Rates, 2026
What should a freelance accountant charge in New York or LA?
About $1,050 a day for a freelance accountant who is working and booked in New York or Los Angeles. $725 in the first years, $1,375 when senior. A tax return runs about $1,450.
Other markets: a major city · remote · a smaller market
First years
$725
a day · $90 an hour
Working, booked
$1,050
a day · $125 an hour
Senior, sought after
$1,375
a day · $175 an hour
The rate card, working level
- Day rate$1,050 per day
- Hourlyfor anything that does not fit a day$125 per hour
- A tax return$1,450 per project
- Monthly retainerthe books and the filings, every month$1,750 per month
Sold by the hour, a project fee, a monthly retainer. The day is the unit; half days run 60%.
What to charge for each thing
Ranges for New York or Los Angeles: the low end is the first years, the high end is senior. Working and booked sits in the middle.
- Individual return$300 to $800 each
- Business return$800 to $2,500 each
- Quarterly estimates$200 to $600 each
- Financial statements$500 to $2,000 each
How the number is made
Accountants at this level day at about $1,050 ($600 to $1,500 in New York and LA). Put in the year you actually want on the perfect price page and the number moves with it.
A tax return runs $400 to $2,500 and takes about 6 hours of your time; at your hourly that is $750. The number is the higher of the two, because the client is buying the outcome, not the hours.
A retainer is the month, not the hours: the books and the filings, every month. It is priced about 20% under the same work bought one at a time, in exchange for the certainty; three months minimum, or it is not a retainer.
Questions
- What is a fair day rate for a freelance accountant in New York or LA?
- About $1,050 a day for someone working and booked, $725 in the first years, $1,375 when senior and sought after. Half days usually run 60% of the day.
- How much is a tax return?
- $1,450 at a working level in this market. The client is buying the outcome, so the price is the higher of what the market pays for it and what your hours in it are worth.
- What does a monthly retainer look like for a freelance accountant?
- Around $1,750 a month: the books and the filings, every month. About 20% under the same work bought one piece at a time, in exchange for certainty; three months minimum.
- Are these rates a rule?
- No. They are US 2026 ranges for the role, placed by level and moved for the market. What a client actually paid you beats all of it. The tool has a box for that, and it wins.
Your number, in five seconds.
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