In 1987 we had a vision about creating a more customer-centric, integrated approach to providing Accounting, Tax and Financial Litigation Advisory services. We followed our dream—and we took our solid experience, our passionate opinions and a couple of clients and founded Russell Novak & Company LLP (RNCO) in Chicago’s River North neighborhood. We were, as we are now, committed to being accessible when our clients needed us, attentive in understanding their needs and collaborative in identifying solutions that allowed them to reach their financial goals.

Today, more than ever, we work hard at creating and maintaining real partnerships with mid-size businesses, individual clients and attorneys. Because of the trust placed in us, we are compelled to work harder to find smarter solutions or unshakable evidence. When we do, we know it helps businesses and high net-worth individuals keep more of what is rightfully theirs.

Our dogged determination to sink our teeth into every challenge and dispense both practical and heartfelt advice has allowed us to earn a level of client respect we value highly.


Why choose RNCO over other seemingly competent, mid-size accounting firms? Because we are focused on seeing our clients succeed. That is at the heart of all of our client relationships. We are committed to doing what’s right for our clients. We are determined to keep thinking, digging, poking, prodding and questioning and acting as your partner through attentive, accessible discussion.

We apply our formidable experience, unique perspectives and critical judgment to every situation. Because our clients depend on our business advice to keep their companies solid and their futures financially viable, we deliver a touchdown. Every time.


What does the RNCO team bring to the table? A wide array of experience and profound expertise. We cover a lot of bases and niches without being all things to all people.

As a company, we have real-world insight beyond just numbers. We have a partner who has been the CEO of several companies. Another who has extensive experience in real estate transactions. And one who wrote the books—literally—on International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). We have all the crucial affiliations—American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), Illinois CPA Society (ICPAS), Morison International, National Associated Certified Public Accounting Firms (NACPAF) and the Financial Consulting Group (FCG) to name just a few. As trusted financial litigation advisors to attorneys, business advisors to many mid-size companies and consultants to high net-worth individuals, we have expertise both broad and deep to address the critical issues.

Acounting & Tax	Financial Litigation Advisors
Benefit Plan Audits click to view >>
Business Consulting	Accounting Malpractice
Financial Statement Audits/Reviews/Compilations	Financial Reporting Fraud
Income Tax Planning/Returns/Compliance	Professional Liability
Estate, Gift and Trust Tax Planning	Securities Fraud
Like-Kind Exchange (Sect. 1031)	Business Valuation
Entity Choice Planning	Marital Dissolution
IRS Representation	Franchise Contractual Breach
Regulatory Reporting Assistance	Commercial Damages
Business Acquisition and Divestiture Planning	Business/Partnership Dissolution
Global Investment Performance Standards (GIPS) Performance Reviews
Association for Investment Management & Research (AIMR) Performance Reviews
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)
Accounting/Tax Planning for High Net-Worth Individuals

We would never want our partners to be cookie-cutter replicas of one another. Instead, each partner at RNCO is uniquely qualified, opinionated and passionate in his or her own right.

Yet, everyone shares a driving determination to achieve successful outcomes for our business and individual clients. Whether the arena is accounting, taxes, business consulting, or financial litigation advisory services, RNCO partners are fully committed to helping clients retain more of what’s rightfully theirs. This can only be achieved through honest, open collaboration with clients and with each other.

Accounting and Tax Partners:
Russell Novak, CPA
Douglas Blankenberger, CPA
Richard Hanson, CPA
Robb Zerfass, CPA

Financial Litigation Advisory Partners:
Barry Jay Epstein, Ph.D., CPA

Links to our affiliates:
Financial Consulting Group, L.C.
Morison International
National Associated Certified Public Accounting Firms

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