Tax implications and legal concerns about selling feet pics online for extra income

I'm drowning in student loan debt and looking for some extra income streams. After some research, I've been considering selling feet pictures online to help pay this off. I've done a lot of reading on it, but I have several tax and legal questions I can't find clear answers for: 1) If I create a PayPal account using a pseudonym for this side business, will the tax documents they send me at year-end have that pseudonym on them? 2) How do I properly combine tax documents under my pseudonym with my regular personal tax documents when filing - especially since they'll have different names? 3) Will future employer background checks that use my SSN reveal this pseudonym/side business? 4) Will I need to disclose this pseudonym on all future official documents and forms beyond just tax filings? 5) Is there any way potential employers or others could discover exactly how I earned this income? (I know selling feet pics isn't considered mainstream, but my debt is crushing me and I need to get ahead financially) 6) If I want to use the same PayPal account and pseudonym for other side gigs (like tutoring), what are the implications? 7) What specific tax forms will I need to file for this income? (1099, etc.) 8) Any other tax or legal advice you'd recommend for someone in my situation? Thanks so much for any help!

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18 comments

Avery Davis

•8M

So I'm not a tax attorney, but I do have experience with self-employment taxes and side hustles. Let me try to clear some things up for you. PayPal will issue you a 1099-K if you receive more than $600 in payments within a calendar year. This document will go to whatever name and SSN/TIN you provided when setting up the account. Using a pseudonym for business purposes is fine, but you'll need your legal name and SSN connected to the payment account for tax purposes. For filing, you'll report this income on Schedule C (Profit or Loss from Business) attached to your 1040. The "business name" section can include your pseudonym as a DBA ("doing business as"), but your legal name and SSN must be on the forms. All your income gets consolidated on your tax return regardless of source. Background checks typically won't reveal specific income sources - they check criminal history, credit, employment verification, etc. The nature of your self-employment generally isn't visible. You don't need to disclose your business pseudonym on most documents unless specifically asked about business names or DBAs. As for privacy, the IRS doesn't share details about how you earned income - they just care that you reported it. "Online content creator" or "digital media sales" are perfectly legitimate business descriptions.

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Avery Davis

•8M

You don't necessarily need to list the pseudonym on Schedule C if you haven't formally registered it as a DBA, but you can include it if you want to keep your records organized. Many people use informal business names without formal registration when starting out small. Absolutely keep track of all expenses related to your business! Things like photography equipment, props, internet costs (partial), any subscription fees for platforms you use to sell, marketing costs, and even a portion of your cell phone bill if you use it for business can be legitimate deductions. Good record-keeping now will save you major headaches at tax time and maximize your deductions.

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Collins Angel

•8M

I was in a similar situation last year trying to figure out the tax maze for my side hustle. Finally found https://taxr.ai and it was a game changer for me. Their AI system analyzed my specific situation and pointed out exactly which forms I needed (Schedule C, Schedule SE) and what I could legitimately deduct. It even flagged that I needed to make quarterly estimated tax payments which I had no idea about! The document analysis feature saved me from making some pretty serious mistakes that would have cost me hundreds. Worth checking out for your situation.

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Collins Angel

•8M

It handles all kinds of unusual income sources - that's actually where it shines. It would categorize dog walking and pet sitting properly as self-employment income and walk you through the specific industry deductions you're eligible for like mileage between clients, pet supplies, insurance, etc. For business name questions, yes it definitely covered that! It explained the difference between a formal DBA registration and just using an informal business name, and how each affects your tax filings. It also clarified when you need to use your legal name vs. when you can use your business name, which was super helpful for privacy concerns.

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Marcelle Drum

•8M

Just wanted to follow up! I tried https://taxr.ai after seeing the recommendation here and wow - it actually answered all my weird tax questions about my pet sitting business in like 5 minutes. It explained exactly how to handle mixed business/personal expenses (like my car that I use for both) and pointed out that I could deduct a portion of my phone bill since I use it to coordinate with clients. It found over $3,200 in deductions I would have missed! The interface was surprisingly easy to use too - just uploaded my docs and asked my questions. So much better than paying my confused tax guy $350 last year.

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Adaline Wong

•8M

Not specifically about the feet pics, but regarding contacting the IRS with tax questions - save yourself the frustration. I spent WEEKS trying to get someone on the phone last year to clarify some self-employment questions. Finally found https://claimyr.com and their service got me connected to an actual IRS agent in under 20 minutes. They have this demo video (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) that shows exactly how it works. Seriously, don't waste days on hold like I did trying to figure this out yourself.

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Adaline Wong

•8M

It works by using an automated system that navigates the IRS phone tree and waits on hold for you. Once they reach an agent, you get a call back and are connected. It's basically like having someone else wait on hold instead of you wasting hours with your phone stuck to your ear. It's definitely not a scam - they don't ask for any sensitive financial information. They just need your phone number to call you back when an agent is reached. I was super skeptical too, but it literally saved me from wasting an entire day on hold. The IRS system is definitely overloaded, which is exactly why this service is so useful.

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Misterclamation Skyblue

•8M

I have to eat my words and apologize. After my skeptical comment, I actually tried the Claimyr service (https://claimyr.com) because I was desperate to resolve an issue with a missing 1099 form. It worked EXACTLY as described. I got a call back in about 35 minutes and was connected directly to an IRS representative who helped solve my problem. Saved me literally hours of frustration, and the agent even commented that they've been severely understaffed. So yeah, I was wrong - it's legitimate and works as advertised.

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Peyton Clarke

•8M

Venmo is actually owned by PayPal so they have similar policies. Cash App can be more flexible but still has its limitations. Many content creators use platforms specifically designed for their industry that have built-in payment processing - these tend to be much more stable since they're designed for that purpose. Some also use multiple payment methods to diversify risk. Another option is to set up a proper business entity (like an LLC) and get a business bank account. This provides an additional layer of separation between your personal finances and business activities, and gives you more professional payment options. It costs a bit to set up but provides much better protection and legitimacy.

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