Tax filing questions for selling feet pictures online - reporting 1099 income?

Hey there! I understand the financial pressure you're under. Let me help clarify some of these tax questions. For income from selling digital content (including feet pics), you'll be considered a self-employed independent contractor. Here's what you need to know: 1) PayPal will issue a 1099-K if you receive over $600 in payments (new threshold for 2025). They'll use whatever legal information you provided when setting up the account, which must be your real name and SSN/TIN for tax purposes. 2) You'll report all this income on Schedule C (Profit or Loss from Business) as part of your personal tax return. You can use a "doing business as" (DBA) name, but your legal name and SSN still connect everything. 3) Standard background checks don't typically show self-employment income sources, just employment history, credit, and legal issues. You'll need to keep track of all income and business expenses. The IRS doesn't care what specific product you're selling as long as it's legal and you're reporting the income accurately.

I went through something similar last year with online content creation (not feet pics specifically, but similar tax situation). After hours of frustrating research and conflicting advice, I found taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it was a game-changer. You upload your 1099 forms and income documents, and their AI analyzes everything to maximize deductions for self-employed creators. It also answers specific questions about business aliases and keeping your side gig separate from your main employment. The best part is it explains everything in plain English without judgment. It was super helpful for figuring out exactly what I could deduct as a digital content creator and how to properly report income under different business names. Saved me from a ton of anxiety about doing something wrong!

Just wanted to update after trying taxr.ai from the recommendation above. It was exactly what I needed! I uploaded my PayPal statements and it automatically categorized everything, showing me which expenses were deductible for my content creation business. The documentation guidance was super helpful - it explained I should keep my business name consistent across platforms but that I don't need to register a formal DBA unless my state requires it. It also showed me how to properly report everything on Schedule C while maximizing privacy. The section on record-keeping requirements was eye-opening too. Definitely feeling more confident about tax season now!

If you're worried about tax issues, wait until you try calling the IRS with questions! I spent THREE DAYS trying to get through to ask about reporting digital content income and using a business name. Always busy or disconnected. Finally used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) after seeing it in a YouTube video (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c). They got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes when I'd been trying for days. The agent confirmed everything I needed to know about Schedule C reporting and using a business name vs. legal name. Huge relief to get official answers straight from the IRS instead of random internet advice. Definitely worth it for peace of mind on tax compliance.

I was completely wrong about Claimyr and need to apologize. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try it myself since I had questions about reporting online income that weren't covered in the IRS publications. Within 30 minutes, I was speaking with an IRS representative who patiently explained how to properly report income from digital content sales and clarified the rules around business names vs. legal names on tax forms. I was shocked at how helpful they were. The agent even emailed me specific form instructions and documentation requirements I'd need to maintain. Never would have gotten this information otherwise since I gave up trying to call them on my own after hours of attempts.

Something important nobody's mentioned yet - if you're making decent money from this, consider making quarterly estimated tax payments. Self-employment income doesn't have taxes withheld, and you'll owe both income tax AND self-employment tax (15.3% for Social Security/Medicare). If you don't pay enough throughout the year, you could face underpayment penalties. Form 1040-ES is what you'll use for quarterly payments. Also, check if your state requires you to register your business name as a DBA ("doing business as"). Some states require this if you're operating under a name different from your legal name. Requirements and fees vary by location.

Former adult content creator here. Beyond the tax stuff, protect yourself legally: 1) Consider forming an LLC if your income gets substantial (over $10k/year). It's an extra layer of protection and can make your business name official. 2) Keep ALL income from this completely separate from your regular job income. Separate PayPal, separate bank account if possible. 3) Document EVERYTHING. Save screenshots of payments, keep detailed expense records, and maintain a business log. In case of audit, you need to prove this is a legitimate business. 4) Look into a VPN and privacy tools for online security. 5) Be careful with PayPal - they're known to freeze accounts associated with adult content. Some creators use alternative payment processors. Good luck and stay safe!