not a stickler for paperwork
January 27, 2022 11:17 PM Subscribe
What are some digital-nomad type jobs for an accountant who might be out of country for a while?
I'm potentially moving to Brazil sometime this year or the next, not sure how long I'll be staying at this stage but anywhere between half a year to a long time. Not sure I can take my job with me or compete with locals. What are some digital jobs that aren't tethered to location (tax-wise etc)? I will be staying with family so I won't be relying on income to stay in the country, but I'll be doing a lot of caretaking so the job probably can't be something that I can't put down for five minutes to attend to my aunt and uncle's needs.
I'm potentially moving to Brazil sometime this year or the next, not sure how long I'll be staying at this stage but anywhere between half a year to a long time. Not sure I can take my job with me or compete with locals. What are some digital jobs that aren't tethered to location (tax-wise etc)? I will be staying with family so I won't be relying on income to stay in the country, but I'll be doing a lot of caretaking so the job probably can't be something that I can't put down for five minutes to attend to my aunt and uncle's needs.
Best answer: The list of work accountants can do remotely is endless and covers employees, contractors, freelance people.
The main limiting factors are
1) extent to which an employer or client requires on site presence for their own gratification
2) extent to which you have to have overlap with colleagues working in another timezone - typically it is extremely helpful to have at least some overlap
3) extent to which the employer or client has transitioned to fully electronic records and their ability/willingness to provide remote access to e.g. a non employee using their own hardware.
All my clients (large companies) were able to do a pretty seemless switch to more or less full remote working when the pandemic forced them to. For them, having you in Brazil would potentially be a tax problem, not a logistical problem. But for a smaller organizations with less sophisticated IT set-up and paper based records it would be a real struggle. That may rule out some of the organizations that require freelance accounting or bookkeeping. But there would still be plenty left.
posted by koahiatamadl at 5:58 AM on January 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
The main limiting factors are
1) extent to which an employer or client requires on site presence for their own gratification
2) extent to which you have to have overlap with colleagues working in another timezone - typically it is extremely helpful to have at least some overlap
3) extent to which the employer or client has transitioned to fully electronic records and their ability/willingness to provide remote access to e.g. a non employee using their own hardware.
All my clients (large companies) were able to do a pretty seemless switch to more or less full remote working when the pandemic forced them to. For them, having you in Brazil would potentially be a tax problem, not a logistical problem. But for a smaller organizations with less sophisticated IT set-up and paper based records it would be a real struggle. That may rule out some of the organizations that require freelance accounting or bookkeeping. But there would still be plenty left.
posted by koahiatamadl at 5:58 AM on January 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Honestly, I wish I was an accountant because I would 100% set up specialist accountancy for "spicy accounts" to provide professional services to sex workers -- strippers, onlyfans, pantyclub, etc. It would be a very portable business too.
Honestly the social media content marketing writes itself. If you buy panties for a customer request, is that a business expense? What if you're selling old panties, do you depreciate them? Are Pleasers a capital expense? Do you really have to deposit all of your cash? What are legitimate tour write-offs, especially in terms of mileage? Practical advice like setting up a separate debit card for business expenses, using an expense tracker app you can share with your accountant etc is all really needed, too.
posted by DarlingBri at 7:18 AM on January 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
Honestly the social media content marketing writes itself. If you buy panties for a customer request, is that a business expense? What if you're selling old panties, do you depreciate them? Are Pleasers a capital expense? Do you really have to deposit all of your cash? What are legitimate tour write-offs, especially in terms of mileage? Practical advice like setting up a separate debit card for business expenses, using an expense tracker app you can share with your accountant etc is all really needed, too.
posted by DarlingBri at 7:18 AM on January 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
Best answer: maybe look if BrassTaxes is hiring. they are a remote accounting collective of sorts
posted by wowenthusiast at 9:18 AM on January 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by wowenthusiast at 9:18 AM on January 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
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posted by ananci at 5:16 AM on January 28, 2022 [1 favorite]