For small Certified Public Accountant (CPA) firms in the U.S., maintaining profitability while keeping up with growing client demands can be challenging. High costs for staffing, training, and operations often put pressure on profit margins. One smart way to overcome this is through offshoring CPA services Philippines, which allows firms to access skilled accounting professionals at a much lower cost, without compromising quality or compliance.
In this article, we’ll break down how much small CPA firms can actually save by offshoring CPA services to the Philippines. We’ll look at cost comparisons between the U.S. and the Philippines, the long-term financial advantages, and how to decide if this strategy is the right fit for your firm. Finally, you’ll also learn how Global Virtuoso can help you build an offshore CPA team that’s efficient, well-trained, and perfectly aligned with your business goals.
When evaluating offshoring CPA services Philippines, the most compelling reason small CPA firms consider this strategy is cost efficiency. The financial gap between maintaining a U.S.-based accounting team and hiring offshore professionals in the Philippines is substantial across salaries, office expenses, and total operational costs.
In the United States, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) earns an average of USD 96,000 per year, according to Indeed (2025). On top of that, firms typically add 25–35% more for benefits such as healthcare, paid leave, insurance, and retirement contributions.
By comparison, hiring equally qualified accountants through offshoring CPA services Philippines can reduce payroll expenses by up to 70%. Data from Indeed Philippines shows that accountants in outsourcing firms earn around PHP 49,000 per month (about USD 890), or roughly USD 10,000–15,000 per year, including local benefits.
Some firms even report costs as low as USD 6,000 per year for basic accounting roles, according to Unity Connect (2025).
Despite the significant pay gap, many Filipino accountants hold CPA certifications or equivalent international credentials, have experience with U.S. GAAP and IRS compliance, and are trained to work with global clients, providing the same professional quality at a fraction of the cost.
Operating an in-house team also means covering expenses for office space, equipment, utilities, and technology infrastructure. In major U.S. cities, these can easily exceed USD 1,000–1,500 per employee per month.
When combining all major cost categories like salary, benefits, office, and technology, the difference becomes even clearer. On average, a U.S.-based CPA may cost around USD 100,000 annually, while an offshore counterpart in the Philippines can deliver equivalent work quality for about USD 25,000–30,000 per year.
This means that small CPA firm cost savings can reach up to 70–75% annually without compromising service quality or compliance. Beyond direct savings, offshoring also enables firms to reallocate funds toward client acquisition, software upgrades, or expanding specialized services, allowing them to scale more efficiently.
Beyond cost reduction, offshoring CPA services Philippines also brings strategic financial advantages that go beyond immediate savings.
By outsourcing routine and time-consuming tasks such as bookkeeping, payroll processing, or tax preparation, CPA firms can free up their U.S.-based staff to focus on higher-value work like financial advisory or audit services. This increased productivity allows firms to handle more clients without increasing local headcount, effectively driving higher revenue per partner.
Hiring and retaining qualified accountants in the U.S. is becoming increasingly expensive and competitive. Many small firms face turnover rates of over 20% annually due to workload pressure and limited career growth opportunities.
Through offshoring CPA services Philippines, firms can distribute workloads more evenly, preventing burnout among local staff. Filipino teams, supported by structured training and strong work ethics, tend to show higher job stability and loyalty.
Tax season and audit deadlines often put tremendous pressure on small CPA firms. Offshoring offers a flexible solution to scale resources up or down based on project volume. Many Philippines-based providers offer customizable staffing models, allowing firms to bring in additional accountants during peak seasons and scale back during slower months.
Before you decide to implement offshoring CPA services Philippines, it’s important to evaluate whether this model aligns with your firm’s goals, scale, and operational setup. Offshoring offers tremendous potential for small CPA firm cost savings and efficiency, but it works best when planned strategically.
Offshoring is ideal for CPA firms that are struggling with rising CPA firm overhead reduction challenges, such as high labor costs, limited staffing capacity, and tight deadlines during tax season. If your in-house accountants spend too much time on repetitive bookkeeping tasks, offshoring can help reallocate their focus toward client advisory and business growth activities.
It’s also a strong option if your firm wants to expand service offerings without incurring the high Philippines accounting outsourcing costs associated with recruiting full-time local staff.
Not all accounting functions need to be handled locally. Many small and mid-sized CPA firms successfully offshore roles such as:
These roles are ideal for offshoring CPA services Philippines because they require accuracy, consistency, and confidentiality.
Before getting started, consider the following checklist to determine if your firm is ready:
If most of your answers are “yes,” your firm is well-positioned to gain from the financial and operational benefits of offshoring CPA services Philippines.
If you’re ready to optimize your firm’s operations and reduce costs through offshoring CPA services Philippines, partnering with a trusted provider like Global Virtuoso is the most strategic move.
Global Virtuoso offers End-to-End Accounting Services, supporting CPA firms across recruitment, onboarding, and day-to-day financial management. Their team of seasoned professionals ensures accuracy, compliance, and efficiency in every process.
Whether you need Bookkeeping Outsourcing Services, Accounts Payable, Financial Reporting, Outsourced CFO support, or Seasonal and Year-End assistance, Global Virtuoso delivers customized accounting solutions tailored to your firm’s needs.
