CHARLES A. KERNER, CPA , P.C.
Our clients include well known Podcasters, Youtubers, and Lifestyle Influencers.
We understand that growing your brand is your primary focus and taxes can take a backseat.
Below are answers to some frequently asked questions, as well as a list of deductions to keep in mind.
What travel can I deduct?
Travel expenses can be deducted if you traveled to make content, meet business associates, promote brands, etc. If you're combining business travel with non-work-related travel, we can assist in determining how much of your trip can be categorized as a business expense.
Which product purchases are deductible?
If you buy specific products to promote/make content, it’s likely deductible.
Some examples:
A fashion/beauty influencer can deduct clothing and makeup used to make content.
A chef/cooking influencer can deduct the cost of the food specifically purchased to make content.
What records should I keep?
You should keep good documentation, beyond just receipts, to support expenses.
We recommend logging the date a specific product was used in creating content. Keep a business expense ledger in Google Drive or Excel to best record these notes. Include the date the relevant content was filmed, the date it was distributed or posted, and any other pertinent details.
This record-keeping does not need to be exhaustive, but you can’t expect the IRS to accept thousands of dollars of clothing deductions without providing more substantiation than “I run a fashion Instagram.”
To help you organize your tax preparation, here is a basic list of typical expenses incurred by Content Creators.