What to Do If You’ve Avoided Paying Taxes or Filing Previous Tax Returns as a Content Creator

Taxes can be confusing, overwhelming, and sometimes even scary. If you’ve been making money as a content creator but haven’t filed your taxes in previous years, you’re not alone. Maybe you didn’t think you’d earned enough to file. Or you didn’t think the income you earned from content creation was taxable. Or you just didn’t know how to file taxes as a content creator. Filing previous tax returns as a content creator may seem daunting, but it’s never too late to get back on track and avoid potential penalties.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you sort things out without losing any sleep.

Don’t Panic

Not filing taxes might feel like a big problem, but it’s one that has a solution. The IRS wants you to file and pay your taxes, but they’re more interested in helping you get compliant than punishing you right away. The sooner you take action, the better.

Step 1: Gather Your Records

Start by pulling together all your financial records. You’ll need to determine how much money you made and what expenses you can deduct. Start by collecting:

• 1099 forms (if platforms like YouTube, Patreon, OnlyFans, etc., sent you any)
• Bank statements showing income deposits
• Expense receipts related to your content creation (the new laptop you bought to edit your videos, software, advertising, etc.)
• Past tax returns (if you’ve filed before)

If you’re missing some income details, there are options to find them. Most platforms have records of how much they paid you. If you purchased items or services online, you may be able to find receipts for past years there. If you need tax records, you can request them from your state tax department and the IRS.

Step 2: File Your Back Taxes

Once you have all the necessary information, it’s time to file the returns you’ve missed.

If you only missed one year, you can usually file it just like a normal tax return. If you’ve missed multiple years, consider working with a tax professional to ensure accuracy and avoid mistakes.

If you owe money, the IRS will notify you of any penalties or interest. But don’t let that scare you—there are ways to deal with it.

Step 3: Set Up a Payment Plan (If Needed)

If you can’t pay everything you owe immediately, don’t stress. The IRS offers payment plans that let you split the payments over a period of time.

Ignoring your tax debt won’t make it go away, but setting up a plan shows good faith and prevents things from getting worse.

Step 4: Stay on Track Moving Forward

Now that you’re getting back on track, it’s important to stay on top of your taxes going forward. Here’s how:

Make Estimated Quarterly Payments: Since content creators are often self-employed, you may need to pay estimated taxes every few months to avoid a big bill at tax time.

Keep Better Records: Use accounting software or apps like QuickBooks, Wave, or even a simple spreadsheet to track income and expenses. We even have one you can use! 

Work with a Tax Professional: A CPA or tax preparer who understands content creators can help you navigate future filings and ensure you’re taking advantage of all deductions. (Good thing you are in the right spot to find one of those!) 

Conclusion

Avoiding taxes might have seemed like the easy route at first, and now that time has passed, getting out of the hole seems scary.

But you can get back on track. And the sooner you take care of it, the sooner you can pay what you owe and stop worrying. Worry and desperation never lead to good business decisions.