Tax Planning & Preparation
Personal, corporate, partnership, estate, trust, and gift returns — prepared with a planning mindset that looks ahead, not just back.
Certified Public Accountants · Est. 1987
Trusted counsel for your business —
and the family behind it.
For nearly four decades, Lanese & Associates has been the CPA firm Tampa Bay can talk with all year round — proactive planning, plain-spoken advice, and relationships that span generations.
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Years of Counsel
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Florida Offices
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Partners at Your Table
2nd
Generation Clients Served
Licensed Florida CPAs
QuickBooks ProAdvisors
Closely-Held Business Specialists
Ruskin & Sarasota
Nº 01 — What We Do
One firm for your business & your family
Our service philosophy covers your business and your family together — taking your total circumstances into account to maximize every tax advantage.
Ask About a ServiceSmall Business Accounting
Clean books, timely financials, and a team that understands the unique needs of small and medium businesses.
Part-Time CFO Services
Executive-level financial leadership — cash flow, forecasting, and strategy — without the full-time salary.
Reviews & Compilations
Reviewed and compiled financial statements that lenders, bonding agents, and partners can rely on.
Cost Segregation Studies
Accelerate depreciation on commercial property and unlock significant tax savings, led by our in-house specialist.
New Business Formation
Start on the right foot — entity selection, registrations, and accounting systems built for where you're headed.
Estates, Trusts & Gifts
Thoughtful planning and preparation that protects what you've built and the people it's meant for.
QuickBooks Services
Setup, training, and ongoing support from certified ProAdvisors — so your books work as hard as you do.
Nº 02 — Our Legacy
Nearly four decades of keeping a promise
Founded by Nick Lanese in 1987, our firm was built on a simple idea: clients deserve a CPA who picks up the phone in July, not just in April.
That idea still drives everything we do. Many of our client relationships span decades — including businesses now run by the second generation — and every license our CPAs hold is a valid Florida State CPA Certificate.
We've grown carefully, on purpose: two offices, three partners, and a team that stays.
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1987
Nick Lanese founds the firm in Tampa Bay, fresh from Cohen & Company in Cleveland.
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2007
Jonathan Walliser joins as an intern — and never leaves.
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2008
Rick Bennett relocates from Chicago, deepening the firm's tax and assurance bench.
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2015
Jonathan earns his CPA; the next generation of leadership takes shape.
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Today
Two offices, three partners, and client relationships entering their second generation.
Client Focus
Closely-held businesses and individuals who want more from their CPA than just a tax return.
Holistic Approach
Business and family, planned together — your total circumstances, working toward the maximum advantage.
Expert Knowledge
Quality service starts with investing real time in learning your business and personal goals.
A CPA you can talk with — not only during tax season, but all year round.
The promise we've kept since 1987
Nº 03 — Our People
Advisors who know your name — and your numbers
Three partners, a deep bench of CPAs and specialists, and a culture of sticking with clients for the long haul.
Nick Lanese, CPA
Founding Partner
Founded the firm in 1987 after graduating with honors from John Carroll University and beginning his career at Cohen & Company in Cleveland. Nick's passion is understanding clients' businesses deeply enough to deliver better tax outcomes — and the firm still serves clients he first shook hands with in the 1980s.
Jonathan Walliser, CPA
Partner
Started with the firm as an intern in 2007 and never left — earning his accounting degree from the University of South Florida and his CPA along the way. Jonathan comes alongside clients with any tax or business need, and genuinely loves what he does.
Rick Bennett, CPA
Partner — Tax & A&A
Thirty-plus years of public accounting experience spanning taxation and audited, reviewed, and compiled financial statements, with degrees in accounting and finance from Eastern Illinois University and 15+ years as a QuickBooks ProAdvisor.
And the team behind them
- Karen B. Lanese, CPAPrincipal
- Brenda Stempson, CPAManager
- Rick A. McCarthySenior Accountant · Cost Segregation Specialist
- Kevin RussellTax Accountant
- Justin AndrewsTax Accountant
- Cecilia JefferyClient Service Specialist
- Jana GoldbergSun City Center Office Manager
- Kim R. HannSarasota Office Manager
- Rick Lanese, CPARetired Partner
Nº 04 — Client Tools
At your service, on your schedule
Securely share documents, pay invoices, and find tax resources — without picking up the phone.
Client Portal
Access your documents and financials securely, 24/7.
Sign InPay Online
Settle your invoice in seconds with secure online payment.
Pay My FeeSecureSend
Transmit sensitive documents to our team with secure encryption.
Send a FileTax Center
Due dates, organizers, calculators, and records-retention guides.
Browse ResourcesBegin with a conversation
We'll listen first — then tell you, honestly, how we can help.
Schedule a ConsultationNº 05 — Contact
Two offices. One standard of service.
Ruskin Office
823 Cypress Village BlvdRuskin, FL 33573
Sarasota Office
32 South Osprey Ave, Suite 201Sarasota, FL 34236
Prefer email? Reach us anytime at info@lanese-cpa.com