Who We Are
Maharlika PLLC is a woman/minority owned CPA firm providing audit and assurance services, accounting, and consulting services.
Maharlika was founded in August 2022 by Maria Fides Balita, CPA, CIA after years of experience with various accounting firms including Big 4, regional and local CPA firms in Chicago.
The Firm offers services to clients across industries such as public sector, state and local government, employee benefit plans, not-for-profit organizations, small and privately owned businesses.
Owner's Profile
Prior to founding Maharlika PLLC, she served as Partner at a women and minority owned firm in Chicago and worked for several accounting firms including a regional minority owned firm (member firm of a Big Four firm), two of the Big Four firms, and a local accounting firm based in Chicago. Prior to that, she was an Operations Officer for one of the largest banks in the Philippines.
Maria graduated from the De La Salle University with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Commerce, Major in Accounting. She is a CPA both in the Philippines and in Illinois, USA, as well as a Certified Internal Auditor. She is a licensed CPA in Illinois. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Illinois CPA Society, The Institute of Internal Auditors, Association of Government Accountants, and the International Society of Filipinos in Finance and Accounting (ISFFA). Maria is the Founding President of ISFFA – Chicago Chapter, former Chair of the ISFFA National Executive Board (2018-2021), and now serves in the Advisory Board.
She has significant experience in auditing and providing outsourced internal audit services (compliance reviews, process reviews, internal controls reviews) as well as audits of employee benefit plans (401k, 403b, pension and health and welfare plans). She also has significant knowledge in State and Local government agencies, non-profits, and federally funded programs having performed audit, advisory/consulting engagements on these entities.
BDO Alliance USA
We are an independent member of the BDO Alliance USA, a nationwide association of independently owned local and regional accounting, consulting and service firms with similar client service goals. By supplementing our services, the BDO Alliance USA allows us to:
- Enhance our client services and broaden our capabilities overall
- Expand our domestic and international coverage
- Gain greater technical knowledge in specialty areas
- Utilize professionals with experience in a wide range of industries
- Access the most up-to-date technical information
- Participate in the latest training programs
- Utilize state of-the-art, customized computer systems
- Provide our clients with key contacts and sophisticated professionals throughout the U.S.
The BDO Alliance USA brings us the necessary tools to help us better serve our clients with greater flexibility, efficiency and cost effectiveness.
The BDO Alliance USA is a subsidiary of BDO USA, P.A., a Delaware professional service corporation. For more than 100 years, BDO has provided quality service through the active involvement of experienced and committed professionals. The firm serves clients through more than 65 offices and 750 independent Alliance firm locations nationwide. As an independent Member Firm of BDO International Limited, BDO serves multi-national clients through a global network of more 91,000 people working out of more than 1,600 offices in 167 countries.
BDO USA, P.A., a Delaware professional service corporation, is the U.S. member of BDO International Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, and forms part of the international BDO network of independent member firms. BDO is the brand name for the BDO network and for each of the BDO Member Firms.