What Is a Remote Accountant? Job Description, Salary and Hiring

By Adrianne Bibby

Balancing the books, ensuring the accuracy of financial records, and preparing and completing tax returns: an accountant’s duties read like a textbook example of work that can be done remotely. That may be one of the reasons remote accounting jobs are an increasingly popular option for accounting professionals looking for work flexibility.

The general job outlook for accountants is solid, according to figures from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Thanks to an increasingly global economy and the growing complexity of tax regulations, the job market for accountants and auditors is expected to increase 4% through 2029. And it’s clear that cloud computing and automation are adding to the virtual component of accounting work, making it just the kind of job you can do from anywhere.

What Does an Accountant Do? And What Is a Remote Accounting Job?

In a nutshell, a remote accounting job is an accounting, bookkeeping, or financial oversight position that can be done remotely. Just like the duties of their traditional counterparts, a remote accountant’s responsibilities may include:

Examining and verifying financial statements
Computing, preparing, and filing tax returns and other tax-related work
Helping businesses trim costs and run more efficiently
Keeping the books and financial records up to date
Ensuring that accounting procedures adhere to best-practice standards
Overseeing payroll operations

What Is a Typical Accounting Salary?

Accounting and finance jobs can pay well, with the median annual wage for accountants coming in at $71,550 in 2019, according to federal data. The top 10% of accountants and auditors earned more than $124,450 a year, while the lowest 10% earned less than $44,480. Across the U.S., more than 1.4 million people worked in the profession in 2019.

Virtual accounting jobs offer tremendous flexible opportunities to not only work remotely, but also part-time, on a seasonal basis (especially during tax season), or on an alternative work schedule. While bookkeeping jobs focus on gathering and recording business transactions and data, an auditor’s role includes adjusting and analyzing data provided by bookkeepers or accounting clerks.

How to Become an Accountant

1. Get Educated

To qualify for most accounting jobs, you’ll likely need at least a bachelor’s degree in accounting, business administration. finance, or a similar field. Some employers accept associate’s degrees in accounting or related fields such as bookkeeping. Qualifications may vary depending on the type of accounting field you choose.

2. Specialize Your Accounting Skill Set

To target the right virtual accounting jobs and flexible employers, decide whether your career will follow one of the four major paths:

Public accounting: A public accountant provides services to a broad range of clients, including small businesses, corporations, nonprofits, government entities, and individuals.
Government accounting: Also called governmental accounting, this specialty deals with recording and managing financial transactions for government entities and taxpayers.
Management accounting: Management accountants focus on providing financial analysis and decision-making advice to organizational leaders, based on the businesses needs, goals, and projections.
Internal auditing: The role of internal auditors is primarily to track and manage an organization’s internal control processes to help manage risk and provide objective analysis of financial status.

3. Get Certified

A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license is one of the most common and in-demand qualifications for accounting jobs. To become a CPA, you’ll need to pass the Uniform CPA Examination administered by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, or AICPA. Continuing education credits are required to keep a CPA license current. If your career goal is to be an internal auditor, a separate certification is required; the Institute of Internal Auditors is a major certifying organization.

4. Scope Out Companies That Hire Remote Accountants

Here’s a sampling of companies that hire for virtual accounting jobs or virtual bookkeeping jobs—including employers across various industries:

Common job titles for virtual accounting jobs include:

Use FlexJobs to Find Online Accounting Jobs

Even as the profession changes with time and new technology, there’s a continuing demand from businesses across virtually all industries for qualified accounting professionals. Staying up-to-date on where the jobs may be and the latest standards and requirements can help you find a great accounting job that meets your personal and career goals.

Ready to start searching? FlexJobs members have access to thousands of hand-screened, legitimate virtual accounting jobs with a variety of companies. Learn how a membership can help you find exactly what you're looking for!

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