Accounts Payable Services & AP Automation Providers in Kittery, ME

Padgett Portsmouth is the Seacoast location of the Padgett network. It is independently owned, works out of Kittery, Maine, and serves small companies across Kittery, Portsmouth and nearby communities. The firm mainly helps owner-run businesses that want ongoing financial support all year rather than one meeting at tax time. Buyers comparing outsourced back-office providers will find a practice that combines routine bookkeeping, payroll and tax work with advisory help.

Bookkeeping and payables-related support

The core of the practice is a monthly accounting service. The firm keeps the client's books current, prepares financial statements and produces reports that owners can easily read. It can also take over books that have fallen behind and bring them up to date.

For businesses looking at accounts payable support, this monthly bookkeeping is where vendor bills and spending get recorded and reconciled. The firm does not advertise a separate AP automation platform. Its team can set up and maintain tax-ready books in Xero, so clients get cloud-based records with ongoing guidance.

• Monthly bookkeeping and financial statement preparation
• Cleanup and catch-up of neglected books
• Full-service payroll through its ADP partnership, including direct deposit, W-2 and 1099 support
• Scheduling of federal and state payroll tax deposits, retirement contribution remittances and wage garnishments
• Business and individual tax preparation, including sales and use tax returns
• Tax planning, IRS representation and audit support
• Budgeting, forecasting and cash flow consulting

How engagements work

Meetings are by appointment, and the firm stresses personal, consistent contact over a rotating call center. Payroll onboarding starts by confirming pay schedules, worker types, benefits and deductions. After that, payroll runs on a repeating cycle, and the firm supports required filings and year-end forms.

Payroll data is designed to feed into the client's books, so payroll, accounting and tax records stay consistent. The advisory work builds on these routine services and gives owners analysis they can use to adjust plans and avoid problems before they grow.

Industries and specialties

The office says it has experience with restaurants and bars, health services, construction trades, real estate, retail and professional services. Its payroll service suits employers with hourly, salaried, seasonal or contract workers, and it supports multi-state payroll. On the tax side, it lists specialized experience with medical practitioners, businesses operating in more than one state and real estate investors.

Background and credentials

The office opened in 2007 under owner Burton Richardson, a CPA with more than fifteen years of experience serving small businesses. His work covers small business accounting, payroll, business and individual tax compliance, resolving tax problems and representation during audits. He also has a background in business valuation, which can help owners weighing an acquisition, an expansion or an exit.

Clients get a local, owner-led relationship backed by Padgett, a national organization with more than fifty years in small business tax, accounting and payroll. That network gives the Kittery office access to shared expertise and resources.