Most of my work falls into three main services: monthly bookkeeping, book clean-ups, and bookkeeping education or consulting.

Monthly bookkeeping means me keeping your financial records organized and up to date throughout the year. Book clean-ups involve untangling messy or outdated books so a business can get back on track. I also work with some clients who want help learning how to manage their own books, including QuickBooks setup and basic bookkeeping training.

I work with a wide range of organizations across Vermont, but most of my clients are nonprofits, solopreneurs and creative businesses, and trades or service-based companies.

I work with a wide range of organizations across Vermont, but most of my clients fall into three broad groups.

The first is nonprofits and community organizations. Nonprofits often have complicated financial reporting requirements and tight budgets, so having organized books can make a huge difference. I work with several nonprofits that need reliable bookkeeping but don’t necessarily need a full-time finance staff.

The second group is solopreneurs and creative businesses. Artists, filmmakers, therapists, designers, and other independent professionals often start their businesses because they love the work—not because they love accounting software. I help creative business owners build simple financial systems that are easy to maintain and easy to understand.

The third group is trades and small service businesses, including carpenters, contractors, electricians, landscapers, and similar businesses. These businesses tend to be busy doing real-world work, which means bookkeeping often gets pushed to the bottom of the to-do list. My role is to help keep the financial side of the business organized so things don’t pile up.

The common thread among all my clients is that they want clear, reliable financial systems that support their business instead of creating more stress.

When I talk about anti-capitalist bookkeeping, I’m not saying businesses shouldn’t make money.

Businesses absolutely need to be financially sustainable in order to survive and support the people who run them.

What I’m pushing back against is the idea that maximizing profit should always be the primary goal, regardless of the impact on workers, customers, communities, or the environment.

Many of the businesses I work with are trying to operate differently. They care about things like fair wages, good working conditions, community relationships, and long-term sustainability. They’re not trying to build billion-dollar companies—they’re trying to build healthy, durable businesses that support real people.

My role as a bookkeeper is to help those businesses create financial systems that support those goals. That means transparency, financial literacy, and clear reporting so business owners can make thoughtful decisions about how they run their organizations.

You definitely don’t need to identify as anti-capitalist to work with me. Many clients simply appreciate having a bookkeeper who focuses on sustainability, honesty, and practical financial systems rather than endless growth.

This is one of the most common questions I get from new business owners.

A bookkeeper focuses on the day-to-day financial records of a business. That includes things like categorizing transactions, reconciling accounts, tracking income and expenses, and generating financial reports that show how the business is performing.

An accountant, on the other hand, typically focuses more on taxes, compliance, and higher-level financial strategy. Accountants prepare tax returns, advise on tax planning, and help businesses navigate tax laws and regulations.

In practice, bookkeepers and accountants often work closely together.

My role is to keep your financial records organized and accurate throughout the year so that when tax season arrives, everything is ready for your accountant. That saves time, reduces stress, and helps prevent costly mistakes.

For many small businesses, having both a bookkeeper and an accountant creates a much smoother financial system.

Many small businesses start out handling their own finances, and that can work for a while.

But there are a few common signs that it might be time to bring in a bookkeeper.

If you’re spending hours each month trying to sort through transactions or reconcile accounts, that’s usually a sign your time could be better spent elsewhere. If your books are falling behind, tax season is becoming stressful, or you’re not sure whether your business is actually making money, bookkeeping support can make a big difference.

Another common situation is when businesses start growing. As revenue increases, financial systems become more important. Accurate bookkeeping helps you track profitability, manage cash flow, and make informed decisions about pricing, hiring, and investments.

Some clients hire me because they want someone else to handle their bookkeeping entirely. Others want help setting up a system they can maintain themselves.

Both approaches are completely valid.

A lot of bookkeeping work can technically be done remotely, and many bookkeepers operate entirely online.

That said, many of my clients prefer working with someone who understands the local business environment in Vermont and is part of the same community. Being local means I’m familiar with the kinds of businesses that make up our region—from small nonprofits and creative businesses to tradespeople and independent contractors.

Patrick Bookkeeping is based in Burlington, Vermont, and I regularly work with clients in:

• Burlington

• Winooski

• South Burlington

• Essex

• Williston

• Colchester

• Shelburne

I also work with businesses throughout Chittenden County and across the state of Vermont. Because most bookkeeping tools are cloud-based, it’s easy for me to support organizations in smaller towns and rural areas while still providing responsive, personal service.

For some clients, we work entirely online. Others prefer the option of meeting locally when needed or simply knowing their bookkeeper is nearby and understands the local economy.

Either way, the goal is the same: clear, accurate bookkeeping that helps your business stay organized and financially healthy.

Patrick Bookkeeping is based in Burlington, Vermont, and most of my clients are located in the greater Chittenden County area.

I regularly work with businesses and organizations in:

• Burlington

• Winooski

• South Burlington

• Essex

• Williston

• Colchester

• Shelburne

I also work with clients throughout the rest of Vermont, including businesses in smaller towns and rural areas that may not have easy access to local bookkeeping services.

Because much of bookkeeping work can be done remotely, I’m able to support organizations across the state of Vermont, while still maintaining a strong focus on the local community.

You bet. A portion of my work involves cleaning up messy or outdated bookkeeping.

It’s extremely common for small businesses to fall behind on their books, especially during busy seasons or periods of growth. Sometimes clients come to me with months or even years of transactions that need to be organized before tax season.

Book clean-ups usually involve reviewing financial records, categorizing historical transactions, reconciling accounts, and making sure everything lines up with bank statements and credit card records.

Once the books are cleaned up, we can either move into ongoing monthly bookkeeping or set up a system that allows you to maintain your books moving forward.

Either way, the goal is to turn a stressful financial situation into something clear and manageable.

Bookkeeping costs vary depending on how complex your business finances are and how much support you want.

Some clients come to me with very simple books—maybe a single bank account and a manageable number of transactions each month. Others run nonprofits, have payroll, or manage multiple accounts and systems. The time involved can look very different from business to business, so pricing usually reflects that.

For ongoing monthly bookkeeping, most clients fall somewhere between $200 and $800 per month, depending on the amount of activity in their books and the level of support they need. This might include categorizing transactions, reconciling accounts, reviewing financial reports, and helping make sure everything stays organized for tax season.

If your books have fallen behind or were never set up properly, we may start with a clean-up. Clean-ups start at $600, but most clients average $1,000-2,000 for a clean-up since they often involve untangling historical transactions and making sure everything lines up correctly before moving into monthly bookkeeping.

Some clients also hire me for short-term support or consulting, like setting up QuickBooks, learning how to manage their own bookkeeping, or troubleshooting specific financial questions. Those sessions are typically $75 per hour, and QuickBooks training is usually $100 per hour for 2–5 hours, depending on what you need.

Every business is a little different, so the best way to figure out pricing is usually a quick conversation about what your current bookkeeping situation looks like and what kind of support would actually be helpful.

The easiest way to get started is by booking a discovery call.

I offer a free 30-minute discovery conversation where we can talk about your business, your current bookkeeping setup, and what you’re hoping to change or improve. It’s a chance for both of us to get a sense of whether working together would be a good fit.

During that conversation we might talk about things like:

• how you’re currently tracking income and expenses

• whether your books are up to date

• what accounting software (if any) you’re using

• whether you’re looking for ongoing monthly bookkeeping, a clean-up project, or help learning the basics

My goal in these conversations isn’t to sell you something you don’t need. If it turns out that my services aren’t the right fit, I’m always happy to point people toward other local resources or professionals who might be able to help.

You can schedule a discovery call directly using the calendar on this page.

If you just have a quick question, you’re also welcome to email me at kris@patrickbookkeepingvt.com and I’ll do my best to point you in the right direction.