firms.

🧾 Expertise in cross-state tax compliance for MO-IL border businesses.

🌟 Focused on client retention through multi-year tax strategy planning.

Vandeven’s firm operates with old-school integrity paired with modern financial systems — a hallmark of why St. Louis businesses rely on local expertise rather than generic national services.

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♦️ Tim Wood

Fractional CFO and Founder, Aspire CFO, LLC
🔗 LinkedIn

As a fractional CFO, Tim Wood specializes in strategic financial leadership for high-growth companies. His St. Louis-based practice, Aspire CFO, focuses on helping tech startups and small enterprises scale through financial forecasting and operational metrics.

💼 Highlights:

📉 Implements data-driven performance dashboards for SaaS and logistics firms.

🧮 Advises on equity structures and investor reporting.

🔍 Known for translating complex financial data into actionable strategy.

Wood’s CFO-as-a-Service model has empowered dozens of regional firms to improve efficiency and secure capital. His role exemplifies the future of accounting — flexible, analytics-driven, and deeply integrated with business strategy.

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♦️ Sana Tan

Tax Accountant and External Auditor at Schmersahl Treloar & Co
🔗 LinkedIn

Sana Tan represents the new generation of accountants in St. Louis — agile, tech-savvy, and client-centered. She provides remote tax advisory services for freelancers and creative professionals, leveraging automation tools and cloud accounting software.

💼 Highlights:

💡 Specializes in self-employed and gig economy tax optimization.

💻 Uses AI-powered tools to automate expense tracking and quarterly filings.

💬 Praised by clients for fast communication and transparent pricing.

Tan’s digital-first mindset reflects St. Louis’s growing base of independent consultants and remote professionals.

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♦️ Beth Schulte

CEO | Chief Financial Officer at The Outsourced Innovative CFO LLC 
🔗 LinkedIn

With an MBA and CPA credentials, Beth Schulte offers both strategic insight and technical mastery. She has worked across multiple industries including education, healthcare, and technology.

💼 Highlights:

🧾 Designs integrated financial control systems for corporate growth.

📈 Experience managing multi-million-dollar budgets.

👥 Skilled in cross-departmental financial communication.

Her career reflects the professionalism and adaptability that define St. Louis’s accounting community.

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♦️ Tim Hudson, CPA

Acountant, Fractional CFO, Partner at The Charity CFO, LLC.
🔗 LinkedIn

Tim Hudson brings extensive leadership experience as a fractional CFO, advising organizations through transitional phases such as mergers or early-stage funding.

💼 Highlights:

📊 Implements KPI frameworks to track business health.

💡 Specializes in financial transformation and team alignment.

🔍 Guides startups through scalable accounting infrastructure.

Hudson’s CFO expertise is invaluable for companies looking to move from reactive to proactive financial management.

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♦️ Terin Fechter, CPA, MSFA

Manager at Forvis Mazars Group
🔗 LinkedIn

Terin Fechter combines academic excellence (MSFA) with practical CPA experience, offering specialized consulting in financial reporting and risk management.

💼 Highlights:

📊 Develops audit documentation and control improvements.

🧮 Coaches junior accountants and contributes to professional training.

💬 Focuses on long-term client partnerships built on trust.

Why St. Louis Accountants Matter

From downtown innovation hubs to the logistics corridors near the river, St. Louis thrives because of its financial backbone. Accountants like these drive not only compliance but strategic growth — helping founders, executives, and nonprofit leaders make data-informed decisions.

To further explore finance-related insights, visit:

• Best Financial Advisors in St. Louis
• Best Fractional CFOs in St. Louis
• Best Wealth Management Consulting Services in the USA

At Digital Reference, our mission is to make expert knowledge accessible. Through detailed research and evaluation, we connect businesses with verified consultants across finance, technology, and operations.

Whether you’re looking for an accountant, CFO, or financial strategist, our curated directories ensure you find the right partner — one who combines technical expertise with business acumen.