Jackson Thornton

What Jackson Thornton does

Jackson Thornton is a private accounting and consulting firm founded March 3, 1919, in Montgomery, Alabama, operating today with more than 200 professionals and associates across six Alabama locations (Montgomery headquarters, Birmingham, Auburn/Opelika, Dothan, Wetumpka, and Prattville). The firm serves business clients across 11 vertical specializations, including utilities, healthcare, construction, government, telecommunications/broadband, industrial/manufacturing, auto dealerships, not-for-profit, physician practices, private companies, and TV/film production. Service offerings span traditional tax, audit, and assurance; industry-specialized consulting such as cost-of-service studies, rate design, LIFO and R&D tax credit studies, and governmental audits; outsourced accounting and virtual CFO services; business valuation and litigation support; wealth management and retirement plan services; and managed IT, cybersecurity, and cloud services.

The firm operates through an alternative practice structure consisting of Jackson Thornton, Inc. (a licensed CPA firm providing attest services) and Jackson Thornton Advisors, LLC (providing tax, advisory, and non-attest services). Three wholly-owned subsidiaries extend the platform: Jackson Thornton Technologies (JTT, founded 1999) for IT and cybersecurity, Jackson Thornton Wealth Management (JTWM) for investment and retirement advisory, and Jackson Thornton Valuation & Litigation Consulting Group for expert testimony and damages analysis. The proprietary TrailBlaze tool provides 10-year financial forecasting and rate-design modeling for utility clients. Revenue is generated through engagement-based professional services fees, with quote-based pricing tailored to client needs and multi-year contract billing typical; distribution is relationship-led through direct principal engagement across offices, supported by a client portal, content marketing, and campus recruiting.

Recent strategic activity signals an active growth posture: acquisitions of MST Advisors in 2024 and Jackson, Howard and Whatley in late 2025, new offices in Auburn (2024) and Birmingham (November 2025), a CEO transition effective January 1, 2026 (Alan Alexander succeeding the 40-year veteran John Fendley), and 2026 Wealth Magnet recognition from Accounting Today for the wealth management subsidiary.

Name

Jackson Thornton

Legal name

Jackson Thornton, Inc.

Website

https://jacksonthornton.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1919

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Jackson Thornton is a privately held Alabama accounting and consulting firm with 200+ professionals across six offices, delivering tax, audit, advisory, valuation, IT, and wealth management services to 11 industry verticals including utilities, healthcare, construction, government, and telecommunications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Accounting and Advisory Services

NAICS

Offices of Certified Public Accountants (541211), Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Accounting & Bookkeeping Services (BPAHABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Business Valuation & Litigation Support (BPAHABAK), Business Valuation (Private Companies & Equity Interests) (BPAHANAA), Litigation Support & Expert Witness (Valuation-Related) (BPAHANAG)

Keywords

• Accounting advisory services
• Tax planning consulting
• Audit assurance services
• Business valuation litigation
• Wealth management advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Montgomery

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Professional Services Fees: Fees for accounting, tax, audit, consulting, business valuation, litigation support, wealth management, and technology consulting services. Revenue is generated through engagement-based billing for professional advisory services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Jackson Thornton is a full-service accounting and consulting firm providing tax planning, audit and assurance, business valuation, litigation support, outsourced accounting, and business consulting services to businesses, government entities, and nonprofits. Through its subsidiaries, it also delivers managed IT services, cybersecurity, and cloud computing (Jackson Thornton Technologies) as well as investment advisory and retirement planning (Jackson Thornton Wealth Management). The firm offers industry-specialized services across utilities, healthcare, construction, telecommunications, government, manufacturing, auto dealerships, and not-for-profit organizations.

Product overview

Jackson Thornton is a full-service accounting and consulting firm offering a comprehensive portfolio of advisory services through its operating divisions and subsidiaries. The core firm provides business valuation, litigation support, tax planning, auditing, and outsourced accounting services, while its Jackson Thornton Technologies (JTT) subsidiary delivers managed IT, cybersecurity, and cloud computing offerings. Jackson Thornton Wealth Management (JTWM) handles investment and retirement planning. Specialized industry practices cover healthcare, construction, utilities, telecommunications, government, auto dealerships, manufacturing, and not-for-profit organizations. TrailBlaze represents a proprietary financial planning tool for utility clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Jackson Thornton Wealth Management: Wealth management, investment advisory, and retirement planning services subsidiary.
• Jackson Thornton Technologies (JTT)
• Jackson Thornton Valuation & Litigation Consulting Group
• Jackson Thornton Utilities Consultants (JTUC)

Products and services

• Tax Planning and Consulting Services Tax compliance and planning services for individuals and businesses, including tax return preparation and comprehensive tax planning to maximize deductions.
• Financial Auditing Services Financial statement audit services, advice on changes in financial reporting requirements, and audits in compliance with federal and state agency requirements.
• Business Valuation and Litigation Consulting Provides business valuation services for closely held operating companies, litigation support including expert testimony, and analysis of economic damages, fraud, business interruption, partnership disputes, and loss in business value.
• Outsourced Accounting Services Provides comprehensive accounting support including general ledger maintenance, financial statement reporting, bank reconciliation, payroll processing, accounts payable/receivable, and virtual CFO services.
• Private Company Services Customized tax, audit, and consulting services for family-owned and privately held businesses, including information technology consulting and wealth management.
• Healthcare Accounting Services Healthcare industry-focused accounting services with over 150 years of combined experience, serving physician practices and long-term care facilities.
• Utilities Consulting Consulting services for electric, gas, and water utilities including cost of service studies, rate design, financial modeling, and expert testimony, serving over 150 utility providers.
• Telecommunications Consulting Consulting services for telecommunications and broadband companies including strategic planning, broadband business plans, financial statement assurance, FCC/USAC/NECA reporting, and regulatory compliance.
• Jackson Thornton Technologies (JTT) - Managed IT, Cybersecurity, and Cloud Computing Technology subsidiary providing managed IT services, cybersecurity, and cloud computing services to clients in healthcare, education, and professional services verticals.
• Jackson Thornton Wealth Management (JTWM) Wealth management subsidiary offering financial planning, retirement planning, investment services, and portfolio analysis for clients.
• TrailBlaze Financial Forecasting Tool A financial planning model and 10-year forecast tool for utilities that tracks actual-to-projected expenses and revenue in real time, provides automatic budgeting, and supplies quarterly analysis and PowerPoint slideshows for management.
• Physician Practice Management Comprehensive practice management support including credentialing, accounts receivable analysis, revenue cycle optimization, EHR selection, and staff training for medical and dental practices.
• Industrial/Manufacturing Tax Services Industrial/manufacturing tax and accounting services including LIFO inventory implementation, R&D tax credit studies, cost segregation studies, international tax compliance, and internal control development.
• Construction Industry Accounting Industry-specific accounting services for construction firms including licensing and prequalification, multi-state tax strategies, equipment acquisition analysis, and cost certifications.
• Government Financial Services Governmental accounting and auditing services including financial statement audits per Governmental Auditing Standards and OMB Circular A-133, budgeting, bond underwriting consultation, and grants management.
• Not for Profit Accounting Services Not for profit accounting services including single audits, cash flow management, tax-exempt status applications, and endowment development.

Quantifiable outcome

• One client deferred approximately $160,000 in taxes over three years through LIFO inventory accounting
• +3 more outcomes

Segments11 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Telergee AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJackson Thornton is a member of the Telergee Alliance, providing consulting services to telecommunications and broadband companies across the United States with shared expertise and resources.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hancock Askew & Co. Regional accounting and advisory firm headquartered in Savannah, Georgia, serving private companies across the Southeast with audit, tax, and advisory services; similar regional scope and middle-market client base.
• Warren Averett: Regional accounting and advisory firm headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, with comparable size, multi-subsidiary platform (CPAs, wealth management, IT), and similar Southeast U.S. focus; the most directly comparable in-market competitor to Jackson Thornton.
• HORNE LLP: Mississippi-based regional accounting and advisory firm of comparable size serving privately held businesses, government, healthcare, and construction industries across the Southeast; strong parallel in vertical specialization and industry practice structure.
• Whitley Penn: Texas-based regional CPA and advisory firm of similar size offering tax, audit, consulting, and wealth management to private and middle-market companies; comparable multi-subsidiary structure and middle-market positioning.
• Elliott Davis: Southeast-based advisory and accounting firm with multi-subsidiary platform (CPAs, wealth management, technology, consulting) serving middle-market and private company clients; closest structural analog to Jackson Thornton's diversified subsidiary model.
• Mauldin & Jenkins: Southeast regional CPA firm providing audit, tax, advisory, and consulting services to closely held businesses, government entities, and industries including healthcare and construction — comparable size and service mix to Jackson Thornton.
• Carr, Riggs & Ingram (CRI): Large regional accounting firm with significant Southeast presence offering audit, tax, advisory, and wealth services to privately held businesses across multiple industries — closely comparable business model and target market to Jackson Thornton.

Broad incumbents

• Cherry Bekaert: Top-25 U.S. accounting and advisory firm with a Southeast presence, providing audit, tax, advisory, and digital transformation services to middle-market clients; broader geographic reach but overlapping industry verticals with Jackson Thornton.
• Forvis (formerly BKD / Dixon Hughes Goodman): Top-10 U.S. accounting firm formed from BKD and Dixon Hughes Goodman merger, providing audit, tax, and advisory services nationally; competes for the same mid-market and private-company clients in Alabama and the Southeast as Jackson Thornton.

Regional players

• Barfield, Murphy, Shank & Smith (BMSS): Alabama-based regional accounting and advisory firm headquartered in Birmingham, providing tax, audit, advisory, and wealth management services to middle-market clients; direct in-market peer with overlapping Alabama territory.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/JacksonThorntonCPAs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jackson-thornton
• Instagraminstagram.com/lifeatjtc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Jackson Thornton