About Maria Ortega
Founder & Principal Accountant
Structured Accounting • Reliable Reporting • Financial Clarity
Experienced Accounting Leadership Backed by Nearly 30 Years of Corporate & Public Accounting Experience
Maria Ortega is the founder and Principal Accountant of Independent Accounting Services, LLC, bringing nearly 30 years of combined corporate and public accounting experience across Arizona and Mexico. She is bilingual in English and Spanish and understands the importance of clear communication, cultural awareness, and relationship-driven support when working with diverse Arizona business owners and service-based businesses.
Throughout her career, Maria has supported operational and service-based businesses through accounting leadership, financial analysis, account reconciliations, inventory control, cost accounting, profitability analysis, and financial oversight across industries including construction trades, agriculture & farming, full-service hotels & restaurants, commercial cleaning, produce brokerage, lumber and electrical supply retail, petroleum retail & fuel, and multi-entity operations.
Earlier in her career, Maria served as Business Advisory Department Head for a regional CPA firm that operated under Deloitte international auditing standards and followed Generally Accepted Auditing Standards (GAAS) and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), where she conducted and oversaw internal audits and gained experience in GAAP compliance, corporate taxation, accounting processes and internal controls, financial statement analysis, and business advisory support across multiple industries.
Maria earned a four-year degree in Public Accounting from Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC) in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico. Her education has been evaluated by Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE) as equivalent to a United States Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a major in Accounting.
She also participates in the IRS Annual Filing Season Program (AFSP) and is an IRS PTIN holder and Authorized IRS Electronic Return Originator (ERO).
Her accounting approach emphasizes organized accounting records and processes, accurate reconciliations, reliable financial reporting, and financial visibility designed to help business owners better understand profitability, cash flow, and business performance and make more informed business decisions.
Maria's Professional Approach
Maria believes every business owner has a unique story, set of challenges, and business objectives. For that reason, she begins each new client relationship by listening first, understanding the business owner’s concerns and financial reporting needs, and then recommending accounting solutions based on the client’s specific needs rather than assumptions.
She helps business owners move from uncertainty to clarity by listening carefully, evaluating the accounting conditions requiring attention, exercising sound professional judgment, and recommending accounting solutions based on their business and financial reporting needs. Whether assisting with accounting cleanup, financial reporting, ongoing accounting support, or responding to requests from federal or state agencies, Maria’s goal is to reduce uncertainty by helping clients understand their options and recommending an appropriate course of action.
Maria believes long-term professional relationships are built through trust, open communication, responsiveness, and a genuine commitment to helping business owners establish organized accounting records, improve financial reporting, and make more informed business decisions as their businesses continue to grow.
Experience Across Service-Based Industries
Maria’s experience includes supporting operational accounting, reconciliations, financial organization, and accounting processes across corporate, operational, and service-based companies.
Public & Corporate Accounting
Background across public accounting, independent practice, and corporate accounting with experience supporting operational, multi-entity, and service-based business environments across multiple industries.
Financial Analysis & Reporting
Experience supporting financial analysis, cash flow monitoring, profitability analysis, management reporting, and operational financial reporting designed to improve financial visibility and business decision-making.
Operational Accounting Support
Experience supporting operational accounting functions, account reconciliations, cost tracking, inventory control, and accounting oversight across service-based and operational companies.
Multi-Industry Accounting Experience
Industry experience supporting operational and service-based businesses across construction trades, agriculture & farming, full-service hotels & restaurants, commercial cleaning, and multi-entity business environments.
Internal Controls & Process Structure
Experience supporting internal controls, accounting organization, and standardized accounting processes designed to improve operational structure, financial visibility, and reporting consistency.
Month-End Close & Reconciliations
Experience supporting month-end close, account reconciliations, accrual-based adjustments, and reporting designed to improve accuracy, consistency, operational structure, and financial visibility.
Core Accounting Experience
Throughout her career, Maria has supported businesses across a broad range of accounting, operational accounting, and financial reporting functions, including:
- GAAP-Focused Financial Reporting & Month-End Close
- General Ledger Accounting, Account Analysis & Reconciliations
- Multi-Entity & Intercompany Accounting
- Financial Analysis, Management Reporting & Profitability Review
- Cost Accounting, Inventory Control & Job Costing
- Revenue Recognition & Contract-Related Accounting
- Accounting Processes, Internal Controls & Operational Support
- Accounting Cleanup, Catch-Up & Financial Reconstruction
- Accounting System Organization & Implementation
- Audit Support, Tax Preparation Support & CPA Coordination
Work With a Trusted Accounting Professional
Maria helps Arizona businesses maintain organized accounting records, reconciled accounts, and reliable financial reporting designed to support greater financial visibility and more informed business decisions.