Need help with taxes for selling feet pics as side income - how to keep it private?

I'm a tax preparer, and I can definitely help with this situation! When you earn money from any side gig - including selling pictures online - it's considered self-employment income, and yes, technically all income needs to be reported regardless of the amount. The good news is that you'll report this on a Schedule C (Profit or Loss from Business) as part of your regular tax return. You don't need a separate filing or anything that would specifically call attention to what you're selling. The business description can be something generic like "Digital Content Creation" or "Online Content Sales" - the IRS doesn't need specifics about what type of content. For keeping things discreet, consider opening a separate bank account for these earnings if possible. Many banks offer free checking accounts for students. You could also use payment apps like Venmo or Cash App initially, though remember these platforms now report to the IRS if you receive more than $600 in a year. And don't forget you can deduct legitimate business expenses against this income - even simple things like a portion of your phone bill if you use it for this business, cost of any props or accessories, or even a percentage of internet costs.

I was in a similar situation last year trying to figure out my taxes for my digital art commissions. I tried Googling everything and got so confused until I found taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai). It's seriously so helpful for side hustle situations! I uploaded screenshots of my payment history and it analyzed everything, then explained exactly what form I needed to fill out and what I could deduct. The best part is it walks you through Schedule C without having to talk to anyone or get "official" tax advice that might expose what you're doing. It also helped me understand what counts as a business expense - like I could deduct part of my internet bill and my stylus, even though I use them for school too. For your situation, it would probably help clarify exactly what you need to report and how to categorize everything discreetly.

Okay so I was totally in your position last year and was super nervous about taxes for my cosplay photo sets. I remembered this thread and tried taxr.ai after seeing it recommended here. It was actually really helpful! I took screenshots of my payment history from various platforms and uploaded them. The system helped me figure out that I could list my business as "Digital Content Creation" on my Schedule C, showed me exactly what I could deduct (part of my phone bill, props, editing software), and even explained how to handle cash payments. The best part was I did my taxes myself without my parents seeing anything specific about what I was selling. Everything was filed properly but the description was generic enough that nobody would know what kind of content I was creating. Definitely recommend for anyone with "unique" side hustles!

When I started my side business selling custom digital art, I realized I needed to talk to the IRS about how to handle some complicated payment situations, but I couldn't get through to anyone for WEEKS. I was seriously freaking out until someone recommended Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was skeptical, but they have this demo video (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) that shows how it works. Basically they hold your place in the IRS phone queue so you don't have to stay on hold forever. I got a callback from an actual IRS agent who answered my questions about filing as a content creator without revealing exactly what I was creating. For your situation, it might be worth having a private conversation with an IRS agent (they seriously don't care WHAT you sell, they just want their cut) to make sure you're doing everything right and to get peace of mind about the privacy aspects.

Well I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After posting that comment I tried calling the IRS myself about a side income question and spent THREE HOURS on hold before getting disconnected. Did this for two more days with the same result. Finally tried the Claimyr service and got a callback in 90 minutes from an actual IRS rep who answered all my questions about reporting side income without needing to specify exactly what I was selling. They just categorized it as "digital content sales" and explained how to report it on Schedule C without any awkward questions. The IRS person also explained that I don't need to worry about a business license for small-scale online sales and gave me tips on what records to keep. Definitely worth it just for the peace of mind knowing I'm doing everything correctly and privately.

Something else to consider - if you're worried about your mom seeing deposits, maybe look into getting a prepaid card that you can use for receiving payments? That way the money doesn't hit your regular bank account that she might have access to. I do photography on the side and keep all those earnings separate from my main account. Services like Cash App, Venmo, and PayPal can all link to a separate card. Just remember they'll still report to the IRS if you go over $600 for the year.

Friendly reminder that if you do make decent money from this, you should consider making quarterly estimated tax payments! When I started my Etsy shop, I didn't know this and got hit with a penalty the first year. Self-employment income gets taxed at about 15.3% for the self-employment tax portion (Medicare/Social Security) on top of regular income tax. So definitely set aside more than you think you'll need.

Just wanted to add - you mentioned you're 18 and your mom helps with taxes. Since you're legally an adult, you have the right to file your taxes independently if you want privacy. You could tell her you want to learn to do them yourself this year for experience, or that your taxes are getting more complicated with multiple income sources. If you do file independently, make sure you understand whether you can still be claimed as a dependent on her return (usually yes if she provides more than half your support and you're under 24 and a student, or under 19 otherwise). Being a dependent affects some of your tax benefits but doesn't change your obligation to report all income. Also, when you report self-employment income on Schedule C, you can be very generic with the business description. "Online digital content sales" or "freelance digital media" are perfectly acceptable and don't reveal specifics about what you're selling. The IRS cares about the money, not the details of your business model.