For Subscribers

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

Zinkevych | Getty Images

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 | Entrepreneur

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

Amanda Breen

Entrepreneur Staff

Senior Features Writer

Amanda Breen is a senior features writer at Entrepreneur.com. She is a graduate of Barnard College and received an MFA in writing at Columbia University, where she was a news fellow for the School of the Arts.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

This 29-Year-Old's Side Hustle Brought People 'to the Dark Green Side.' It Made $10,000 Within 2 Days and Sees 6 Figures a Month.

Nikki Seaman began work on her business when the pandemic led to grocery store shutdowns.

Side Hustle

How to Build Endless Passive Income With This Simple Online Hustle

Autopilot stores aren't just income streams. They are passports to freedom, flexibility and finally working and living on your own terms.

Business News

Elon Musk's xAI Is Hiring Engineers for Its Anime 'AI Companions' — With Salaries Up to $440,000 a Year

xAI launched a set of "AI companions" earlier this week, with a third on the way.

Marketing

Why Most Startups Fail to Get National Press — and What To Do Instead

Tech startups often struggle to gain national news coverage. Here's how startups can achieve that elusive national media attention.

Business News

Here's How the CEO of the Biggest Bank in the U.S. Spends His Downtime: 'This Gives Me Purpose in Life'

JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon, 69, recently said that his top three priorities are his family, his country, and his purpose, which is working at the bank — in that order.

Health & Wellness

This Is the Newest Real Estate Trend You Can't Miss — and It's Worth $438 Billion

A rapidly emerging new trend is sweeping the global real estate sector, powered by humanity's collective desire for longer lives and healthier lifestyles. Here's what entrepreneurs should pay attention to to capture the new market.