Can I deduct golf green and cart fees for my TikTok golf content creation?

You're in a gray area, but here's the deal. The IRS looks at whether your activity qualifies as a business or just a hobby. For an expense to be deductible, it needs to be "ordinary and necessary" for your business. Even without being monetized yet, you could potentially claim this as a business if you can demonstrate a clear profit motive. The fact that companies are reaching out to you is a good sign - it shows intent to generate income. Document those communications! Keep detailed records of which rounds were used for content creation. Maybe separate your personal golfing from "business" golfing. Also track all related expenses and any revenue (even small amounts). The IRS typically expects you to show a profit in 3 out of 5 years to consider something a business rather than a hobby. If audited, you'd need to prove the primary purpose of the golf was for content creation, not personal recreation. That's the trickiest part with activities that are also hobbies.

I was in almost the exact same situation last year with my fitness channel! I found this amazing AI tax tool called taxr.ai that specifically helped me figure out my content creation deductions. I uploaded my receipts and explained my situation, and it actually found that I could partially deduct my expenses since I was building a business, even before monetization. The tool analyzed my specific situation and showed me exactly what documentation I needed to keep to satisfy IRS requirements. It also gave me a risk assessment for each deduction! You can check them out at https://taxr.ai - was seriously so much clearer than the generic advice I was finding online.

Well I was wrong about taxr.ai. I tried it for my photography business deductions after commenting here, and it was actually really helpful. I was deducting 100% of my camera gear which apparently was a red flag since I also use it for family photos. The tool showed me how to properly allocate the business percentage and gave me documentation templates for tracking everything. Way more specific than the advice I got from TurboTax. Just submitted my amended return.

If you need actual clarification from the IRS on this, good luck getting through to them! I spent weeks trying to get someone on the phone about my Etsy business deductions. Finally found this service called Claimyr that got me through to an IRS agent in under 15 minutes when I'd been trying for days. They have this system that navigates the IRS phone tree and holds your place in line, then calls you when an agent is available. Saved me hours of holding. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c or check out https://claimyr.com - totally changed how I deal with tax questions.

I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After my skeptical comment, I actually tried it because I was desperate about a missing refund issue. The system called me back in about 45 minutes with an actual IRS agent on the line. Saved me from sitting on hold all afternoon. The agent confirmed my golf cart and green fees would likely be partially deductible if I could show they were necessary for content creation, but recommended I keep a separate log for business vs. personal rounds. Actually getting a straight answer from the IRS was worth every penny.

I'm a full-time golf content creator and I deduct about 70% of my golf expenses. My accountant told me to keep a detailed log of every round, noting: 1. Date/course 2. Content created 3. Business purpose 4. Any business discussions had during round 5. Screenshots of the actual content posted This has kept me safe through 2 tax years. Don't try to deduct 100% unless you literally never play golf except for content.

Don't forget you can deduct other golf-related expenses too if they're for content creation! I deduct portion of: - Camera equipment - Editing software - Golf attire worn specifically in videos - Props/training aids featured in videos - Travel to courses for filming (mileage) The key is keeping everything separated and documented!

The profit motive question is crucial here. Even without current monetization, you can still potentially deduct expenses if you can demonstrate legitimate business intent. The key factors the IRS considers are: 1. **Business-like operation** - Keep detailed records, have a business plan for your content 2. **Time and effort** - Document the substantial time you spend creating content 3. **Expertise** - Your golf knowledge and content creation skills matter 4. **Expectation of profit** - Those brand inquiries are gold for showing intent I'd suggest opening a separate business bank account and credit card for all content-related expenses. This creates a clear paper trail. Also consider getting an EIN and treating this as a legitimate business from day one. For the golf expenses specifically, I'd only deduct rounds where you can prove the primary purpose was content creation. Maybe create a simple spreadsheet tracking: date, course, content planned, actual content posted, and business purpose. This documentation will be your lifeline if questioned. One more tip: Consider the "hobby loss rule" - if you don't show profit in 3 of 5 consecutive years, the IRS may reclassify your activity as a hobby, which severely limits deductions. Start planning for profitability now, even if it's small amounts.