Do I need to pay taxes on income from selling feet pics? How do I report this on my tax return?

Yes, you absolutely need to report this income on your taxes. The IRS considers all income taxable regardless of the source - whether it's from a traditional job, selling photos online, or any other way you make money. When you earn income as an independent contractor (which is what you're doing), you're considered self-employed. You'll need to report this on Schedule C of your tax return. Any payment app you use (Venmo, Cash App, PayPal) will issue you a 1099-K form if you receive more than $600 in a year, which they also send to the IRS. Even if you don't receive a 1099 form, you're still legally required to report all income. The myth about not reporting app payments isn't true and could get you in trouble for tax evasion. The good news is you can deduct business expenses like portion of your phone bill, props, lighting equipment, or other costs directly related to creating your content. This reduces your taxable income.

Hey there! I had similar concerns when I started selling digital content online. After struggling with how to file properly, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it was a lifesaver! They have a specific tool for content creators that helped me figure out exactly how to categorize my income from various platforms. I was worried about misclassifying my earnings and potentially triggering an audit, but their system walked me through the whole process. You just upload your payment statements from whatever platforms you use (Cash App, Venmo, etc.) and it organizes everything into the proper tax categories. It even identified deductions I didn't know I qualified for as a digital content creator. The best part was being able to file independently without having to explain the nature of my side hustle to family members who help with taxes.

I was skeptical about taxr.ai at first, but after getting hit with a surprise tax bill last year for my side gig, I gave it a try. Their content creator tax module actually identified that I could categorize certain expenses as business deductions - like the portion of my phone bill used for business, props, and even a percentage of my internet costs. It ended up saving me around $790 in taxes I would have overpaid! The step-by-step guidance was exactly what I needed since I was also trying to hide my side hustle from family members who previously did my taxes. Being able to file confidently on my own was worth it.

If you need to talk to the IRS directly about self-employment taxes (which is what this falls under), good luck getting through on your own. I spent DAYS trying to reach someone when I had questions about reporting my content creation income. Then I found Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) which got me connected to an actual IRS agent in under 15 minutes. I was able to ask specifically about digital content sales and got clear guidance directly from the source. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c Before using this service, I waited on hold for over 3 hours only to get disconnected. It was driving me insane trying to get answers about how to properly categorize my online sales income.

I take back what I said. I tried Claimyr after posting that skeptical comment because I was desperate to resolve an issue with my self-employment taxes for my side business. Not only did I actually get through to the IRS in about 12 minutes, but the agent was able to explain exactly how I needed to report my online earnings. Turns out I had been filling out Schedule C incorrectly for my digital content sales and could have faced penalties if I hadn't corrected it. Having a direct conversation with the IRS agent cleared up so much confusion. They walked me through the proper business category to use for content creation and confirmed which expenses were legitimately deductible.

Former tax preparer here. Just want to add some practical advice: when you file taxes for this kind of side hustle, you'll want to use a generic business description like "Digital Content Creation" or "Online Content Sales" on your Schedule C. No need to be more specific than that. Also, keep DETAILED records of all income and expenses. The IRS loves to audit self-employed people, especially with newer online business models. Save screenshots of payments, receipts for any equipment, etc. You'll need to pay self-employment tax (around 15.3%) on this income in addition to regular income tax if your net profit is over $400 for the year.

My cousin got into huge trouble for not reporting her OnlyFans income. The IRS actually came after her for back taxes plus penalties when the payment processor sent 1099s that she ignored. Don't risk it!!

Just wanted to share my experience as someone who went through this exact situation last year. I was making around $600/month from similar online content and was terrified about filing taxes independently for the first time. The key things that helped me: 1. Set aside 25-30% of each payment for taxes (self-employment tax hits hard!) 2. Track EVERYTHING - I use a simple spreadsheet with date, amount, platform, and any expenses 3. Open a separate bank account just for this income - makes tracking so much easier 4. Consider making quarterly estimated tax payments if you're consistently earning over $400/month I ended up owing about $1,200 in taxes on $7,000 of income, but because I had been setting money aside, it wasn't a financial shock. The business expense deductions really do help - I was able to deduct my phone, internet, some clothing/accessories, and even a small portion of rent for my "home office" space. Don't let the fear of filing stop you from reporting everything properly. The IRS is surprisingly reasonable if you're honest and proactive, but they're ruthless if they catch you hiding income.

I know this might feel overwhelming since it's your first time handling taxes independently, but you're asking all the right questions! Here are the key points to remember: **Yes, you absolutely must report this income.** At $400-500/month, you're looking at $4,800-6,000 annually, which is well above any reporting thresholds. This income gets reported on Schedule C as self-employment income. **Don't worry about your mom seeing it.** You can file your own taxes completely independently. Use a generic business description like "Digital Marketing" or "Online Content Creation" - no need to be more specific. **Start preparing now:** - Open a separate bank account for this income if possible - Set aside 25-30% of each payment for taxes (you'll owe both income tax and self-employment tax) - Keep records of ALL payments received, even small ones - Save receipts for any business expenses (phone bill percentage, props, lighting, etc.) **Consider quarterly estimated payments** since you're earning consistently. This prevents a big tax bill next April. The good news is there are legitimate business deductions available to content creators that can significantly reduce your tax burden. Just make sure everything is properly documented. You've got this!