Rates, 2026
What should a freelance accountant charge in a smaller market?
About $725 a day for a freelance accountant who is working and booked in a smaller US market. $525 in the first years, $950 when senior. A tax return runs about $1,025.
Other markets: New York or LA · a major city · remote
First years
$525
a day · $65 an hour
Working, booked
$725
a day · $90 an hour
Senior, sought after
$950
a day · $125 an hour
The rate card, working level
- Day rate$725 per day
- Hourlyfor anything that does not fit a day$90 per hour
- A tax return$1,025 per project
- Monthly retainerthe books and the filings, every month$1,225 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 a smaller US market: the low end is the first years, the high end is senior. Working and booked sits in the middle.
- Individual return$200 to $550 each
- Business return$550 to $1,750 each
- Quarterly estimates$150 to $425 each
- Financial statements$350 to $1,400 each
How the number is made
Accountants at this level in this market day at about $725 ($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 $550. 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 a smaller US market?
- About $725 a day for someone working and booked, $525 in the first years, $950 when senior and sought after. Half days usually run 60% of the day.
- How much is a tax return?
- $1,025 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 $1,225 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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