31 Tax Write-Offs for Content Creators

Whether you’re getting brand deals on Instagram, publishing videos on Youtube, or selling digital products like courses and ebooks, you’re still obligated to pay your taxes – but, as a business, there are quite a few purchases you can use as tax write-offs for content creators.

While you experience a lot of freedom as a content creator, you’re income is still considered income – and still taxable by the IRS. Not paying taxes can land you in a sticky situation, but you don’t have to expect a big bill at the end of the year.

Between paying estimated quarterly taxes and accurately tracking your business expenses for tax write-offs, you can ease the financial burden of tax season.

But, what are tax write-offs for content creators? What kind of expenses do you incur that are tax deductible?

Tax Write-Offs for Content Creators

As you’re prepping for tax season, it’s important to make note of what you can – and can’t – write off for your business. To help, here are some of the things you can write off this upcoming tax season in all or in portion if you’re a content creator –

1. Business Meals
2. Work-related Travel Costs
3. Travel Lodging
4. Home Wi-fi
5. Water Bill 
6. Home Office Furniture
7. Power Bill
8. Property Insurance
9. Property Repairs
10. Legal Services
11. Business Insurance
12. Bank Fees
13. Commission and Affiliate Fees
14. Subcontractors
15. Loan Interest
16. Marketing
17. Promotions
18. Permits
19. Phone Bill
20. Office Rent
21. Office Supplies
22. Payment Processing Fees
23. Design Apps
24. Scheduling Platforms
25. Project Management Tools
26. Insurance
27. Office Furniture
28. Design Templates
29. Maintenance Supplies
30. Shipping and Postage
31. Business Conferences, Seminars, and Events

Since nearly anything can be considered content, it’s a bit easier to reasonably claim things as a business expense than traditional businesses. 

How to Know Which Tax Write-Offs Apply to You

For the most part, a tax-deductible business expense is when you would otherwise not purchase the said item if it was not for use in your business or if you’re causing additional wear/incurring additional costs by using a personal item for the business.

The items on the list above are common tax write-offs for content creators, but not all will apply to you. For example, if you work at a home office, you can write off part of your electric bill and home updates (at least the ones that impact your entire home, like AC or updated electricity). 

The same applies if you rent an office space or area to do your usual business tasks or create content in a studio. Your rental fees are tax deductible!

While there is a bit more to doing your taxes than finding out what’s tax deductible (and what is not), it is a good starting point to begin bookkeeping and accounting for your business as a content creator or influencer.

Ready to take control of your business finances as a content creator? Take the Business Savvy Influencer Course today!