And unless you already have contacts that could take you on as a freelancer, this task could be quite time consuming, so it’s worth factoring this in. In the freelancing world, you’re more likely to get jobs if you have a positive online presence. Start by building your LinkedIn profile and making sure your other social media accounts are professional. Of course, there are exceptions, such as the end of tax season when you can expect to have a lot of clients and work coming in. However, when you become a freelance accountant, you still enjoy control of your hours, workload, and clients, which could mean a greater work-life balance overall. Working for a firm, though a goal for many, is not your only option as an accountant.

• Many ask how to become a freelance accountant but fail to acknowledge freelancing as a business.
• Accountants are responsible for maintaining and preparing financial statements for a company.
• As you’ll know, these setups have different responsibilities in terms of submitting your tax returns.
• They will also review their existing projects and ensure all deliverables are on track and answer any questions or concerns from clients.
• Sebastian is a finance professional with executive education from the Harvard Business School.

You need to attract clients without the help or the reputation of a firm, and independently build a sustainable career out of freelancing. Being an employee for an accounting firm or a salaried accountant by another company obviously has its own perks. These of course make it a more appealing option to those who are looking for stability in their life. freelance accountant Saadat is a finance executive with 30 years of enterprise leadership experience at Shell, Johnson Controls, and Schlumberger across six countries and three continents. With deep expertise in FP&A, accounting, business planning and management, auditing, and ERM, Saadat has led major initiatives and won the Shell Global CFO Award and JCI’s Merit Award.

Hire the Top 3% of Freelance Accounting Experts

They will also review their existing projects and ensure all deliverables are on track and answer any questions or concerns from clients. With the ever-changing tax laws and accounting standards, the pressure to remain compliant adds an extra layer of stress. This type of work is often done remotely and requires a high level of accuracy, attention to detail, and knowledge of accounting principles and laws. Though you may have done all of these tasks as a regularly-employed accountant, it can be difficult to navigate freelancing in the same way. We’d recommend QuickBooks or Xero as these are the most well-recognised and therefore may already be in use by your clients.

Thirdly, you’ll have a lot more flexibility in your work, which means things like picking and choosing the clients you’d like to work with and setting your own hours. Many people choose freelance accounting because of this benefit, as it allows you to work around your other commitments, while still earning an income. After you get a few retainer clients onboard, think about how you can sell them more services. It’s often easier to get more revenue from existing clients than to find new ones. Leverage the goodwill you’ve built up from automating their basic accounting by offering to do the same with their payroll. Or use cloud software’s built-in reporting and dashboard functions to advise clients on strategic business decisions.

Toptal: Premier Recruitment Support for Elite Accounting Talent

Try agreeing on a plan where you provide specific services for a monthly retainer. This often includes write-up work such as account reconciliations, day-to-day assistance posting transactions, managing bill payments, providing reports, and advising on business growth. As the gig economy continues to grow, there’s no shortage of accounting jobs you can find locally or online.

• They are responsible for managing, examining, and tracking money outflows and inflows of their clients.
• You should treat freelancing sites and opportunities as you would if you were applying for a corporate accounting position.
• As a freelance accountant, your clients will be small businesses, startups, and other companies that are going through financial transitions and milestones.
• Once you complete this, you’ll be able to sign off accounts for global organisations and call yourself a qualified accountant.
• He adds exceptional value to enterprise and team success through collaborative and decisive leadership.
• Only 30-45% of US accountants are Certified Public Accountants or CPAs, which means it is not a requirement to work in the field.

Our tech-specialist brokerage team provide custom cover for high-growth companies with complex risks, web3, startups and scaleups in any stage of fundraising. We offer SafePay payment protection and your choice of preferred payment method for financial peace of mind. Additionally, it’s a good idea to research both the company and the field to demonstrate your preparedness. You should treat freelancing sites and opportunities as you would if you were applying for a corporate accounting position. You can also look at local business advertisements and postings in your area to find freelance work with small businesses in your community. Several websites specialize in connecting potential employers with qualified freelancers.