How to Make Money Online: 5 Financial Jobs You Can Do from Home

Whether you’re on the lookout for a new side hustle, working from home provides many opportunities to earn money online. Finance and accounting in particular offer plenty of convenient and profitable online jobs from home that you can complete with a computer and some basic office supplies. 

Businesses and individuals are always on the lookout for tax experts, accountants and bookkeepers to help them track and manage their finances. In many cases, these jobs are entirely online, allowing you to work from anywhere.

These side hustles from home offer lots of benefits, including: 

• Flexibility: You can typically set your own schedule or only work when you’re available, which promotes a better work-life balance. It gives you more control and lets you have the time to take on personal projects and household tasks.
• Work remotely: You aren’t tied down to an office location, so you can travel and work from anywhere the company allows. Remote work also allows you to apply to jobs that are outside your local area, opening up more opportunities for career growth.
• Income and savings: Not only do work from home finance jobs let you earn good money, they can also help you save money on things like gas and car maintenance, eating out for lunch, or wardrobe requirements.
• Comfortable working space: Set up your home office or other workspace exactly the way you want. Decorate and use equipment that suits your personality and working style.
• Diverse community: You may end up working with people from a variety of backgrounds, which could lead to unexpected knowledge and experiences. It also might be more inclusive for people with disabilities or parents who also need to care for children.

Tax and Bookkeeping Side Jobs You Can Do From Home

Intuit TurboTax Live and QuickBooks Live offer a variety of remote side jobs for people looking to supplement their income or transition to working entirely from home. Here are just a few opportunities to explore if you’re trying to make money online.

TurboTax Live Tax Associate Jobs

Intuit’s Tax Associate positions are available for tax preparers with two or more years of paid experience. Tax preparers typically submit tax forms on behalf of other people. They may have to discuss tax information with clients, fill out forms, collect documents, and perform tax audits. The following skills are helpful if you want to become a tax preparer:

• Knowledge of tax laws and regulations
• Experience with common tax preparation software
• Understanding of the return submission process
• Strong customer service skills
• Organizational skills and attention to detail

Intuit also offers flexible work schedules. During the tax season, you can choose your own schedule that fits within the typical 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. PT workday. However, you must commit to at least 20 hours per week, with each shift being at least four hours long. Intuit provides equipment, such as a laptop, headset, webcam, and software. Training is thorough, and you’ll always have access to other tax experts and leaders who can help along the way. Intuit also offers an Enrolled Agent Assistance Program to help Tax professionals advance in their career by having their EA credential. 

TurboTax Live Tax Expert Jobs

TurboTax Live Tax Expert jobs allow you to put your tax knowledge to use by assisting individuals with tax preparation. Tax Experts must have an active credential as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Enrolled Agent (EA), or Practicing Attorney. In addition to tax experience, you must have strong customer service skills and a desire to help empower people to take control of their finances. 

TurboTax Live Experts help individuals file their tax returns by giving advice and explaining common tax regulations. For example, you might help with deductions or filing taxes with retirement accounts. You may also be responsible for complete preparation, signing, and filing. You may communicate with customers through online chat, phone calls, or video chats.

These positions offer competitive earnings within a range that is based on your knowledge, skills, experience, and location, usually somewhere between $25.70 and $36.00 per hour. Tax Experts are also eligible for bonuses and equity benefits, depending on your specific benefits package. 

TurboTax Business Tax 

Intuit has an exciting opportunity for highly motivated individuals with a strong background in business tax. As a Business Tax Expert, you’ll be responsible for helping customers navigate the complex world of business tax laws and regulations using TurboTax Business products.

Your role will involve providing personalized guidance to customers on how to save money and keep their businesses in good standing with the government. You’ll also be responsible for keeping customers informed on the forms you’re filing every step of the way.

As a Business Tax Expert, you’ll work with a variety of corporations, including C-corporations, S-corporations, and multi-member LLCs. Your expertise in federal and state tax laws will be put to work as you advise clients on how to maximize tax deductions while staying compliant with the law.

This role is open to both credentialed (CPA/EA/Tax Attorney) and non-credentialed accountants. While credentials will influence your pay rate to some extent, experience and location will matter more.

To qualify for this role, you’ll need extensive knowledge of tax and business law, as well as strong experience in business tax preparation. A minimum of three seasons of paid tax preparation or bookkeeping experience is also required. Experience preparing tax returns for service industry customers is a huge plus and will make you stand out from other applicants.

Intuit TurboTax Verified Pro

The Intuit TurboTax Verified Pro program is for tax preparers who own their own business. They perform all of the same tasks as a tax preparer, but they also need the skills necessary to manage a business. You will need to manage your business effectively, such as setting rates and marketing yourself to find new clients. 

If you currently own a tax preparation business, you can become an Intuit TurboTax Verified Pro to access a wide base of Intuit customers who may need help from a tax professional. While you might complete tasks similar to the TurboTax Live Expert position, the Verified Pro program is more of a referral program for professionals who already own a tax or accounting business.

You will be equipped with Intuit’s software, which allows you to manage your customers’ tax information and file returns on their behalf. You also have the option to transfer current clients over to Intuit by helping them start a return, but this is not necessary. Intuit can refer you to new clients who might need your specific services. While many of them will be in your local area, you can contact Intuit to widen the referrals.

Intuit provides some onboarding that you can complete on your own time. In addition, you can access the Intuit Tax Pro community to learn from fellow tax professionals. For example, you might be able to learn about filing business returns or tax requirements for cryptocurrency. 

There is no upfront cost to get started with the Intuit TurboTax Verified Pro program. However, Intuit does collect a percentage of your service fees for marketing your business. You must provide some basic information about yourself and your business so that Intuit can verify your credentials, and then the company will begin promoting your business.

Becoming an Intuit TurboTax Verified Pro is also beneficial for business owners because it allows you to keep your autonomy while getting the resources and marketing support of a much larger company. You can still set your own rates and hours, so you won’t have to give up any of the control or freedom of owning your own business.

QuickBooks Live Bookkeeper Jobs

Bookkeeping is an excellent way to enter the accounting industry and work from home. As a bookkeeper, you’ll help customers manage their day-to-day finances. You’ll need the following skills to complete the job:

• Understanding of accounting best practices and frameworks, such as U.S. GAAP
• Data entry skills
• Proficiency with popular bookkeeping software, such as QuickBooks, plus other computer programs
• Strong customer service skills
• Organizational skills and attention to detail

QuickBooks Live Bookkeepers help QuickBooks users complete various tasks, such as setting up their books, completing monthly entries, answering questions about reporting, and more. Bookkeepers meet with customers through online chat and video calls, and you can help manage their accounts through a client portal. 

In order to become a QuickBooks Live Bookkeeper, you must have at least three years of paid experience as a bookkeeper and an active QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor certification. You must also have at least one year of experience with the QuickBooks software. Strong computer skills are a necessity, and you need to be professional in a video conference setting.

If you have all of that down, there are many benefits of becoming a QuickBooks Live Bookkeeper, including flexible schedules, competitive pay rates, and ready-to-use equipment. You can choose your own fixed schedule as long as your hours fall on Monday to Friday between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. PT. Your hourly rate is determined by your knowledge, experience, skills, and location, although you may expect to be paid between $24.70 and $35.00 per hour. Intuit provides a laptop with software, headset, webcam, and VPN access. All QuickBooks Live Bookkeepers complete training that allows them to get a feel for the job.

No Experience, But Want to Get Into Accounting or Finance?

Learning how to make extra money from home with little to no experience can be difficult. If you’re interested in learning more to stand out from the competition, Intuit offers free classes that help you learn about bookkeeping, tax preparation, and other finance-related topics. 

Intuit Academy offers the following classes:

• Bookkeeping: Learn about the accounting cycle, tracking complex business finances, liability and equity, and how to interpret financial statements and records.
• Tax Level 1: Learn about forms W-2 and 1099, how to enter taxpayer information, determining deductions and credits, and calculating refunds. 
• Tax Level 2: Learn about more complicated income situations, business income and Schedule C, and less common deductions and credits.
• Cryptocurrency Tax: Learn how to report cryptocurrency on taxes, which tax forms are associated with cryptocurrency trading, and how to handle information during sales.
• Equity Compensation Tax: Learn how to report restricted stock units (RSUs) and employee stock purchase plans (ESPPs), which tax forms are used for equity compensation, and how to report sales on tax returns.
• Tax Preparation: Practice filing returns with various forms and scenarios.

All of these free courses from Intuit can help expand your knowledge and sharpen your skills so that you can launch a work-from-home career in finance and accounting. 

Tips for Making Money Online

• You can take courses to help you prepare: to learn more about bookkeeping, accounting, tax processes, and more. Online courses, such as the ones we introduced above, are a convenient way to get the education you need to perform various finance jobs.
• You can stand out by earning a badge or certification: after you complete the Intuit Academy courses, you’ll earn a badge that you can put on your resume, CV, and LinkedIn to help you stand out from other applicants. 
• Find a mentor in the field: If you know someone local to you that offers accounting services, you may be able to reach out. There are also groups on social media for accounting professionals to discuss and learn from each other.
• Set up your resume so that it highlights your relevant skills and experience. Include skills alongside your individual experiences so that companies can see how the experience helped your career and education. You may also choose to list skills horizontally, with the most relevant technical skills listed first.
• LinkedIn is a valuable resource for networking and showcasing your knowledge. Optimizing your profile by creating a catchy headline and engaging “About” section makes it easier for customers to find you. In addition, your posts and other content can help you establish authority and keep you top of mind with your network.

Conclusion

Intuit offers multiple side hustle jobs from home for finance and accounting professionals who want to open themselves up to more clients, freedom, and opportunities for career growth. 

TurboTax Live Tax Experts can put their tax expertise to good use by helping individuals file tax returns and build their financial knowledge, while TurboTax Verified Pros can access more customers with their existing tax preparation services business. On the other side, QuickBooks Live Bookkeepers help businesses manage their finances using the QuickBooks software.

If you’re just getting started with your finance and accounting career, you may also choose to take advantage of Intuit’s educational opportunities so that you can find an entry-level job that will help you gain experience. Freelancing side gigs from home as a bookkeeper, accountant, or tax preparer are great options for beginners.

Whatever path you choose, learning how to earn money online with remote finance and accounting jobs can be an excellent source of both income and job satisfaction.