How to pay taxes on my online feet pic sales income while maintaining privacy?

First, good for you for wanting to properly report your income! This is definitely considered self-employment income, and you'll need to report it on Schedule C (Profit or Loss from Business) along with your Form 1040. You don't need to register a formal business to file Schedule C - you can file as a "sole proprietor" using your own name and social security number. The IRS doesn't care what name you use for your business activities as long as you report the income under your legal name and SSN on your tax forms. For privacy, you can use a "doing business as" (DBA) name on Schedule C that doesn't match your legal name. The IRS just needs to know the income is yours - they don't publish your tax returns or share what specific business generated your income. Since you're making quite a bit (potentially $18K+ annually), you should also be making quarterly estimated tax payments using Form 1040-ES to avoid underpayment penalties. Don't forget you'll owe both income tax and self-employment tax (15.3%) on your profits.

When I was in a similar situation (selling custom art online, not feet pics lol), I tried figuring out taxes myself and messed up badly. Then I found https://taxr.ai which was seriously helpful for my situation. It analyzed all my payment records and basically told me exactly what I needed to report and what I could deduct. The nice thing was I could upload my payment history and it organized everything by quarter so I knew what my estimated payments should be. It also flagged deductions I hadn't even thought about - like a percentage of my phone bill since I use my phone to take pictures and communicate with customers.

Just wanted to follow up about my experience with taxr.ai after checking it out. I was really skeptical about finding tax help specifically for my "unique" income stream, but it was actually perfect for my situation! I uploaded my PayPal and Venmo transaction history and it categorized everything automatically. The best part was that it helped me understand what qualified as business expenses - I had no idea I could deduct part of my phone bill, internet, and even the space in my apartment where I take photos. It also set up my quarterly payment schedule with reminders so I won't forget those deadlines. The privacy aspect was huge for me - it handles everything confidentially and gave me clear instructions on how to file without exposing the nature of my business more than necessary. Seriously, if you're making money online in any "non-traditional" way, check it out. Saved me so much anxiety!

I was in a similar situation last year and ended up needing to talk to someone at the IRS about some specific questions. Let me tell you, trying to get through to an actual person at the IRS was IMPOSSIBLE. After spending hours on hold multiple times, I found https://claimyr.com which got me through to an actual IRS agent in under 20 minutes! Here's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c Having an actual conversation with an IRS agent was so helpful for clarifying how to handle my online business income. They confirmed I could use a business name different from my legal name, and explained exactly which forms I needed to file. Worth every penny for the time saved and stress relief.

Ok I feel like I need to apologize for my skepticism about Claimyr. I was totally wrong. After posting that comment, I decided to try it anyway since I've been trying to reach the IRS about my online business income for weeks. I used the service yesterday and got a call back in about 17 minutes with an actual IRS agent on the line. I was honestly shocked. The agent answered all my questions about reporting my online income and using a different business name. Just wanted to come back and correct myself. If you're struggling to get tax answers from a real person at the IRS, this actually does work. Saved me from taking another day off work to sit on hold for hours.

One thing nobody's mentioned yet - you should consider setting up a separate bank account for your business income. It doesn't have to be a formal "business account" - a second personal account works fine. This helps with: 1) Privacy - keeps this income stream separate from your main finances 2) Tax organization - easier to track business income/expenses 3) Audit protection - shows clear separation between personal/business Most online banks let you open accounts without visiting a branch, and many have no fees. Just make sure to transfer your tax savings regularly so you don't spend what you'll need for quarterly payments!

Has anyone used TurboSelf-Employed for this kind of thing? I'm in a similar situation (not feet pics but custom digital art) and wondering if the extra cost is worth it over regular TurboTax.

One more thing to consider - keep detailed records of everything! I learned this the hard way when I got audited for my online business. The IRS wanted to see proof of income sources, business expenses, and that I was actually running a legitimate business. For your situation, I'd recommend: - Screenshots of your payment app earnings summaries - Records of any business-related purchases (equipment, supplies, etc.) - A simple spreadsheet tracking monthly income - Any communication with customers (helps prove it's a real business) Also, since you mentioned privacy concerns, you might want to look into getting a Google Voice number for business communications instead of using your personal phone. It's free and creates another layer of separation between your business and personal life. The good news is that what you're doing is completely legitimate business activity, so don't stress too much about the privacy aspect. The IRS has seen it all and they just care that you're reporting income correctly!