AI training jobs for accountants are remote, hourly contract projects where you write accounting and tax problems, work the correct answer and grade AI models on GAAP, audit and tax reasoning. On 12 November 2026 Mercor listed an individual tax role at $110 to $130 an hour and an accounting role at $85, DataAnnotation listed accounting, tax and audit roles at up to $125+, and Handshake AI listed FP&A work at up to $80. Hours are not guaranteed.
- The work is technical review: comparing two AI answers to an accounting problem, tracing a tax position to the code, catching entries that do not reconcile.
- Published pay on 12 November 2026: Mercor tax $110 to $130 an hour (US) and accounting $85; DataAnnotation accountant, tax accountant and auditor roles up to $125+; Handshake AI FP&A up to $80.
- A CPA or EA helps but is not always required; recent hands-on experience is.
- If you prepare tax returns, federal law bars disclosing or using return information beyond preparing the return. Never use client files in a task.
- Mind tax season and your firm's outside-work and independence rules before you commit hours.
AI training jobs for accountants: the short answer
If you want an accountant side hustle that is remote, hourly and does not mean taking on bookkeeping clients, AI training work is worth a look. AI companies hire accountants, CPAs, tax preparers, auditors and FP&A analysts to test how well AI models handle real accounting work, and to write the answers the models should give.
The rates are published on each listing. On 12 November 2026 Mercor's Individual Tax Professional role paid "$110-$130 per hour" (Mercor) and its Accounting Expert role "$85 per hour" (Mercor). DataAnnotation listed its accountant role at "Up to $125+/hr depending on task difficulty and specialization" (DataAnnotation).
Like every program here, it is project work: when a project ends, so do the hours.
What AI training work for accountants involves
Mercor's accounting role asks you to "Compare two AI-generated responses to the same prompt and decide which one is better", and to explain why, citing correctness, GAAP or IFRS compliance and the quality of reasoning (Mercor). DataAnnotation's role asks you to "Review AI output for misapplied standards, arithmetic slips, and entries that don't reconcile, and rate the reasoning" (DataAnnotation).
Tax work is more applied. Mercor's tax project builds complex individual taxpayers, such as ISO holders facing AMT or retirees with RMDs and consulting income, and asks experts to "prepare, review, and reason through complex returns" under federal and New York or California rules (Mercor). These are built scenarios, not real taxpayers.
Source: Mercor: Accounting Expert
Which programs hire accountants and CPAs, and what they pay
Rates read on each program's own listing on 12 November 2026.
| Program | Role | Published pay | Main requirement | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercor | Individual Tax Professional (CPA / EA) | $110 to $130 an hour; US only | 3 to 8 years preparing complex 1040s; NY and/or CA returns | Mercor |
| Mercor | Accounting Expert | $85 an hour; 10 to 20 hours a week | 2+ years in accounting, audit or tax; CPA or degree | Mercor |
| DataAnnotation | Accountant | Up to $125+ an hour | CPA, ACCA or equivalent, or professional experience | DataAnnotation |
| DataAnnotation | Tax Accountant | Up to $125+ an hour | Hands-on corporate, individual or provision tax work | DataAnnotation |
| DataAnnotation | Auditor | Up to $125+ an hour | External, internal, controls or SOX experience | DataAnnotation |
| Handshake AI | FP&A Analyst | Up to $80 an hour | 2+ years in retail finance or FP&A; US-based | Handshake AI |
| micro1 | Finance listings | Not published on public pages | Varies by listing | micro1 |
Sources for this table: Mercor: Individual Tax Professional (CPA / EA), read 12 Nov 2026; Mercor: Accounting Expert, read 12 Nov 2026; DataAnnotation: Accountant, read 12 Nov 2026; DataAnnotation: Tax Accountant, read 12 Nov 2026; DataAnnotation: Auditor, read 12 Nov 2026; Handshake AI: FP&A Analyst, read 12 Nov 2026; micro1: work as an expert, read 12 Nov 2026.
Mercor engages experts as independent contractors, pays "weekly on Stripe or Wise based on services rendered", and warns that "Projects can be extended, shortened, or concluded early depending on needs and performance" (Mercor). DataAnnotation's job listings describe its roles as "Independent contractor" with "Payouts Weekly" (DataAnnotation).
Requirements for CPAs and finance analysts
Mercor's tax role requires "3–8 years of hands-on experience preparing complex individual (Form 1040) returns, currently or recently" and "Strong working knowledge of federal individual tax returns plus New York and/or California state returns", with a "CPA or Enrolled Agent (EA) credential" preferred (Mercor). Its accounting role asks for "2+ years of professional experience in accounting, audit, or tax (public accounting, corporate finance, or advisory)" (Mercor).
DataAnnotation asks for "CPA, ACCA, or equivalent training, or professional accounting experience" (DataAnnotation); its tax role wants "Hands-on tax experience: corporate, individual, or provision (ASC 740) work" (DataAnnotation) and its audit role "Hands-on audit experience: external, internal, or controls and SOX work" (DataAnnotation).
Finance analysts have a route too. Handshake AI's FP&A role asks for "At least 2 years of professional experience in retail finance or financial planning and analysis" and says it "can be done alongside research, teaching, postdoctoral work, or industry employment" (Handshake AI). Handshake fellows must be based in the US (Handshake AI). micro1 recruits across "engineering, finance, healthcare, legal, and more" (micro1) but shows rates only inside each listing; its onboarding FAQ describes an expected commitment of "approximately 15–20 hours per week, depending on client requirements" (micro1).
How to apply
Apply where a listing names your specialty: tax, audit, reporting or FP&A. A general accounting pool is slower to match.
- Put your specialty, standards (GAAP, IFRS, ASC 740) and return types at the top of your resume.
- Expect a screening: Mercor uses a short AI interview; DataAnnotation's steps are apply, qualify, then work and get paid.
- Note the location rules. Mercor's tax role is "Remote (United States)" (Mercor), and Handshake AI is built for people based in the US (outside the US it is invite-only).
- Read the terms on hours. Mercor's accounting role lists "Flexible workload: 10–20 hours per week" (Mercor); Handshake AI says most fellows on an active project work about 5 to 20 hours a week (Handshake AI).
Tell us what you do. We'll send you the paid AI work that fits your field, wherever you live. It's free.
What to check first: client data, Section 7216 and firm policy
Client files stay out. Under 26 U.S.C. 7216, a tax return preparer who knowingly or recklessly "discloses any information furnished to him for, or in connection with, the preparation of any such return", or uses it for another purpose, "shall be guilty of a misdemeanor" (Cornell LII). Your professional code's confidentiality rule applies on top of that. Never paste a client's return, ledger, workpapers or emails into a task, and do not model a scenario closely on one client.
Mercor states that its work "will not involve access to confidential or proprietary information from any employer, client, or institution" (Mercor). Hold every program to that standard, and decline any task that asks for real records.
Firm policy and timing. Public accounting firms often restrict outside work and may have independence rules about who you can work for. Ask before you apply. Then look at the calendar: a project that wants 10 to 20 hours a week can clash with busy season.
Source: 26 U.S.C. 7216 (Cornell LII): disclosure by return preparers
How it compares with other side hustles for accountants
Accountants looking for side income usually weigh these options. Pay for the non-AI options depends on your clients and market, so no figure is given.
| Side work | What you do | Client data involved? | Seasonality |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI training work | Grade and write accounting and tax answers for AI models | No, and it must stay that way | Project-based, any time of year |
| Seasonal tax preparation | Prepare returns for individuals or a firm | Yes | Heavy in tax season |
| Freelance bookkeeping | Keep books for small businesses | Yes | Monthly, ongoing |
| Fractional CFO or controller work | Part-time finance leadership | Yes | Ongoing |
| Teaching or CPA exam tutoring | Teach courses or coach candidates | No | By term or session |
AI training work is the one option here with no client relationship, no engagement letter and no liability for a real return. The trade-off is that it carries no recurring client base either.
Is it steady income?
No program promises hours. Mercor says projects "can be extended, shortened, or concluded early" (Mercor), and Outlier warns that projects "may not always match your specific field" (Outlier).
Check each program before you sign up: see our reviews of Mercor, Handshake AI and micro1, and the side-by-side in Mercor vs micro1.
Next step
Clear outside work with your firm, then apply to the listing that names your specialty. Keep your own log of hours and tasks.
Tell us what you do. We'll send you the paid AI work that fits your field, wherever you live. It's free.
Origin Data Partners is independent of the programs on this page. A program may pay Origin when Origin introduces someone who joins it, which never changes what you are paid (how Origin is paid).
Common questions
What is a good side hustle for accountants?
AI training work is a remote, hourly option with no client relationship: you grade and write accounting and tax answers for AI models. On 12 November 2026 Mercor listed a tax role at $110 to $130 an hour and an accounting role at $85. Seasonal tax prep and freelance bookkeeping are the common alternatives.
How much do AI training jobs for accountants pay?
Published rates on 12 November 2026: Mercor $110 to $130 an hour for individual tax work (US) and $85 for accounting; DataAnnotation up to $125+ for accountant, tax and audit roles; Handshake AI up to $80 for FP&A.
Do I need to be a CPA?
Not always. Mercor's tax role prefers a CPA or EA but requires 3 to 8 years of complex 1040 experience; DataAnnotation accepts a CPA, ACCA or equivalent training, or professional accounting experience.
Can a tax preparer use client returns as examples?
No. Section 7216 of the Internal Revenue Code makes it a misdemeanor for a return preparer to knowingly or recklessly disclose or misuse information furnished for preparing a return. Write fresh scenarios instead.
Are there AI training jobs for finance analysts?
Yes. Handshake AI listed an FP&A Analyst role at up to $80 an hour on 12 November 2026 for US-based fellows with at least two years of retail finance or FP&A experience.
Can I work as an accountant remotely?
Yes, through AI training work among other routes. On 14 November 2026 Mercor's individual tax professional listing was marked "Remote (United States)" and described as "a fully remote role that can be completed on your own schedule", and DataAnnotation's accountant role was listed as remote, flexible-hours independent contractor work. These are contract projects, not a remote staff accounting job with steady hours.
Can enrolled agents do AI training work?
Yes. Mercor's listing is titled "Individual Tax Professional (CPA / EA)" and posted $110 to $130 an hour on 14 November 2026. It asks for "3–8 years of hands-on experience preparing complex individual (Form 1040) returns, currently or recently." The work is evaluating AI systems on realistic personal tax scenarios, not preparing anyone's return.
How many hours a week is AI training work for accountants?
It depends on the project. Mercor's accounting expert listing, read on 14 November 2026, posted $85 per hour with a "Flexible workload: 10–20 hours per week". Hours last only as long as the project.
Are there AI training jobs for enrolled agents?
Yes. On 14 November 2026 micro1 listed a Form 1040 tax preparer role for enrolled agents and CPAs who actively prepare individual returns at $30 to $60 an hour, and Mercor's US individual tax role at $110 to $130 an hour named a CPA or EA credential as preferred.
What does AI training work for tax preparers involve?
Preparing complete individual returns from scratch for built scenarios, writing preparer notes that show how each figure was derived, and reviewing AI-generated returns and computations for errors. The scenarios are invented, so no client data is used.
Sources and further reading
- Mercor: Individual Tax Professional (CPA / EA)
- Mercor: Accounting Expert
- Mercor: Legal Expert (J.D./LL.B.) talent network
- DataAnnotation: Accountant
- DataAnnotation: Tax Accountant
- DataAnnotation: Auditor
- DataAnnotation: Attorney
- Handshake AI: FP&A Analyst
- Handshake AI: fellowship program
- micro1: work as an expert
- micro1 experts library: onboarding FAQs
- Outlier: FAQ
- 26 U.S.C. 7216 (Cornell LII): disclosure by return preparers
- micro1 tax preparer listing