Taxes

Quick Answer Food bloggers can deduct ingredients used to test and develop new recipes, food photography props and equipment, kitchen equipment used primarily for the blog, food styling supplies, and standard business expenses (software, hosting, marketing, professional services). The catch: once a recipe is finalized, ingredients for repeat cooking aren’t deductible, and personal grocery shopping … Read more

Quick Answer Online coaches can deduct business travel for clients and conferences, contractor and assistant costs, software and program subscriptions, marketing and advertising, professional development, coaching certifications, recording and studio equipment, health insurance premiums, retirement contributions, home office expenses, and standard online business operating costs. Personal travel, regular clothing, and decoration purchases stay personal. Clean … Read more

Quick Answer Photographers can deduct cameras and lenses, lighting and tripods, editing software (Lightroom, Photoshop, Capture One), props and backdrops, travel for client shoots, studio rent or home office, mileage, education, contractors, marketing, and standard business expenses. Most equipment over a certain dollar threshold is depreciated rather than expensed in one year. Mixed personal-and-business use … Read more

Quick Answer Maybe — and the answer depends on three things: where your buyer lives, whether that state taxes digital products, and whether you have “nexus” there. As a course creator, you only need to collect sales tax in states where (1) you have an economic or physical nexus AND (2) the state classifies your … Read more

Is your blog or side project a hobby or a business? It’s one of the most common questions in the online business world, and the answer matters more than most people realize, especially at tax time. The IRS treats a hobby and a business very differently. Get the classification wrong, and you could miss out … Read more

If you’re a business owner wondering whether you can pay your child to work in your business and lower your tax bill, the short answer is yes. Hiring your child as a legitimate employee is one of the most underused tax strategies available to small business owners and self-employed entrepreneurs. But it’s not as simple … Read more

When you run an online business, your “team” can look very different from a traditional company. You might have a virtual assistant in another time zone, a bookkeeper who works on her own schedule, a copywriter you only hire for launches, and an attorney you call once a year. So the question is fair — … Read more

Quick Answer If you receive multiple 1099 forms (like a 1099-K from PayPal and a 1099-NEC from a client) for the same income, only use the 1099-NEC to file your tax return — the 1099-K is just informational. Report total business income (matching what your bookkeeping shows), with fees and processor costs deducted as expenses. … Read more