It’s 2022 and the influencer industry is on the rise! It seems everyone wants to be an influencer these days and with good reason. According to Marketing Dive, the influencer marketing spend is projected to reach $15 billion this year. This means there’s plenty of money to go around. The average influencer makes anywhere between $30,000 to $100,000 per year. Bigger influencers are bringing in $500,000 to $1,000,000 per year. But a big income usually brings a big tax bill. Luckily, there are many tax deductions that influencers can take advantage of. Here are the top five tax deductions for influencers in 2022.

Smartphone

The IRS only allows you to deduct business expenses that are both ordinary and necessary to run your business. Since most influencers use their smartphones to run their businesses, the cost of a smart phone and monthly service bill is 100% tax deductible. 

Apps and Subscriptions

The same rule applies for mobile app purchases and subscription fees. If used exclusively for business purposes, they are 100% tax deductible. Among the most popular apps for influencers are Canva, Lightroom and Adobe Rush. These are only a few examples of many apps that qualify as tax deductions for influencers.

Home Office

The home office deduction is another tax deduction influencers can take advantage of. This deduction allows you to deduct a portion of your home that is used as your office. In order to qualify, the space must be used exclusively for your business.

The simplified method of calculating the home office deduction is $5 per square foot up to a maximum of 300 square feet or $1,500.00.

The regular calculation method allows you to claim a tax deduction based on the percentage of your home office square footage and home-related expenses. Some examples of home-related expenses would be rent, mortgage interest, insurance and utilities such as electricity, water, heat and internet.

Unlike the simplified method, there is no maximum of how much you can claim under the regular method. However, you should keep in mind that this method requires recordkeeping of the expenses you intend to claim. 

Courses

Influencers, especially those new to the industry, often need to take courses in order to learn how to become successful in their business. According to the IRS, for educational expenses to qualify as tax deductions, they must be for education that (1) maintains or improves skills needed in your present work or (2) a law requires to keep your present salary, status or job. Therefore, classes and courses qualify as tax deductions for influencers.

Travel Expenses

Influencers can deduct 100% of travel and lodging expenses if their trip is entirely business-related. For example, if you are a travel or lifestyle influencer and you take a trip to California exclusively to shoot content for your blog and social media channels, your entire trip is tax deductible.

In addition, you can deduct trips taken on public transportation when they are made for business purposes, including rides on the bus, subway, train or taxi. For example, trips to photo shoot locations or business meetings qualify as tax deductible travel expenses for influencers.

Keep in mind, there are exceptions to this rule. You can’t claim expenses for commuting from home to work and vice versa, whether you use your own vehicle or public transportation.

Business Expenses

There are a ton of business expenses that qualify as tax deductions for influencers. Some examples include business cards, flyers, social media promotion, paid ads, giveaway prizes, email marketing platforms, props purchased for photoshoots, ring lights, backdrops, cameras, etc. As long as the expenses are “ordinary and necessary” for your job as an influencer, they are tax deductible. 

Remember, as a self-employed influencer, you are responsible for claiming every deduction that you qualify for in order to reduce your taxable income. This is why it’s so important to keep track of your records throughout the year. This way you’re not scrambling trying to remember your expenses come tax season! 

If you found this blog post helpful, send it to a friend! If you learned anything from it share the link on your IG stories and please tag me @curlsnpearlsss so I can see it! These mentions on IG make my day! Xo

Check Out Other Creator Tips Blog Posts!

Influencer Rates 101: What To Charge For Usage Rights, Exclusivity And Whitelisting

How To Beat The Instagram Algorithm And Grow Your Following Organically