A Christian CPA Firm Serving Christians
Tired of juggling one CPA for your ministry, another for your LLCs, and a third for your personal return? Salt of the Earth CPA coordinates all of your Christian nonprofit, business, and personal taxes in one place with a single faith‑aligned team. Wherever God has you, at home in the U.S. or on the mission field abroad, we serve you.
Why Choose SOTE CPA?We help driven Christians to steward their finances in confidence.
Whether you are a Church, Christian School, Ministry, Pastor, Christian Business, or Individual Believer, having Salt of the Earth CPA as your Christian accounting firm allows you to steward your finances wisely, stay compliant with complex regulations, and keep more resources available for the work God has called you to do.
Get to know the founder.
Matthew Hale is a licensed CPA, follower of Christ, husband, father of four children, and the founder of SOTE CPA. He started this firm after seeing how overwhelming taxes and accounting can feel for pastors, churches, ministries, and Christian entrepreneurs. Matthew’s heart is to slow things down, listen carefully, and explain your options so you can make decisions with peace and confidence. He counts it a privilege to partner with believers and help them build simple, sustainable financial systems that support both their families and the ministries God has entrusted to them.
Our SpecialtiesThe two areas we go deepest, because that's where the biggest wins happen.
Individual & Christian Business Tax Planning
When life, business, and calling overlap, taxes get complicated fast. We help you make confident decisions with a plan that’s practical, values-aligned, and built around your real situation.
✔ “Should I become an S-Corp? What should payroll look like?”
✔ “I’m buying a vehicle/equipment, what’s the smartest approach?”
✔ “Can I hire my spouse or kids?”
✔ “I have W-2 + side income, what changes now that I’m growing?”
✔ “My tax bill keeps surprising me, how do I plan ahead?”
✔ “I need a quarterly tax plan that won’t crush cash flow.”
✔ “I’m a pastor, how should my housing allowance be handled?”
✔ “How does clergy income and offerings affect my taxes?”
Nonprofit Compliance
Nonprofits don’t just need a filing, they need clarity around compliance. We help you stay organized, reduce risk, and protect the mission so leadership can focus on ministry.
✔ “We’re a new nonprofit and don’t want to mess this up.”
✔ “Do we need to file a 990? Which one? What’s due and when?”
✔ “Should we file Form 1023 if we are a 508?”
✔ “We have staff/contractors, are we handling reporting correctly?”
✔ “How do we document donations? Are we doing it correctly?”
✔ “We have multiple income streams, could any of this trigger UBIT?”
✔ “Our board is trying to do things right, but we feel lost.”
✔ “Our 501(c)(3) status was revoked, how do we fix it?”
BookkeepingBooks done right, so the numbers are never the surprise
SOTE CPA’s tax planning and nonprofit compliance specialties are only as good as the books behind them. Every decision we help you make starts with numbers we trust, which is why bookkeeping is foundational. We keep your accounts reconciled and current, whether you’re running a business or stewarding a nonprofit. so the plan is always built on the truth of where you actually stand.
Bookkeeping for Businesses
Monthly bookkeeping built for Christian business owners who want accurate books and a clear picture of where they stand, without having to become their own accountant.
✔ Monthly reconciliation of every account
✔ Clean books ready for tax time
✔ Clear monthly reports so you know your numbers
✔ Books setup, cleanup, and ongoing support
Bookkeeping for Nonprofits & Ministries
Fund accounting and monthly bookkeeping for churches, ministries, and nonprofits, so leaders can focus on the mission and boards get the reporting they need.
✔ Fund and restricted-gift tracking done correctly
✔ Board-ready financial reports every month
✔ Reconciled accounts and audit-ready records
✔ Donor and grant reporting support
What Do Our Clients Say?“Salt of the Earth CPA was a true blessing as we stepped out in faith to start Morning Star Academy. Matthew and his team guided us with wisdom, integrity, and care, giving us both financial clarity and peace of mind. We’re deeply grateful and highly recommend them for trustworthy, values-driven financial support.”
“Matthew and his team at SOTE have been incredibly helpful to me as a new business owner. Matthew is very knowledgeable and I trust and rely on him to help me navigate finances as well as compliance.”
“Salt of the Earth CPA consistently does the little things well — the details that most firms overlook but that truly matter. When he says he’s going to do something, he does it. He has helped us personally, strengthened our business financially, and guided our future planning with clarity and wisdom. His integrity, consistency, and proactive approach make him a trusted advisor in every sense.”
FAQs
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We work with clients in all 50 states. Because we are a virtual-first firm, your location never limits the tax planning, advisory, or bookkeeping support you can get from us. If you run a business or file taxes anywhere in the U.S., you are eligible to work with us today.
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No in-person visit is required. We are a virtual-first firm by design, so the entire relationship, from your first call to document sharing and year-round planning, happens securely online. That means you get a dedicated CPA on your schedule, without the drive, the parking, or the limited office hours of a local firm. However, if you prefer to meet in-person, we have an office in Johnson City, TN that you can visit!
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Our engagements are priced as flat, predictable packages, so you will never get a surprise bill or be charged for every phone call. Pricing depends on the complexity of your situation, which is exactly what we map out together on your call. You will get a clear, written quote before you commit to anything. Book a Discovery Call and you will get access to our full pricing page right away.
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Yes. We regularly serve U.S. missionaries, overseas workers, and nonprofits that are based in the States but operate around the world. We understand the issues that come with serving abroad, things like the foreign earned income exclusion, housing for missionaries, and keeping your U.S. and overseas obligations straight, and we coordinate it all from one place. No matter where in the world you are serving, you can work with us entirely online and stay fully compliant back home.
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Yes. We bring your personal taxes, your business, and your ministry under one roof, with one team that already understands how all three connect. Instead of one person for your return, another for the books, and a separate accountant who does not understand church and ministry rules, you get a single firm that sees the full picture and plans across all of it. That means fewer handoffs, no conflicting advice, and a strategy where every piece is working together.
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Protecting your information is something we take seriously. As a virtual-first firm, security is built into how we operate, so your personal, business, and ministry records are shared and stored through encrypted, secure systems, never loose email attachments or unprotected files. You stay in control of your documents, and we treat the sensitive details of your finances and your ministry with the confidentiality they deserve. When you are ready, book your call below and we will walk you through exactly how it works.