The most expensive assumption in contract work is that tax is an April problem. It is not. If you expect to owe a meaningful amount for the year, payments are due quarterly, and skipping them can add a penalty on top of a bill you already were not ready for.
What the listings actually pay
The logic is simple once you see it. A salaried employee pays tax continuously through withholding on every paycheque. The system expects the same from you, just self-directed. Quarterly payments are how a contractor reproduces withholding.
| # | Role | Advertised rate | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oncologist | $350 to $450 an hour | Mercor |
| 2 | BigLaw lawyers | $140 to $400 an hour | micro1 |
| 3 | Cardiologist | $350 to $350 an hour | Mercor |
| 4 | Arts, Media & Design Expert | $150 to $350 an hour | micro1 |
| 5 | Corporate Attorney | $140 to $350 an hour | micro1 |
| 6 | CUDA Engineering Expert | $300 to $300 an hour | Mercor |
| 7 | Equity Research Expert | $175 to $300 an hour | micro1 |
| 8 | Street Performing Musician | $100 to $300 an hour | micro1 |
Source: 1456 live listings on this board that publish a rate, read directly from each posting on 2026-10-24. Listings without a published rate are excluded rather than estimated.
What moves your rate
In practice this means treating every payment you receive as partly not yours. Across 1456 live listings publishing a rate, the median top-of-range is $90 an hour, and a workable habit is to move a fixed percentage of each payment into a separate account the day it lands. Then the quarterly payment is a transfer rather than a crisis.
How to apply
Every role above links to its own page with the full requirements and a direct application link. Applications are completed on the hiring platform and typically take a few minutes, with a short skills assessment in place of an interview.
Two things are worth doing before you apply. Check whether the role accepts applicants from your country using the eligibility checker, and run the advertised rate through the take-home calculator, because this is contract work and the headline rate is before self-employment tax.
Frequently asked questions
When are quarterly payments due?
They fall roughly in April, June, September and January for the preceding periods. The exact dates shift slightly year to year, so check the current schedule rather than relying on memory.
What if my income is unpredictable?
That is normal in this work, because hours are project-based. You can pay based on what you have actually earned each period rather than a flat annual estimate, which suits irregular income much better.
What happens if I skip them?
You may owe an underpayment penalty in addition to the tax. It is not catastrophic, but it is an avoidable cost, and the bill arrives all at once.
How much should each payment be?
It depends on your total situation. Many people work from a percentage of earnings set aside as they go, then true it up. A professional can tell you whether a safe-harbour amount would be simpler for you.
Do I need to do this if AI work is a small side income?
Possibly not, if your main job withholds enough to cover your overall liability. One option is increasing withholding at your salaried job instead. Worth checking rather than assuming.
See every live role
The full board updates several times a week, with the advertised rate on each listing and closed roles removed.