Accountants possess a rare and valuable superpower. You can read the language of business. While most people see a confusing jumble of numbers, you see a story of health, risk, and opportunity. This expertise is in high demand outside the traditional 9-to-5 grind. Whether you are a CPA, a junior auditor, or a tax specialist, there are numerous ways accountants can make extra money that leverage your existing skills.
The modern economy is shifting. Relying on a single salary is no longer the only path to security. Exploring the best side hustles for accountants can help you pay off debt, build an investment portfolio, or eventually transition into full-time entrepreneurship.
In this guide, we explore 25 distinct side jobs for accountants. We cover everything from traditional tax prep to modern digital content creation. If you are looking for work from home side jobs for accountants or easy side hustles for accountants to start this weekend, you will find a roadmap here.
1. Remote Bookkeeping Services
This is perhaps the most natural side hustle idea for any finance professional. Small business owners are often excellent at their craft but terrible at tracking their numbers. They need someone to reconcile bank statements and manage accounts payable.
As an accountant, you can offer these services with your eyes closed. You don’t need a CPA license for basic bookkeeping, making this one of the good side hustles for accountants who are still early in their careers. To truly scale, focus on industry-specific bookkeeping, such as for law firms (using Clio) or medical practices.
The overhead is incredibly low. You only need a laptop and a subscription to QuickBooks Online or Xero. Many professionals charge between $300 and $1,500 per month per client, depending on the volume of transactions.
2. Freelance Tax Preparation
When tax season rolls around, the demand for experts skyrockets. This is one of the best paying side jobs for accountants because it is seasonal and high-stakes. People are willing to pay a premium to ensure they are compliant and maximizing deductions.
You can focus on individual returns or small business filings. If you have your PTIN (Preparer Tax Identification Number) from the IRS, you are ready to go. To make this an online side hustle for accountants, use cloud-based tax software like ProConnect or Drake and secure portals for document sharing.
Start by reaching out to friends and family. Once you build a reputation, word-of-mouth will often fill your roster before January even arrives.
3. Financial Coaching for Individuals
Many people make high salaries but live paycheck to paycheck. They understand how to earn money, but they don’t understand cash flow. This is where you come in.
Financial coaching is different from financial planning. You aren’t managing assets or selling insurance. Instead, you are teaching people how to budget, save, and manage debt. You can use tools like You Need A Budget (YNAB) or Tiller to help clients visualize their spending.
It is a deeply rewarding way to make extra money. You can conduct sessions via Zoom, making it one of the most flexible work from home side jobs for accountants.
4. Virtual CFO Consulting
Mid-sized startups often reach a point where they are too big for a bookkeeper but too small for a full-time CFO. They need high-level strategic advice. They need someone to analyze their margins, manage burn rates, and forecast growth.
A Virtual CFO (vCFO) role is one of the best side hustles for accountants with several years of experience in corporate finance or public accounting. You might spend five hours a month with a client reviewing their financial health and providing “board-ready” reports.
Since you are providing high-level strategy, you can charge significant hourly rates. It is not uncommon for vCFOs to charge $150 to $500 per hour, or a monthly retainer starting at $2,500.
5. Specialized Audit Freelancing
Internal audit departments often get overwhelmed during specific times of the year. Many firms look for “contract auditors” to help with SOC 2 compliance, internal controls testing, or year-end inventory counts.
This is a side hustle idea that works well if you have a background in public accounting (Big 4 or regional). You can find these opportunities through specialized staffing agencies like Robert Half or by networking with local audit managers on LinkedIn.
It provides a steady stream of income without the long-term commitment of a permanent role, and it’s perfect for those who enjoy the “detective” work of auditing.
6. Creating and Selling Excel Templates
Accountants are the undisputed masters of the spreadsheet. Things that seem simple to you—like a complex debt-snowball calculator or a dynamic business budget—are “magic” to others.
You can package your best templates and sell them on platforms like Etsy, Gumroad, or your own website. This is an online side hustle for accountants that offers passive income. You build the file once and sell it thousands of times.
Focus on niche needs. Real estate investors need BRRRR calculators, while small e-commerce sellers need COGS trackers. A high-quality template can sell for $20 to $100 per download.
7. Accounting Tutoring for College Students
Accounting is notoriously one of the most difficult majors. College students struggle with debits, credits, and the intricacies of Intermediate Accounting II.
If you enjoy teaching, tutoring is one of the easiest side hustles for accountants. You can use platforms like Wyzant, Chegg, or Varsity Tutors. Alternatively, you can advertise your services at local university campuses.
Since you already know the material, there is zero prep time. You can charge between $40 and $100 per hour, depending on your credentials (CPA status significantly boosts your rate).
8. Business Valuation Services
When a business owner wants to sell their company or take on a partner, they need to know what the business is worth. Valuation is a blend of art and science that fits perfectly into an accountant’s skill set.
This is a highly technical side hustle idea. It requires a deep understanding of discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis and market multiples. Because it requires specialized knowledge, it is one of the best paying side jobs for accountants.
You can partner with local business brokers or lawyers who handle M&A transactions to get referrals. A single valuation report can often command $3,000 to $7,000.
Organizations like the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts (NACVA) offer certifications that can help you command higher fees.
9. Payroll Management
Payroll is a headache for most business owners. There are tax withholdings, benefit deductions, and ever-changing local regulations to worry about.
Offering a niche payroll service is a good side hustle for accountants because it provides recurring, predictable income. You can use software like Gusto or ADP to automate the heavy lifting while you provide the oversight and compliance check.
This is a high-trust role that often leads to clients asking for additional tax or bookkeeping help.
10. Financial Content Writing
The internet has a massive thirst for financial content. FinTech companies, accounting blogs, and banking institutions are always looking for writers who actually understand the subject matter.
If you can explain the difference between a traditional IRA and a Roth IRA in plain English, you can find work as a freelance writer. This is a premier online side hustle for accountants.
Google’s algorithms prioritize “Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness” (E-E-A-T). As an accountant, your byline carries immediate weight, allowing you to charge higher rates ($0.50 to $1.00 per word) than generalist writers.
11. QuickBooks or Xero Setup Consultant
Many businesses sign up for accounting software but have no idea how to set up their Chart of Accounts correctly. They end up with a mess that takes hours to fix at year-end.
You can offer a “QuickBooks Success Package.” You handle the initial setup, link the bank feeds, create custom invoice templates, and provide a two-hour training session for the owner.
This is an easy side hustle for accountants because it is project-based. Once the setup is done, your job is over, though many clients will eventually hire you for ongoing monthly work or “cleanup” projects.
12. Forensic Accounting Investigations
Do you have a knack for finding “the needle in the haystack”? Forensic accounting involves investigating financial discrepancies or fraud.
This side job often involves assisting lawyers in divorce cases (finding hidden assets) or partnership disputes. It is high-stakes and intellectually stimulating.
Because of the legal implications, this is one of the best paying side jobs for accountants. It does require a high level of attention to detail and often a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) credential to be taken seriously in court as an expert witness.
13. Notary Public
While not strictly accounting-related, being a Notary Public is a great “add-on” service. Accountants already handle sensitive documents. Being able to notarize them adds a layer of convenience for your clients.
It is one of the easy side hustles for accountants to start. The application fee is usually small, and the exam is straightforward. You can charge per signature, and if you become a “Loan Signing Agent,” you can earn $75-$200 per appointment, helping people sign mortgage papers. Check your local state requirements via the National Notary Association.
14. Real Estate Bookkeeping and Tax
Real estate investors have unique accounting needs. They deal with depreciation, 1031 exchanges, and complex cost segregations.
If you specialize in this niche, you can become the “go-to” person for local investors. This is a side hustle idea with high “stickiness.” Once an investor finds an accountant who understands the nuances of the “Passive Activity Loss” rules, they rarely leave.
You can find clients at local Real Estate Investor Association (REIA) meetings or on forums like BiggerPockets.
15. Non-Profit Financial Advisory
Non-profits have strict reporting requirements, such as Form 990 filings and fund accounting. Many small non-profits are run by passionate volunteers who don’t understand these requirements.
Offering your services to local charities is a great way accountants can make extra money while giving back. You can charge a lower “non-profit rate” while still building a profitable side business that improves the community.
16. E-commerce Accounting Specialist
E-commerce sellers face a nightmare of sales tax nexus and inventory management across multiple platforms like Amazon, Shopify, and eBay.
If you learn how to use tools like A2X or InventoryLab, you can solve a massive pain point. This is an online side hustle for accountants that is growing rapidly as more people start e-commerce brands. Understanding how to reconcile “payouts” to “gross sales” is a high-demand skill.
17. Budgeting Consultant for Small Businesses
Many businesses have a bookkeeper but no budget. They don’t know if they can afford to hire a new employee or lease a new office.
You can offer a standalone budgeting service. Every quarter, you meet with the owner to set targets and review variances. It is a proactive service that adds more value than traditional “reactive” accounting. You can use specialized software like Jirav or just high-powered Excel models.
18. Creating an Accounting Course
Do you have a specific expertise, like mastering Excel shortcuts or navigating the CPA exam? You can create an online course.
Platforms like Udemy, Teachable, or Coursera allow you to host your content. This is a way to make extra money while you sleep. Once the course is filmed and uploaded, it becomes an asset that pays you for years as a form of passive income.
19. Ghostwriting for Executives
High-level partners at accounting firms or CFOs often want to build their “personal brand” on LinkedIn but don’t have the time to write.
You can interview them for 30 minutes a week and turn those insights into professional articles. Since you speak the language of finance, you can capture their voice better than a standard copywriter. This is a high-ticket online side hustle for accountants that pays for your industry knowledge.
20. Personal Tax Planning for High-Net-Worth Individuals
Tax prep is about what happened in the past. Tax planning is about what will happen in the future.
High-earners are terrified of their tax bill. They want strategies to legally reduce their liability using credits, tax-advantaged accounts, and entity structuring. If you stay up to date on tax law changes (like the TCJA provisions), you can sell “Tax Strategy Sessions.”
These are high-value consultations that can easily be one of the best paying side jobs for accountants, often billed as a percentage of the taxes saved.
21. Estate Planning Assistance
Accountants often work alongside estate attorneys. You can help clients organize their financial “life binder”—listing all accounts, insurance policies, assets, and liabilities for their heirs.
This isn’t just about taxes; it’s about organization and peace of mind. It is a side hustle idea that relies on your ability to be meticulous and orderly, providing a bridge between the client’s financial life and their legal estate plan.
22. Grant Writing for Small Businesses or Non-profits
Grants are “free money,” but the application process is rigorous and requires detailed financial projections and budgets that must align with the grantor’s requirements.
Accountants are perfectly suited for this because you understand the documentation required. You can help organizations find grants on portals like Grants.gov and write the financial portions of the application. Many grant writers charge a flat fee plus a “success fee” percentage.
23. ERP Implementation Consultant
When a company outgrows QuickBooks and moves to NetSuite, Sage Intacct, or SAP, the transition is often a disaster without proper guidance. They need someone who understands the accounting workflows to guide the data migration and system configuration.
This is a high-level side hustle idea for those who are tech-savvy. You can act as the project manager, ensuring the “opening balances” are correct and the new system’s reporting matches the old one.
24. Selling Financial Printables
If you don’t want to sell complex spreadsheets, you can sell simple PDF printables. Daily expense trackers, debt payoff thermometers, and savings goal charts are very popular on Pinterest and Etsy.
This is a very easy side hustle for accountants who have a creative side. You can use a tool like Canva to design them once and sell them as digital downloads. It’s a great way to enter the “B2C” (Business to Consumer) market.
25. Board of Directors – Treasurer
Many smaller boards, credit unions, or homeowners’ associations (HOAs) need a treasurer with professional credentials. While some of these are volunteer roles, larger organizations or private companies often pay their board members for their time and expertise.
It is a prestigious side job for accountants that looks excellent on a resume while providing a modest stipend for attending quarterly meetings and reviewing the financial statements.
Pro Tips for Starting Your Side Hustle
1. Check Your Employment Contract
Before you start any side hustle idea, read your current employment agreement. Many accounting firms have “non-compete” or “non-solicitation” clauses. Ensure you aren’t violating any company policies, especially regarding taking clients from your firm.
2. Get Professional Liability Insurance
Even for a side job for accountants, you need protection. Errors and Omissions (E&O) insurance is vital if you are providing tax or bookkeeping advice. It protects your personal assets in case of a professional mistake or oversight.
3. Separate Your Finances
Don’t mix your side hustle money with your personal bank account. Open a dedicated business checking account. Use a separate credit card for business expenses. As an accountant, you know how much easier this makes your own tax prep at year-end.
4. Start Small
Don’t try to launch five side hustles at once. Pick one that matches your current energy levels and skills. If you are exhausted after work, an online side hustle for accountants that is passive (like selling templates) might be better than a client-facing consulting role.
5. Leverage Your Network
Your first clients are likely already in your phone’s contact list. Send a polite email or LinkedIn message letting people know you are taking on a few private clients for bookkeeping or tax planning. You’d be surprised how many people are looking for a “person they can trust.”
6. Focus on a Niche
The “generalist” accountant is a commodity. The “accountant for YouTubers” or the “CFO for local breweries” is an expert. Experts can charge 2x to 3x more than generalists because they understand the specific pain points of that industry.
Final Thoughts on Making Extra Money
The demand for financial clarity has never been higher. By pursuing the best side hustles for accountants, you are doing more than just earning a few extra dollars. You are building a business, sharpening your skills, and taking control of your financial destiny.
Whether you choose to tutor students, consult for startups, or write about finance, your expertise is your greatest asset. Start today, and you might find that your “side gig” eventually becomes your main event.
There are countless ways accountants can make extra money, but the most successful ones are those who take that first step and consistently provide value to their clients.
