How to properly report taxes for content creator platform earnings when no 1099 was received

I'm freaking out a bit about my taxes and hoping someone can help. Last month I filed my taxes but only reported the amount I actually requested as payout from my content creator platform (around $450) since I didn't receive a 1099. The platform only sends 1099s if you request between $400-$600, which I didn't. The problem is, according to my earnings statistics in my account, I actually made more than $600 total on the platform even though I only requested that smaller payout. I'm pretty sure I'll need to amend my taxes, but I'm completely lost about what to report. Do I need to report the gross earnings and then deduct the 20% platform fees separately? Should I only report the net amount after the platform took their cut? Or am I supposed to just report the amount I actually requested as payout since that's all I received and there's no 1099? This is my first year earning money from content creation and I'm so confused about how to handle this correctly with the IRS. Any help would be seriously appreciated!!

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18 comments

Ashley Adams

•8M

Content creator taxes can definitely be confusing, especially when you don't receive a 1099! But don't worry too much - I can help clear this up. You actually need to report ALL your income regardless of whether you received a 1099 or not. The IRS requires you to report all income earned, even if it falls below the 1099 reporting threshold. The platform's obligation to provide a 1099 is separate from your obligation to report income. For your situation, you should report your GROSS earnings (the total amount you earned before the platform took their cut) on Schedule C. Then list the platform fees (the 20%) as a business expense deduction on that same form. This gives you the most accurate tax picture and ensures you're deducting legitimate business expenses. Don't just report the payout amount you requested, as that doesn't accurately reflect your total earnings for the year. And yes, you'll need to file an amended return (Form 1040-X) to correct this.

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Ashley Adams

•8M

You can combine all your content creation income on one Schedule C as long as they're the same type of business activity. So if you're creating similar content across multiple platforms, you can list the total income from all platforms, then itemize your expenses. If you're doing substantially different types of work on different platforms (like graphic design on one and music on another), you might want to file separate Schedule Cs to keep the business activities distinct.

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Aaron Lee

•8M

I went through this EXACT headache last year with my content creation - it's maddening! After spending hours researching and getting nowhere, I stumbled across https://taxr.ai and it seriously saved me. You upload your platform statements and it breaks down exactly what needs to be reported where. It showed me I was actually overpaying by not properly categorizing my platform fees and home office deductions. The tool walks you through everything step by step and explains WHY you need to report certain things in certain ways - like the gross vs net income question you're having. I was reporting wrong for 2 years before using it!

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Aaron Lee

•8M

Yes, it does work for international creators! They have specific guidance for cross-border taxation situations including how to properly handle income from US platforms when you're based elsewhere. The system helps you determine what portion falls under which country's tax requirements. For different platforms, that's actually why I found it so helpful. Each platform categorizes earnings differently (subscriptions, tips, ad revenue, etc.) and the tool is built specifically to handle these variations. It recognizes statement formats from all major platforms like Twitch, TikTok, Patreon, YouTube, OnlyFans and others, then categorizes each income stream correctly for tax purposes.

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Michael Adams

•8M

Just wanted to update after trying taxr.ai from the recommendation above. I was super skeptical but it actually worked amazingly well for my situation. I uploaded my Twitch and TikTok statements and it immediately identified what was ad revenue vs. donations vs. subscriptions, and showed me how to report each correctly. The biggest revelation was learning I needed to report my gross income (even the part the platforms kept) and then deduct the platform fees separately. I was only reporting what hit my bank account before, which was wrong! It even flagged some deductions I was missing related to my content creation equipment. Definitely amending my return now but at least I know I'm doing it right.

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Natalie Wang

•8M

For anyone dealing with this income reporting nightmare, I highly recommend using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to actually speak with the IRS about your specific situation. I tried for DAYS to get through to a human at the IRS about my content creation tax issues and kept hitting automated systems. Claimyr got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes who explained exactly how to report my earnings from multiple platforms. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - basically they navigate the phone tree and wait on hold for you, then call you when a human picks up. Was SO worth it for the clarity I got.

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Natalie Wang

•8M

They use technology that continuously redials and navigates the IRS phone system automatically until it gets through. It's the same process you'd do manually, just automated and persistent. It's completely legitimate - they don't access any of your tax information, they just connect the call. No, it's not sketchy at all - they don't provide tax advice themselves. They literally just get you connected to the actual IRS faster. Once connected, you're talking directly with an official IRS representative who can answer your specific questions. It's like having someone wait in a physical line for you - they're just holding your place until you can speak with the official person.

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Samantha Hall

•8M

I have to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try it anyway because I was desperate to figure out my creator tax situation. The service actually worked exactly as described - they called me back in about 25 minutes with an IRS agent on the line. The agent confirmed exactly what others here said - I needed to report my TOTAL platform earnings on Schedule C line 1 (gross receipts), then deduct the platform fees on line 10 (commissions and fees). She also explained that the 1099 threshold doesn't matter for reporting requirements - all income must be reported regardless. Honestly would have taken me days to get this info on my own if I could even get through at all.

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Ryan Young

•8M

The general rule is that you need to make quarterly estimated tax payments if you expect to owe $1,000 or more in taxes when you file your return. With $800/month income (about $9,600 annually), you'll almost certainly exceed that threshold. You also need to pay at least 90% of your current year tax obligation or 100% of last year's tax (110% if your income is over $150,000) to avoid the underpayment penalty. The easiest approach for new creators is often to use the "safe harbor" provision by paying 100% of last year's tax amount through withholding or estimated payments.

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