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How to Work From Home as a Bookkeeper

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If you’re a numbers person who desires flexibility and the ability to work from home, becoming a bookkeeper might be the career for you. Bookkeeping can be both interesting and lucrative, and there are no shortages of remote bookkeeping jobs.

In the business world, bookkeepers are in demand. Business owners often don’t have the time or skills to take care of their financial records. This creates a great opportunity for bookkeepers to step in and do the work for them.

So whether you are just starting out in your career or are looking for a new opportunity, read on to learn all about becoming a successful bookkeeper from the comfort of your own home.

What is Bookkeeping?

Most people think of bookkeeping as simply keeping track of money that comes in and goes out of a business. While that is part of it, bookkeeping is much more. It is the process of recording, categorizing, and storing financial transactions. This information can then be used to generate reports and prepare tax returns. 

Good bookkeeping is essential for any business, large or small. It helps business owners track their expenses, income, and profitability over time. It also provides valuable information that can be used to make informed strategic decisions about where to allocate resources. In short, bookkeeping is the backbone of any successful business.

What are the Duties and Responsibilities of a Bookkeeper?

Bookkeepers are the financial data managers of companies. They track and maintain financial information, but unlike accountants, they don’t interpret or analyze it. 

Bookkeepers are financial record keepers responsible for a company’s general ledger, which is a summary and classification of its financial transactions. 

Bookkeepers post debits and credits. They also verify receipts, compile data, and prepare bank deposits. 

Other duties performed by bookkeepers can include:

  • Issue invoices to vendors and customers.
  • Collect past due invoices.
  • Maintain petty cash fund.
  • Pay vendor and supplier invoices.
  • Collect and remit sales tax.

What Education and Skills do You Need to be a Bookkeeper?

Most companies that hire bookkeepers to work from home require an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. 

However, to be a freelance bookkeeper or to own your own bookkeeping business, all you need is a high school diploma. It would help if you also were certified. While it’s not a requirement, your chances of finding clients are much better if you have a certification.

Skills needed to be a bookkeeper include:

  • Attention to detail.
  • Problem-solving skills.
  • Communication skills.
  • Time management skills.
  • Decision-making skills.
  • Mathematical skills.

How Do I Become a Bookkeeper?

If you have an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in business or accounting or have prior accounting experience, you already have the background needed to work from home as a bookkeeper. You’ll just need to start applying for positions.

If you’re looking to become a bookkeeper but have no degree or experience, plenty of options are available. One of the best ways to get started is by taking an online course or two. This will give you a basic understanding of bookkeeping principles and how to use accounting software. Once you’ve completed a few courses, you can then begin to look for entry-level bookkeeping jobs. Many businesses are willing to train somebody with no experience, so this is a great way to get your foot in the door.

Where to Find Online Bookkeeping Courses?

  • Check with your local community college or technical college to find bookkeeping courses. Many offer bookkeeping at a reasonable price. 
  • Many online colleges like Western Governors University offer online training programs; however, they can be expensive. 
  • Another way to get trained as a bookkeeper is to take an online bookkeeping course. The course I recommend is taught by Bill Von Fumetti, an experienced Certified Public Accountant. You can go here to watch a free video and learn more.  
  • Udemy and Coursera are also great places to look for online bookkeeping classes.

How Much do Bookkeepers Make?

According to Payscale, the average hourly rate for a bookkeeper working for a company is $18.09. But this will depend on your education, the company, and the complexity of the position.

However, working as a freelance bookkeeper or owning your own bookkeeping business can fetch you anywhere from $40 to $60 per hour. 

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Companies That Hire Bookkeepers to Work From Home

1-800Accountant 

1-800Accountant is a national accounting, tax, and business consulting firm headquartered in New York City. The company was founded in 1999 by experienced accountants, and it has since grown to include a team of over 200 professionals. 

1-800Accountant provides a full range of services for businesses and individuals, including bookkeeping, tax preparation, and financial planning. The company also offers consulting services on a variety of topics, such as business start-ups, mergers and acquisitions, and estate planning. 

This company requires its virtual bookkeepers to have at least three years of experience, along with experience using QuickBooks, Gusto, Xero, MS Office, Skype, Zoom, VOIP, and Google Suite. 

Acuity 

Acuity is a cloud-based bookkeeping and accounting software company that offers a range of services to small businesses and start-ups. The company was founded in 2004 by Kenji Kuramoto, who saw the need for a simple, efficient, and affordable bookkeeping solution for small businesses. 

Acuity offers a range of features such as invoicing, expense tracking, bank reconciliation and tax return filing. The company also offers a mobile app so that businesses can manage their finances on the go. 

Acuity hires virtual bookkeepers who live within the United States. The company doesn’t mention what education or experience is required.

Backyard Bookkeeper 

Backyard Bookkeeper is a small, family-owned business that provides bookkeeping and tax services to small businesses and individuals. The company was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah.

They offer a full range of bookkeeping and tax services, from preparing financial statements to filing taxes. In addition, they offer a free consultation to all new clients. 

Backyard Bookkeeper hires virtual bookkeepers who live in the United States and are able to work between 15 and 30 hours per week.  

Belay 

Belay is a great company that provides a variety of services to help businesses with their online presence. They offer bookkeeping, web design, development, and maintenance services, as well as social media management and consulting. 

In addition, they also provide training and support for businesses who want to learn more about how to effectively use the internet to grow their business. 

Belay hires remote bookkeepers with prior accounting, bookkeeping, payroll, and Quickbooks experience.

Supporting Strategies 

Supporting Strategies provides bookkeeping, controller, and CFO-level financial services on an as-needed basis to growing businesses. They give their clients the financial clarity and confidence they need to make sound decisions and move forward with certainty. 

The company uses cutting-edge technology to deliver services efficiently and effectively, which helps keep costs down for clients. Their clients range from startups to established businesses in a variety of industries, including professional services, technology, e-commerce, manufacturing, retail/wholesale, and more.

Supporting Strategies hires remote bookkeepers who have a bachelor’s degree. They also require at least five years of prior bookkeeping experience along with working knowledge of QuickBooks.

Two Roads 

Two Roads is a full-service bookkeeping and accounting firm that provides a wide range of services to businesses of all sizes. They specialize in helping businesses with their financial reporting, bookkeeping, and tax compliance. 

In addition to bookkeeping services, they also offer a wide range of consulting services, which can help businesses maximize their efficiency and profitability. 

Two Roads hires remote bookkeepers who have at least four years of experience along with an associate’s degree.

Freelance Platforms and Staffing Agencies for Finding Remote Bookkeeping Jobs

If you want to be a freelance bookkeeper, your first step is to establish yourself, and the best way to do this is to find clients who need a bookkeeper. Freelancing is also a great way to build a clientele if you want to start your own bookkeeping business.

Accountingfly 

Accountingfly is a recruiting platform for accounting-related jobs and often has bookkeeping jobs posted.

Fiverr 

Fiverr is a marketplace for freelancers where you can sign up and offer your bookkeeping services to potential clients.

Freelancer

Freelancer is a website that connects businesses with freelance professionals from around the world. 

Upwork

Upwork is another marketplace for freelancers where you can sign up and offer bookkeeping services to businesses.

Final Thoughts

Remote bookkeeping is a booming opportunity, and you can make money by working from home. Businesses will always need bookkeepers, but there are never enough of them to meet demand. 

If you are skilled with computers, enjoy organization and problem-solving, and have an eye for detail, bookkeeping could be the perfect remote job for you. 

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