Content Creator Tax Forms You Need to Know

Content creation lets you share your passion, build a community, and make money, but taxes come with the territory. Here are the key tax forms every creator should know.

Content creation is one of the most amazing businesses. You get to share your passion, build a community, and make money doing what you love. How cool is that?! But with that income comes the dreaded taxes, bookkeeping, and various content creator tax forms.

So whether you’re a YouTuber, TikToker, Twitch streamer, or OnlyFans creator, here are the tax forms you need to know about.

Form 1099: Reporting Your Income

If you earn money from sponsorships, brand deals, or other sources, you might receive a Form 1099-NEC or 1099-MISC from the companies or platforms that paid you at least $600 during the year.

These tax forms are sent to both you and the IRS. Make sure to double-check the amount reported and compare it to what you have on record. If there are any errors, be sure to reach out to the company to fix it.

If you receive payments through PayPal or Stripe you may also get a Form 1099-K. As of 2025, the reporting threshold for these forms has been lowered, so even smaller creators might receive one, even if they never have in the past. But don’t worry, even though TikTok might pay you through PayPal and you receive a 1099-NEC from TikTok and a 1099-K from Paypal, the IRS will only look at the 1099 from TikTok. This means you can ignore the duplicate 1099-k form from Paypal. You are not going to get a double hit ??

Always track your income from these sources to ensure accuracy. Remember that you’re responsible for reporting income from these and other sources even if you don’t receive a 1099.

Form W-9: Providing Your Tax Information?

Brands and businesses you work with may ask you to fill out a Form W-9 before they pay you. This form provides them with your taxpayer identification number so they can correctly report payments on the 1099 at the end of the year.

For most creators starting out, this means sharing your Social Security Number (SSN). If you are worried about sharing your personal info, so are we! That is why we strongly recommend getting an Employer Identification Number (EIN) through the IRS. An EIN is basically a SSN for your business. It is very easy to create an EIN on the IRS website (only takes about 5 minutes) but will protect you from sharing your SSN to the whole world.

Form 1040: Your Main Tax Return

By April 15th, every taxpayer needs to file their individual tax return (Form 1040). This is where you report your income, deductions, and tax liability from your “normal” day job and your work as a content creator.

One additional tax form you’ll fill out as part of your 1040 is the Schedule C. This is where you’ll report all of your business income and expenses.

Schedule C: Profit or Loss from Business

This form is where you report your earnings and expenses from your business. On this form, you’ll list your income from content creation and all possible deduct business expenses such as camera gear, editing software, internet costs, and travel related to your work.

Schedule SE: Self-Employment Tax

Another additional form you’ll complete on your 1040 tax return is the Schedule SE. As a creator, you don’t have an employer withholding your Social Security and Medicare taxes for you. That means you’ll need to pay self-employment tax, which is reported on Schedule SE. Self-employment taxes are 15.3% of your net earnings from your business.

Form 8829: Home Office Deduction

If you create content from a dedicated home office or workspace then you can take advantage of the home office deduction. Form 8829 helps you calculate the portion of your home expenses (such as rent and utilities) that can be written off for business use. This form is also part of your 1040 tax return.

State and Local Tax Forms

Depending on where you live, you may need to file additional state and local tax forms. Some states have special tax rules for self-employed individuals, so make sure you stay on top of any requirements.

Conclusion

Taxes can feel overwhelming, but understanding the key forms you need to file will help you stay organized and avoid stress. Keeping track of your income, business expenses, and estimated payments throughout the year will make tax season much easier. And, of course, working with a team like us that understands content creation businesses can help you maximize deductions and keep more of your hard-earned money.