Retirees Are Earning Up to $20,000 Per Month With One Fully Remote Side Hustle Quitting your day job doesn't mean you can't have an additional — and extremely lucrative — income stream.
By Amanda Breen Edited by Jessica Thomas
Retirement doesn't mean you have to stop earning altogether — in fact, it could allow you to make more money than ever before.
Side hustles can be an effective way to supplement income from Social Security or investment accounts. Twenty-one percent of Baby Boomers (age 58-76) work a side gig with a median income of $500 per month, per a 2022 Bankrate survey.
One especially lucrative side hustle for semi- and fully retired people? Answering questions on professional help platform JustAnswer. These experts make an average of $2,000 to $7,000 per month — with the biggest earners hitting figures as high as $20,000 per month, according to the company.
Related: 44 Profitable Side Hustle Ideas to Make Extra Money | BIZ Experiences
JustAnswer boasts more than 12,000 experts across 150 categories. Experts are paid a dollar amount per question based on their category (fields like legal and medical, which require more education, garner higher earnings) and the expert's quality rating on the site.
Jennifer Sheffer, a New-England-based appraisals expert who's been answering questions on the platform since 2012, is one of those major earners. She was working as an online antique dealer when the 2008 recession struck, driving down the value of antiques and leaving her in search of an alternative income stream.
Today, Sheffer earns $10,000-$20,000 per month depending on how many questions she answers, though she typically works from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. most days. The flexible schedule allows her to attend antique auctions and maintain a happy work-life balance, she says, adding that "the great thing about the work is that JustAnswer treats the experts equally, whether they work a lot or just here and there."
Related: 10 of the Most Profitable Side Hustles You Can Start With Little or No Money
And Sheffer isn't alone.
Randall Gibbons, a 75-year-old retired RV mechanic and former shop owner, earns $10,000-$14,000 per month answering RV questions on JustAnswer. Merry A. Kogut, a licensed attorney and employment law expert, makes anywhere from $2,000 to more than $3,500 per month. Sally Grottini, a dog behavior and training expert, brings in $1,000-$2,500 per month.
JustAnswer's online application requires experts to submit their social security number, valid identification and relevant certifications and licenses. You can start earning as soon as the background check clears.
Related: I Built My Multimillion-Dollar Side-Hustle While Working a Full-Time Job and So Can You
