Top Cost Segregation Firms For Multifamily Investors In 2027

Multifamily property is where cost segregation earns its reputation. Every unit repeats the same short-lived components: appliances, cabinetry, flooring, fixtures and finishes. Add parking lots, landscaping, fencing, pools and clubhouses, and a large share of an apartment building can often be moved from 27.5-year property into five, seven and fifteen-year classes.

With 100% bonus depreciation restored for qualifying property acquired after January 19, 2025, those reclassified assets can generate a large first-year deduction. For syndicators, that deduction flows through to investors on their K-1s, which is why many sponsors order a study on every acquisition.

Multifamily owners range from a fourplex investor to a fund with fifty properties, so the right firm depends on scale. This list covers engineering firms built for institutional portfolios, national CPA firms with multifamily teams, and specialists who price for smaller buildings. For the wider market, see our roundup of the best cost segregation companies and firms.

Multifamily Cost Segregation Firms At A Glance

Firm	Best For	Study Method	Pricing Or Scale	Typical Turnaround
KBKG	Any size, duplex to institutional	Engineering-based with site inspection	Self-serve under $1.5M basis	Quoted
Engineered Tax Services	Mid-size and large apartment assets	Engineering take-offs and site inspection	Typically $3,000 to $12,000	4 to 6 weeks
CSSI	Sponsors closing several deals a year	Engineering-based	65,000+ studies since 2003	Quoted
Cherry Bekaert	Large portfolios and funds	Engineers, tax pros, statistical sampling	Portfolio scale	Quoted
CSA Partners	Owners who want a fee-backed guarantee	On-site SiteWize documentation	Free benefit analysis	Quoted
R.E. Cost Seg	Small multifamily	Questionnaire or virtual inspection	From $950	About 5 to 20 business days
Forvis Mazars	Owners who want their CPA firm involved	Engineers and CPAs on a multifamily team	Feasibility study first	Quoted
Maven Cost Segregation	Owners who want an on-site inspection	On-site engineering inspection	Free estimate	Within 30 days of site visit
Leyton	Large assets, pay after delivery	Remote or on-site engineering	Invoiced after delivery	4 to 8 weeks
Capstan Tax Strategies	Owners who want audit support built in	Engineering-based	Best above $1M	Quoted

Best Cost Segregation Firms For Multifamily Investors In 2027

1. KBKG — Engineering Studies For Every Size Of Apartment Portfolio

KBKG has conducted thousands of cost segregation studies since 1999 and keeps offices in Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas and Houston. It reports more than $11 billion in tax benefits claimed by clients across its services.

Full studies are engineering-based, with site inspections, cost manual references, IRS citations and supporting case law, and they include audit consulting time. For smaller apartment buildings with a basis under $1.5 million, KBKG offers its self-guided CostSegregation.com platform. It also handles Section 179D, Section 45L and repair versus capitalization reviews, which matter on renovation-heavy value-add deals.

Best for: Owners who want one firm that scales from a small building to an institutional portfolio.

2. Engineered Tax Services — Component-By-Component Take-Offs At National Scale

Engineered Tax Services reports more than 75,000 studies over 25 years. Its studies identify, measure and cost building components individually using construction documents, site inspections and engineering take-offs, following the IRS Audit Techniques Guide, and average 30 to 45 documented components per study.

The firm works across apartment complexes, student housing and mixed-use developments. It says studies typically cost $3,000 to $12,000, take four to six weeks and reclassify 20% to 45% of a building’s cost basis.

Best for: Mid-size and large apartment owners who want a detailed engineering study.

3. CSSI — High-Volume Engineering Studies Since 2003

Cost Segregation Services, Inc. (CSSI) has produced engineering-based studies since 2003 and reports more than 65,000 studies completed and more than $10 billion in client tax savings. Multifamily is a core property type in its intake, alongside hotels, self-storage, senior living and dozens of commercial assets.

That volume and consistency suit sponsors who close several acquisitions a year and want the same process on every deal. CSSI offers a free no-cost analysis, works alongside the client’s CPA and also provides Section 179D and R&D tax credit services.

Best for: Syndicators and operators who need repeatable studies across many acquisitions.

4. Cherry Bekaert — Statistical Sampling For Large Multifamily Portfolios

Cherry Bekaert’s cost segregation team pairs licensed engineers with tax professionals, inspects properties on site and builds studies to the IRS Audit Techniques Guide. It also handles look-back studies through Form 3115 and offers a free feasibility analysis.

Its standout capability is portfolio work. In one published case study, the firm used statistical sampling under Rev. Proc. 2011-42 on more than 50 multifamily properties acquired for about $390 million, identifying roughly $90 million of bonus-eligible property and about $36 million in first-year tax cash benefit.

Best for: Funds and large sponsors studying many properties at once.

5. CSA Partners — Engineering Studies Backed By A Fee Refund Guarantee

CSA Partners reports more than 30,000 engineering-based studies over more than 20 years. Its SiteWize process captures measurements, component conditions and photos during site verification, and studies are designed around the IRS Audit Techniques Guide.

The firm states that if significant depreciation identified in a study is disallowed after an audit, it refunds its engagement fee. It also offers 1245 exchange services and works closely with CPAs, including CPE courses for tax professionals.

Best for: Owners who want the strongest audit-linked guarantee on the list.

6. R.E. Cost Seg — Fast, Affordable Studies For Small Multifamily

R.E. Cost Seg suits owners of duplexes through small apartment buildings. Its Rapid Report starts at $950 for properties of up to four units with a depreciable basis under $1.2 million and arrives in about five business days. Fully Engineered studies start at $2,320 for residential and $2,730 for commercial property, include a virtual inspection and take about 15 to 20 business days.

The firm reports more than 20,000 studies completed across all 50 states and lists apartment complexes among its core asset classes. Audit support is included in the form of written responses on methodology and classifications.

Best for: Small multifamily investors who want a quick, low-cost study.

7. Forvis Mazars — A National CPA Firm With A Dedicated Multifamily Team

Forvis Mazars runs cost segregation through a multifamily housing team that pairs engineers with CPAs. Its studies use drawings, cost records and site inspections, and its multifamily guidance focuses on per-unit components multiplied across a property and on reclassifying unit rehab costs into five and seven-year property.

The firm suggests studies for acquisitions above about $1 million or improvements above about $500,000, offers retroactive studies through a change in accounting method, and starts with a feasibility study.

Best for: Owners who want their multifamily study and tax work handled by a large CPA firm.

8. Maven Cost Segregation — On-Site Inspections With Full Audit Documentation

Maven Cost Segregation sends engineering professionals to inspect each property in person rather than relying on software estimates. Reports arrive within 30 days of the site visit and include audit defense documentation built around the IRS Audit Techniques Guide.

Founded by Sean Graham, CPA, Maven reports more than 5,000 studies and more than $750 million in deductions identified, with offices in Michigan, Utah, Colorado, Pennsylvania and San Diego. Free estimates usually arrive within 24 hours.

Best for: Owners who want a physical inspection of every building.

9. Leyton — Engineer-Led Studies With Nothing Due Upfront

Leyton is an international tax consultancy operating in 20 countries, with more than 10,000 studies completed. Its studies are led by engineers, construction analysts and tax professionals, with site evaluations done remotely or on site.

There is no upfront retainer: the study is invoiced after delivery, and CPA support is included. Most studies take four to eight weeks. One published example, an $8.5 million multifamily property in Los Angeles, shows about $820,000 in first-year tax savings.

Best for: Owners of larger apartment assets who prefer to pay after the study is delivered.

10. Capstan Tax Strategies — Engineering Studies With A Free Audit Warranty

Capstan Tax Strategies, based in Dresher, Pennsylvania, produces engineering-based cost segregation studies built to IRS standards and offers look-back studies for rental properties already in service.

Its Capstan Warranty provides IRS audit support at no cost. The firm generally recommends studies for properties above about $1 million and also handles Section 179D and other energy incentives, which can add value on new construction and major renovations.

Best for: Owners of larger buildings who want audit support written into the engagement.

How To Choose A Cost Segregation Firm For Multifamily Property

How Large Is The Property, And How Many Do You Own?

A fourplex and a 200-unit complex need very different studies. Small buildings are well served by fast, lower-cost providers, while large assets and portfolios benefit from full engineering studies and, for funds, statistical sampling across many properties.

How Does The Firm Handle Repeated Unit Components?

Much of the value in an apartment study comes from components that repeat in every unit. Ask how the firm counts and prices them, and how it treats common areas, amenities and site improvements such as parking and landscaping.

What About Renovations And Value-Add Work?

Value-add deals replace flooring, cabinets and appliances unit by unit. Ask whether the firm can study renovation costs, how it handles the components being removed, and whether improvements need a separate study.

Can The Firm Meet A Syndication Timeline?

Sponsors need numbers in time for K-1s. Confirm turnaround, how the firm works with your fund accountant, and whether it can deliver studies for several acquisitions in the same tax year.

Do You Need A Look-Back Study?

If you bought a building in an earlier year without a study, a look-back study can catch up the missed depreciation in the current year through a change in accounting method. Make sure the firm provides a Section 481(a) schedule your CPA can use.

Owners of furnished rentals should also see the top cost segregation companies for short-term rentals. California owners can compare the top cost segregation firms in California, and for planning around your study, see the top tax strategy firms for real estate investors and the top real estate CPA firms for investors.

Conclusion

Multifamily investors have strong options at every scale. R.E. Cost Seg and KBKG’s self-serve platform cover small buildings quickly and affordably. KBKG, Engineered Tax Services, CSSI, Maven and Capstan bring full engineering studies for mid-size and large properties, while Cherry Bekaert and Forvis Mazars add the CPA-firm depth that funds and large sponsors often want. CSA Partners and Leyton stand out on terms, with a fee refund guarantee and payment after delivery. Match the firm to your property size, your timeline and your audit comfort, and bring your CPA into the conversation before the study is ordered.