CdC

Enrolled Agent · IRS Representation · Tax & Audit Support

American
Tax Services

Payroll resolution, H-1B & ITIN tax work, and audit support for legal professionals — backed by deep American tax expertise.

Charlotte, NC · Remote Worldwide

Document Translation & Financial SummaryTax, Audit & Attorney Support Payroll Resolution · Enrolled Agent ServicesExpected December 2026 Licensed EA · H-1B & ITIN/Immigrant Tax WorkExpected May 2027
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Tax, Audit & Attorney Support

The practice behind the work

CdContos was founded by an audit accountant whose expertise spans two distinct but complementary fields: American tax and Portuguese colonial tax — with a depth of knowledge in each that colleagues and clients alike regard as authoritative.

That dual grounding — rigorous American audit practice on one side, deep familiarity with Portuguese colonial fiscal records on the other — is what makes the work here unlike anything a general translator or a general accountant could offer.

Language work is in Portuguese and Spanish. The practice is based in Charlotte, NC and works with clients remotely worldwide.

Accounting
US tax documentation & financial records
Historical
Colonial Portuguese tax & treasury documents
Paleography
Portuguese manuscript hands, 16th–19th century
Currency
Colonial Portuguese monetary systems — réis, cruzados, patacas
Languages
Portuguese, Spanish

Where this is going

2026
Active

Document Translation & Financial Summary

Plain English translation and financial summary of Portuguese or Spanish documents for legal professionals and individuals.

December 2026
Expected

Payroll Resolution · Enrolled Agent Services

EA-backed payroll tax resolution — addressing payroll tax debts, penalties, and IRS compliance issues for small businesses and employers.

May 2027
Expected

Licensed EA · H-1B & ITIN/Immigrant Tax Work

Enrolled Agent licensure — tax preparation and compliance support for H-1B visa holders and ITIN filers, with a focus on Portuguese and Spanish-speaking immigrant clients.

May 2027
Expected

Tax & Audit Support for Legal Professionals

EA-backed tax and audit support for attorneys — reviewing foreign financial records, supporting tax-related case work, and advising on cross-border tax documentation.

Begin your tax inquiry

For document translation & financial summary, payroll resolution, H-1B & ITIN tax work, and audit support for legal professionals.

Response0–48 hours
TurnaroundTypically 1 week or less
LanguagesPortuguese, Spanish → English

Portuguese · Spanish · Colonial Records · Archive Research

Portuguese Colonial
Tax Research

Translation, transcription, and financial interpretation of historical Portuguese and Spanish documents — for researchers, genealogists, and legal professionals.

Standard rate for paleographic transcription: $0.20 per word.

Charlotte, NC · Remote Worldwide

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Specialist in Iberian records

Casas dos Contos is an American research practice specializing in Portuguese and Spanish historical documents — with a particular focus on colonial financial and administrative records from the 16th through 19th centuries.

"Every ledger entry is a decision someone made. Reading it clearly is the first step to understanding why."

Working primarily with digitized holdings at the Arquivo Histórico Ultramarino (AHU) and partner archives in Portugal, Mozambique, India, and Brazil, the practice provides translation, transcription, and financial interpretation for academic, genealogical, and legal clients worldwide.

This is not a law firm, accounting firm, or certified translation agency. Services are research and interpretation work — clearly scoped, honestly described.

Scope of services
  • Translation — Portuguese & Spanish to English
  • Transcription of handwritten historical documents
  • Financial data entry and ledger interpretation
  • Colonial currency and unit conversion
  • Genealogical research intersecting financial records
  • Document translation & financial summary for legal professionals

Not offered: certified or notarized translation, CPA services, tax preparation, ongoing accounting, or legal advice.

Historical Research & Interpretation

I.

Transcription

Line-by-line transcription of handwritten colonial documents, preserving original spelling, abbreviations, and marginal notation alongside a clean reading edition.

II.

Translation

Full English translation from archaic or early modern Portuguese and Spanish, with contextual footnotes explaining administrative language, titles, and conventions.

III.

Financial Interpretation

Interpretation of colonial ledgers, inventories, and treasury records — including obsolete currencies (réis, cruzados, patacas) and accounting formats of the period.

IV.

Genealogical Research

Tracing family histories through tax rolls, estate inventories, merchant ledgers, and administrative lists where financial records intersect with genealogical questions.

V.

Data Entry & Structuring

Converting handwritten financial records into structured spreadsheet or database format — useful for quantitative historians and archival research projects.

VI.

Archive Consultation

Guidance navigating the AHU, ANTT, AGI, and partner digital archives — identifying relevant document series and locating specific records for your research question.

The practice behind the work

CdContos was founded by an audit accountant whose expertise spans two distinct but complementary fields: American tax and Portuguese colonial tax — with a depth of knowledge in each that colleagues and clients alike regard as authoritative.

That dual grounding — rigorous American audit practice on one side, deep familiarity with Portuguese colonial fiscal records on the other — is what makes the work here unlike anything a general translator or a general accountant could offer.

Language work is in Portuguese and Spanish. The practice is based in Charlotte, NC and works with clients remotely worldwide.

Accounting
US tax documentation & financial records
Historical
Colonial Portuguese tax & treasury documents
Paleography
Portuguese manuscript hands, 16th–19th century
Currency
Colonial Portuguese monetary systems — réis, cruzados, patacas
Languages
Portuguese, Spanish

From the archive

A selection of recent projects drawn from digitized holdings at the Arquivo Histórico Ultramarino, Lisbon.

PT/AHU/CU/221/01776
Casa da Índia · 1784
Listas de Fazendas a Leiloar na Casa da Índia

Auction lists of goods arriving from Asian ports, produced by the Secretaria de Estado dos Negócios da Marinha e Domínios Ultramarinos. 68 files transcribed and translated.

Translation · Transcription
PT/AHU/GMOÇ/021/1602
Moçambique · 1851
Balanços e Inventários da Junta da Fazenda

Provincial currency census — gold bars, half-bars, and silver patacas held by the Mozambique public treasury. Produced by the Governo Geral de Moçambique. 23 files.

Financial Interpretation · Data Entry
PT/AHU/GMOÇ/018/1597
Moçambique · 1847–1852
Correspondência da Junta da Fazenda

Registry of correspondence from the Mozambique Junta da Fazenda Pública to the Depósito Público in Lisbon. 32 files transcribed with administrative commentary.

Transcription · Translation

From inquiry to interpretation

Step 01

Initial Inquiry

Share your document or research question via the contact form. Include the period, origin, language, and what you need from it. You'll receive a scope and timeline within five business days.

Step 02

Transcription

A diplomatic transcription of the original text, preserving all original features — abbreviations, strikethroughs, marginal notes — alongside a clean reading edition.

Step 03

Translation & Interpretation

Full English translation with annotations. For financial documents, this includes currency conversion context and explanation of accounting conventions. For legal or personal documents, a plain summary of key points is included.

Step 04

Delivery & Follow-Up

You receive a PDF report, the source transcription file, and a follow-up call to walk through findings. Happy to answer questions or clarify anything afterward.

Begin your research inquiry

For translation, transcription, genealogical research, financial interpretation, data entry, and archive consultation.

Response0–48 hours
Turnaround1–3 weeks · small  ·  2–8 weeks · larger
LanguagesPortuguese, Spanish → English