Like everyone else in the accounting industry, U.S. expat tax accountants are going remote. A 2017 report found that 3.9 million Americans spend at least half their time working from home. That’s a 115% increase in remote workers since 2005.
But working from home is old school. The next step is working from anywhere, crossing borders and boundaries as you see fit, with the freedom to take your work with you wherever you go. Americans working as expats in other countries is already a growing trend—for fiscal year 2016, the U.S. State Department estimates there were 9 million Americans living abroad, a significant increase from 4 million in 1999.
Imagine working as you dig your toes into the white sands of a Bora Bora beach. Sitting on a stone bench surrounded by monks at Angkor Wat. Watching lovers on gondolas drift down the Canale Grande through the window of your Venice apartment. Staring skyward at the grandeur of the Swiss Alps from a cozy outdoor cafe. Work from anywhere—WFA, let’s call it—that’s the future.
Why “remote” and “work from anywhere” aren’t the same thing
While allowing employees to work remotely is a growing trend for U.S. accounting firms, most prefer their workers to stay within the 50 states. That’s not because accounting firm managers are a bunch of meanies—time zone differences, language barriers, and connectivity issues create headaches that firms don’t want to deal with. They’d rather avoid those troubles by sticking with strictly domestic accounting talent.
There are a few firms, however, where worker flexibility is valued above those concerns, and where an accountant can treat the entire world as his or her personal office.
One such company is Greenback Expat Tax Services. If you’ve got a CPA or EA, three to five years experience preparing U.S. expat tax returns, and a desire to work anywhere, anytime with unlimited earning potential, you’re in luck. Greenback is currently looking to contract seven (count ’em, seven) remote U.S. expat tax accountants. These U.S. expat tax accounting jobs can be worked from anywhere—and we mean anywhere.
“I love the flexibility that working with Greenback brings. Not only do you get to work with an AMAZING team and clients, but you can literally do so from anywhere in the world. I have lived in five cities across two countries all while having a steady job—such a great feeling!”
Tabitha P.
Michigan, USA
Already sold? Scroll to the bottom of this article to apply for an open position now. Or read on to learn more about the benefits of a WFA job with Greenback.
Make extra cash or earn a six-figure living
As a remote U.S. expat tax accountant at Greenback, you’ll have the freedom to supplement your regular income, collect a full-time salary, or anything in-between.
Your contract will require you to prepare taxes for a minimum of 150 expats. You won’t have to look for these clients or market yourself—Greenback will deliver them to you.
You’ll get paid a flat fee by the form, not by the hour, so you’ll be rewarded for working quickly rather than penalized like you might be at other firms. Some clients may only earn you a few hundred bucks, but others can net you upwards of $5,000 for a single return.
Greenback has no shortage of expats needing tax help. They’ll give you as many additional clients as you want with no upward limit, and discretionary bonuses and referral programs can boost your revenue even higher.
That means your earning potential is essentially unlimited. And while WFA is great, unlimited cash may be the greatest freedom of all.
“It’s a little big world out there and I love helping clients from different countries! Not only do I have the independent career I love, I also have opportunities to continuously expand my knowledge.”
Christie T.
Virginia, USA
Flexibility that goes way beyond work-from-home
Greenback takes flexibility seriously. The company characterizes its structure as “franchise without the buy-in.” It’s an apt description, as working with Greenback gives you all the benefits of running your own business without the tedious tasks and financial obligations that normally come with that territory.
Greenback offers its tax accountants:
- Full ability to set their own schedules, as long as deadlines are met;
- Zero commute and the freedom to move—spend tax season at home and the offseason in the Bahamas;
- No need to manage business logistics like marketing, customer acquisition, billing, customer service, web development, software changes, etc.;
- Knowledge sharing through intranet resources; and
- Opportunities for indefinite contract renewal.
What makes Greenback different?
While U.S. expat tax returns are nothing new, Greenback was one of the first companies to adopt a pay-by-form model and work-from-anywhere culture. These decisions helped the company attract the best tax accountants in the world and rapidly expand its business.
Greenback is now one of the top players in the U.S. expat tax accounting space. The firm has filed more than 26,000 tax returns for nearly 9,000 expats across 213 countries and territories.
Greenback stands apart from its competitors because it offers a platform that’s easy for expats to use, and its 256-bit encryption ensures sensitive financial data remains secure as the information travels from server to server across the globe.
Customers also love Greenback’s flat fee structure. Each service and form has a flat-fee cost, with no hidden fees or surprises for the customer.
“After 4.5 years with Greenback, I can definitely say this is a dream job. Despite the remote nature, there is a great network of fellow accountants to bounce ideas off of and a stellar management team. Clients bring so many various scenarios, so you are always learning and growing professionally!”
Daria P.
Hong Kong
Be part of the team—if that’s your thing
While absconding traditional office social structures is kind of the point of working remotely for some, that doesn’t mean you’ll be completely isolated from the rest of the Greenback team if you don’t want to be.
Greenback holds quarterly virtual meetings where team members can chat about work tips, sports, video games, their favorite episodes of “Law & Order”—anything, really. If there’s been a significant change in U,S. expat tax policy or a new form has been introduced, a team member will sometimes lead a discussion on those developments.
These meetings are completely optional. You’re free to join in, drop in and out as you please, or ignore them altogether and collect your earnings inside your personal bubble.
You can also share and gain knowledge with other team members through a resource center intranet, learning and growing at your own pace and in your own time.