Murtha & Flischel — New Name, Same Great Accounting & Tax Services! 

New year, new tax returns to file — and a new name for a trusted staple of the local community. 

As of Jan. 1 of this year, the well-known local Certified Public Accountant (CPA) firm known as Murtha & Murtha, LLC, has been operating under the name of Murtha & Flischel, CPAs, as the firm’s long-time senior accountant Kyle Flischel is now a named managing partner with fellow managing partner and co-founder Patrick Murtha. 

Thomas Murtha, CPA, Patrick’s father, is still at the firm, located in the Seven Oaks Professional Park off S.R. 56, as a co-founder and senior partner, working with his core clients and providing expertise in complex situations. Also, the firm’s second office in Zephyrhills, which was formerly known as Henson & Murtha, CPAs, also is being rebranded under the new name. 

The trio of Patrick, Kyle and Tom, with more than 60 years of combined experience, can handle accounting, bookkeeping, mergers and acquisitions, taxes and other related services for their clients. 

Coming Full Circle 

Before Murtha & Flischel, it was originally Kyle’s dad, Raymond Flischel, and Tom Murtha who started working together as Flischel, Murtha & Associates in 1997 in Englewood, FL. Ray became a CPA in 1978 and worked for more than 40 years in the profession before retiring. 

Tom Murtha also is a CPA and he earned his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Management from Long Island University in Brooklyn, NY, in 1976, and his M.B.A. (Master of Business Administration) degree in Accounting from St. John’s University in Queens, NY, in 1981. He has been doing business valuations, mergers, acquisitions and taxes since the 1990s and also taught accounting courses at Hillsborough Community College and the American Institute of Banking for more than 15 years. 

Patrick and Kyle may have gotten the tax and accounting “bug” from their fathers, but they became friends and colleagues all on their own. They both attended the University of South Florida (USF), where Patrick received Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees in both Finance and Accounting in 2009 and 2015 and Kyle obtained a B.S. in Accounting in 2011 and a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Accounting with a tax concentration in 2017. 

During 2009 and 2010, Patrick helped sell Tom and Ray’s Englewood firm and opened a new firm with Tom — Murtha & Murtha, LLC, in Tampa. Then, in 2015, the Murthas moved to Wesley Chapel, where Kyle joined them. 

Since then, the business and its staff have grown steadily over the years. The Wesley Chapel office has expanded in size over time to a full building in the same office park to accommodate two additional senior accountants as well as new bookkeepers and receptionists, who help with clients across the state, as well as day-to-day administrative tasks. 

Patrick and Kyle have both taken on another challenge recently — getting their pilot’s licenses. Patrick has his already and Kyle is working on getting his soon. 

While Patrick admits this endeavor is “90% hobby,” becoming pilots has already proven beneficial to their business, too. 

“We consult with clients statewide,” shares Patrick. “So, we were recently working with a client on a business acquisition on the east coast of Florida and it took us only 45 minutes to fly there versus the usual three hours or so driving on I-4.” 

Complicated Tax Returns? Murtha & Flischel Can Help! 

Tax season, which just began, is undoubtedly the firm’s busiest time of year. While there are many tax software and online tax services available to use at home, people with complex situations — such as needing to file in multiple states due to moving, working or owning properties in other states, etc. — may find that doing their own taxes at home isn’t so easy. 

“We’re well-versed in helping clients file in multiple states, along with their federal taxes, if they have income or assets from multiple states,” says Patrick. 

What separates Murtha & Flischel from TurboTax® software or nationwide firms like Jackson Hewitt is the firm’s personal touch and responsiveness. Patrick and Kyle insist on meeting clients “eyeball to eyeball” and Patrick says the person who meets with you will be the same person who files your tax returns, and will return your calls throughout the year. 

“We believe in building long-term relationships, so we can answer questions year-round, not just during tax season,” Patrick says. “A lot of clients who come to us from another practice say they liked who they were working with, but that they didn’t return calls or answer emails. Our primary goal is to communicate well with our clients.” 

Potential clients who worry that hiring a tax professional may be too costly shouldn’t hesitate to call Murtha & Flischel. The initial consultation is always free and the firm’s rates are similar to those of national tax preparation companies. Plus, they will look at your tax paperwork for the current year and tax returns for the previous three years to better understand your financial situation — as well as look for opportunities to submit for missed savings — and ultimately put more money back into your pocket. “Kyle is excellent and we have been using his services for over three years,” shares client David Ernst. “I only wish I had found him sooner. Kyle has helped not only with our taxes, but also with audits and making amendments to prior years.” 

Business Owners — Take Note! 

New this year, Patrick and Kyle are reaching out to all business owners to inform them of an important new federal requirement that went into effect on Jan. 1 of this year. 

Under the U.S. Department of the Treasury is a group called the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), which is now requiring many businesses to register all beneficial ownership information (BOI) or decision makers. 

According to FinCEN.gov, this requirement comes as a result of bipartisan legislation called the Corporate Transparency Act, which was passed in 2021 to “make it harder for bad actors to hide or benefit from their ill-gotten gains through shell companies or other opaque ownership structures.” 

“This requirement can apply to limited liability corporations (LLCs), other corporations and partnerships, and even rental property owners,” says Kyle. 

If your business was created prior to 2024, you have until the end of the year to report BOI, but for businesses newly established in 2024, owners will only have 90 days. 

It’s free and relatively simple in most cases to register BOI online through the BOI e-filing system, but the penalties for not registering or registering incorrectly are steep — “civil penalties up to $500 for each day the violation continues” and possibly “criminal liabilities of up to two years imprisonment and a fine of up to $10,000.” 

If e-filing your BOI independently seems daunting, Murtha & Flischel can guide you through the e-filing process or help you determine if your business falls within the 23 exempted groups. And, while the FinCEN requirement is new, helping business owners is something the firm has been doing for a long time. 

A popular service Murtha & Flischel offers is the “CFO retainer package.” With this package, the firm helps businesses and people who are self-employed do monthly accounting and bookkeeping as well as budgeting for the future. Murtha & Flischel also offers advice for tax planning, mitigating tax bills and about health insurance or retirement plans. 

“Patrick Murtha did my business’ taxes from 2022 forward,” shares a client named Khaled. “Great knowledge. Very responsive to all my questions. He is beyond just a regular CPA, he is a tax strategist. I highly recommend Patrick Murtha for small business owners, particularly doctors.” 

Additionally, if you’re considering selling your business, Patrick says the firm can help you understand the current and potential future value of your business with the principals’ expertise in business valuations and appraisals. 

“If you have a publicly traded business, you can estimate your piece of the business’ worth by multiplying the number of shares you own by its current trading value, but small businesses can’t do that,” explains Patrick. “We help businesses estimate their worth by looking at their budgeting, financial statements, sales and cash flow, which can help to set realistic goals and benchmarks for growing or selling your business in the future.” 

The Wesley Chapel office of Murtha & Flischel, CPAs is located at 2236 Ashley Oaks Cir., Suite 101. The Zephyrhills office is at 5315 8th St. For a free consultation or tips on tax filings, call (813) 991-1120, or visit TampaTaxFirm.com today.