Do you enjoy detail oriented and mathematics and spreadsheets? Becoming a virtual bookkeeper afterwards could be your career call. Here’s how to work from home as a bookkeeper:
Do you enjoy detail oriented and mathematics and spreadsheets? Becoming a virtual bookkeeper afterwards could be your career call. Here’s how to work from home as a bookkeeper:
Working as a virtual bookkeeper is a great way to make good money and get the flexibility and freedom you crave. Plus, it’s easy to get started. Apart from computers, high-speed internet connections and bookkeeping software, there is no need for much setup or equipment. Learning the bookkeeping rope can take time, but anyone with a tendency to head numbers and enter data can practice this skill and learn it.
If you want to work from home as a bookkeeper, here are some things you need to know.
The difference between a bookkeeper and an accountant
When you hear the term bookkeeping, you may wonder what responsibility and experience is required. Unlike accountants or CPAs (certified public accountants) who require a bachelor’s degree and license, bookkeepers are classified under the umbrella of financial accounting.
However, the bookkeeper focuses on the daily operation of income and expenses tracking, and the balance of books. Experience is beneficial to working as a bookkeeper, but no university degree or CPA license is required. Therefore, bookkeeping roles require extreme attention to detail and a high level of accuracy, but are less responsible than accountants.
Accountants, on the other hand, are usually responsible for establishing the overall budget and economic direction of the business. They oversee tax information and set up charts for your accounts according to standard accounting practices. Accountants analyze and audit financial information, produce reports, and develop strategic recommendations based on data and tax laws.
What kind of work does a bookkeeper do?
Bookkeeping is a necessary back office position in almost every industry, and has the built-in advantage of being able to work in any field. Once you have bookkeeping training, you can work in many different industries and find jobs that interest you. Whether you work with small business owners, bloggers or nonprofits, every industry needs a bookkeeper.
Common bookkeeping tasks often include:
- Managing financial transactions
- Maintaining financial records of income and expenses
- Submitting a receipt
- Account adjustments
- Provide weekly or monthly financial statements and reports
- Financial records update
- Managing inventory count
- Collection of payments
- Invoice submission and payment vendor
- Processing Salary
- Petite cash monitoring
- Budget management
- Sales tax declaration
What qualifications do I need?
If you have previous experience in formal education in business, accounting, finance, or mathematics, or balancing family-run or store books, you probably have a good foundation for working from home as a bookkeeper.
As a bookkeeping service provider, you need a high level of accuracy when entering financial data into your database. So, in this position, good time management skills are essential, with organized, strong attention to detail.
However, if you have no experience in bookkeeping, there are ways to speed up. Try this free online bookkeeping training from bookkeeper Ben Robinson, for example.
Most online bookkeeping training and certification courses take approximately 3-6 months to complete, including the bookkeeping officer I recommend. However, bookkeepers are self-paced, so they can complete them on their own schedule. In fact, many students complete the course and land their first client within the first three months.
Callie Sitek (owner of Radical Profits Club) took a bookkeeper course and was a huge success as a remote bookkeeper!
If you are new to this field, taking training courses like Bookkeeper can help you learn ropes, such as the popular bookkeeper’s software QuickBooks.
How much does the bookkeeper make?
According to the Unted States Bureau of Statistics (BLS), bookkeepers and auditors earn $23.66 per hour. However, more experienced bookkeepers and people running their own businesses can earn more from $30 to $60 per hour.
A bookkeeper who works for a company typically pays between $49,210 for a full-time position. Of course, the advantage is that you don’t have to worry about time stability and you can also receive benefits. However, working for the company may mean that you have to work on a schedule set at a lower wage.
Where can I find virtual bookkeeping work?
If you want to work from home as a bookkeeper, there are a few options. If you have experience, it may be worth contacting your contact information from your previous work to see if they or their clients are looking for someone to help with their books. You can also view the local list of bookkeeping services. Many of them are looking for remote bookkeepers on a consulting basis.
Remote Book Keeping Job:
Some of these companies hire bookkeepers as W2 employees, while others hire them as independent contractors and freelancers. If you are working as the latter, you will want to fully understand your status before accepting your position as you are responsible for paying quarterly self-employment taxes and tracking your income and expenses. Below is information on how to handle your finances as an independent contractor.
When searching for a remote book keeping position, you should search for a variety of keywords, such as an office manager, accountant, junior accountant, financial operations associate, and client accounting specialist. You can also include similar remote working features in your search, such as payroll support specialists, accounting coordinators, billing assistants, or accounts receivable specialists.
Freelance Markets, Remote Job Boards, Staffing Agency:
One of my favorite places to find online bookkeeping jobs is staffing agencies. The great thing about searching for remote jobs on staffing agency sites is that it’s easy to find one-off job listings that companies have that are difficult to find on huge job board sites.
If you’re interested in finding freelance clients, a freelance marketplace is a great way to find new jobs and clients.
Of course, you can also search for remote jobs in the financial services industry, healthcare, insurance industry, and even the largest companies in the HR service provider.
Do you want to start your own bookkeeping business?
If you decide that becoming a bookkeeper is the right path for you, the first thing you need to do is write a business plan. Creating a business plan can help guide you in setting up different aspects of your business.
Don’t worry; business plans don’t have to be complicated. In fact, there is a free business plan template that you can grab here.
1. Get proper training
Suppose you have never worked in bookkeeping, payroll or accounting before. In that case, you will need to learn the practical skills of a bookkeeper, the basics of Intuit QuickBooks (the standard software used by most business owners), and the nuts and bolts that run your business from home. The course covering all of these areas is published by the Bookkeeper.
Ben Robinson is the founder of the course and he offers a free, three-part training series, so you can measure whether this is the right business for you.
2. Understand your legal and financial obligations
As an owner of a small business, you need to decide how to configure your business: sole ownership, limited liability company (LLC), partnership, or corporation. Each structure has its advantages and disadvantages, both legally and financially. Talking to an expert will help you determine which methods are best for your situation, what methods are permitted, the tax identification number, and other legal forms that you need to file and obtain.
3. Get the right tools
First, you need a great computer with a reliable internet connection. You also need to use some accounting software to manage your client’s finances. The most popular option is Intuit QuickBooks, but there may be clients who prefer to use Excel spreadsheets and other accounting software such as FreshBooks, Wave, Xero. You also need a way to accept payments (PayPal, QuickBooks and Stripe are popular options), carry out business communications, and keep client information safe and secure.
4. Create a website
To promote your bookkeeping business and spread the word to your clients, you need to create a website, especially if you plan to work with multiple clients on a consulting basis. Make sure you list your site with areas of service and expertise, as well as client testimonials, including your experience. Don’t know how to set up a website? Check out this post for a simple and inexpensive solution.
5. I’ll sell your business
If you don’t know how to sell your business, there are many ways to reveal the words. Make some business cards and reach out to your LinkedIn and Facebook contacts.
Other ways to sell your business:
- advertisement
- networking
- Blog
- PR opportunities
- Speaking in public
- Has a solid LinkedIn profile
- Forum or group participation
- Social Media
Once your website is up and running, you need to set a goal of reaching out to a certain number of prospects each day. The general rules of thumb are 5-10, but set your own pace when building your client base.
6. Stay in training and trends
If you want to work from home as a bookkeeper, you need to invest in professional development. The good news is that it is widely available! Not only can you use meetings, events and professional groups, you can meet other people in the industry, but it also helps you connect with clients, stay on top of the changes you need to know and stay competitive. Keep an eye out for webinars, online courses, books and training sessions related to the bookkeeping, finance, business and accounting industries.
Would you like to work from home as a bookkeeper?
Whether you’re full-time or part-time, bookkeeping is a flexible job from working from home with many opportunities. Virtually every industry or company requires a bookkeeper, something you can do from home without investing heavily in the front-end. When working from home as a bookkeeper, you can choose your own path, whether you’re hiring a W2, freelance, or your own boss!
If you want to work from home as a bookkeeper, sign up for this free bookkeeping course and test your water.
Do you work from home as a bookkeeper? Please drop a note. We’d love to hear about your experience!
Originally published on March 1, 2017. The content was updated in August 2025.
