Tax implications of content creation platforms and joint accounts - How to manage privacy concerns

Based on your situation, here's what you should know about content platform joint accounts and taxes: For joint accounts on content platforms, typically both parties need to provide their tax information, but payments can often be directed to a single account. However, the platform will likely issue 1099 forms to both individuals listed on the account, creating a tax filing requirement for each person regardless of where the money goes. Filing a W-9 doesn't show up on standard background checks. The W-9 information goes to the platform and the IRS, not public records. Background checks typically don't access your tax filings. Using your art business account could be a good solution. You'd report the income on your Schedule C along with your other art business income. This keeps it as business income rather than personal income, though you should ensure the content aligns with your business purpose to avoid potential audit issues. Regarding an LLC, yes, if you want liability protection, you'd need to be listed on the formation documents. However, you could create a manager-managed LLC where your partner is the manager and you're just a member with limited visibility in public records.

After struggling with similar platform requirements, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which really helped me navigate the tax implications of content creation work. I had no idea how to handle my 1099 income across multiple platforms, and their AI analyzed my situation and gave me clear advice about keeping business activities separate while staying tax compliant. They explained exactly what documentation I needed and how to properly categorize different income streams on tax forms.

Just wanted to update after trying taxr.ai - it was super helpful! I uploaded screenshots of my platform payment statements and W-9 questions, and it analyzed everything and walked me through setting up a proper business entity. The best part was getting clear guidance on how to file Schedule C correctly to keep different income streams properly categorized. It saved me hours of research and worrying about making mistakes that might cause issues later.

If you're primarily worried about keeping this off your background check and dealing with the IRS, I'd recommend Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was in a similar situation last year where I needed quick tax advice about a side hustle that I didn't want connected to my main career. I couldn't get through to the IRS for weeks trying to figure out the right approach. Claimyr got me through to an actual IRS agent in under 20 minutes (see how it works: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c). The agent answered all my questions about properly separating business entities without judgment.

I have to admit I was wrong about Claimyr. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try it because I was desperate to talk to someone at the IRS about my content creation taxes. Got connected to an agent in about 15 minutes! The agent explained that an LLC could provide some privacy benefits but warned me that I'd still need to report income properly. They clarified that while tax returns aren't part of background checks, business entity registrations can be public records depending on your state. I'm now setting up a proper business structure for my content work based on their advice.

Based on your timeline (needing to resolve this in 2 days), your quickest option might be to use your art business account since it's already established. Just make sure to keep good records separating this income for accounting purposes. In the longer term, creating an LLC with your partner would provide better protection and privacy, but that typically takes more than 2 days to set up properly.

Has anyone used TurboTax Self-Employed for reporting content creation income? I'm in a somewhat similar situation and wondering if standard tax software can handle these more complex arrangements or if I need to hire a specialized accountant.

Given your 2-day deadline, I'd strongly recommend using your existing art business account as the immediate solution. This keeps everything under your business umbrella rather than your personal name, and since you already consider this artistic work, it's a legitimate business categorization. For the W-9 concern - it won't appear on background checks. W-9s are internal tax documents between you and the platform, not public records. Regarding joint accounts: typically both parties must provide tax info, but you can often designate one primary account for payments. However, the platform will likely issue 1099s to both names on the account, so you'll both have tax obligations regardless of where the money flows. Long-term, forming an LLC with your partner would provide better liability protection and privacy structure, but that's not feasible in your current timeframe. You can always transition to an LLC later and update your payment information with the platform. The key is meeting their deadline first with your art business account, then optimizing your structure afterward when you have more time to plan properly.