If you are taking your web modeling business seriously you got to pay taxes. Otherwise sooner or later you’ll get in trouble with IRS that will result in fines and other problems. If you are making money but haven’t filed your taxes yet hurry up! April 15 is the deadline to file taxes (in US) and it’s coming close.
If the word Taxes scares you, don’t worry! There are many things you can write off your earnings which will leave you paying taxes on significantly smaller amount. So for example if you made $15,000 a year and spent $7000 for your business needs you will pay taxes only on remaining $8,000.
To file taxes you need the help of accountant. Don’t even bother doing it yourself. Accountants charge $50 – $200 but these money well worth it to make sure that everything is done right. Or you can use online services like TurboTax that will guide you through the whole process. But it may get complicated and it costs money too.
You should file taxes as self employed. As for the title of your job try to come up with something that doesn’t imply that it’s adult oriented. Many girl use “web model” and “webcam model”.
You do need to keep track of your expenses that you are going to write off. Those who file taxes as self-employed randomly get audited so you should be able to back up your expenses. The best way to keep track of your business expenses is to have separate credit card that you only use for things relating to your business. This way all your expenses will be in one place. Otherwise you’ll have to keep all your receipts. If you do collect the receipts make sure that you highlight which expenses are for business use in case there are other items on the receipt.
And now as promised here is the list of things you can write off. Note that some things can only be partially written off depending on how much you use them for the business. For example if you work from home you can write off your electricity expenses but only about 30% depending on how much you work per day. Here is the list:
- percentage of rent
- heat
- electricity
- water
- internet
- apartment repairs
- office supplies
- computer equipment
- caming equipment
- hair
- makeup
- nails
- supplements
- tanning
- beauty products
- waxing
- clothes
- lingerie
- toys
- lubricant
- shoes
- internet advertising
- cam room decorations
- cosmetic surgery
- gas
- airfare
- train tickets
- car
- hotel
Conclusion
Webcam modeling business requires you to be beautiful in order to make money. And staying beautiful takes a lot of money as well. So why wouldn’t to use it as advantage and reduce to the minimum the taxes you have to pay? What else do you write off your webcam modeling expenses?
{ 29 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for the advice! I model professionally in addition to webcamming and other models have told me though that you have to be careful about writing off certain things. For example, lingerie and toys…UNLESS you are ONLY using them for business purposes, you cannot write them off. Many models don’t write off makeup, lingerie, etc., because they use these things in their personal life too. Also, I thought if you write off a home office, you have to ONLY use that room for work.
Anyway, I think the safest thing is to have an accountant do your taxes! They know all this stuff
Do you have any form templates that you can email me that I can use to help keep track of my expenses. Thanks for the “using a different credit card” tip! =] Also I love your posts… they are VERY helpful!
Thanks for the comment, Pandora. I agree with you that you can’t write off 100% of your expenses on many things. But it should be safe to write off a certain percentage. Sure models use make up in their real life. But it should be safe to write off at least 30% of their make up expenses for the whole year.
You can use something as simple as Excel spreadsheet with 4 columns: date, expense name, amount, notes. Or if you use smartphone like iPhone, Google phone, etc there are nice applications that let you keep track of your expenses right from you phone.
I’m glad you like my posts!
You can print off the earning page on the billing that you use or if your working on a site you can print off the earnings page. to help keep track of your income.
not filing your taxes is worst then filing.
In the United States the only cosmetic surgery that seems to be tax deductible is breast implants over 1000cc’s.
This is what they call the ‘Chesty Love’ ruling.
The maintenance of the implants is also tax deductible.
In response to Miss Pandora, I have a sepearte make up set and toy box for work, I also take pictures of myself in my work outfits (whilst at work) and put them into a file.
As long as what you use is ‘wholly and soley’ for the purpose of your work it should be okay.
I was told that you only have to file for taxes if you make over a certain amount but I’m not sure if that’s true or not. If so, what is the amount in Canada? I make about $100-200 a month but no more than $400. I’m not a serious cam model so I don’t live off it its just something I do for extra cash on the side. Any Information is helpful
For CRA you can make 8000 a year and pay no taxes
(thanks dynamitexxx for the hint 
)
What is the $ amount in NV, USA in which you don’t need to file? If I made below 8,000 do I have to file?
Christymay, I am wondering the same thing. Please help!
I am thinking about signing up for a webcam model. I am really hesitant because of taxes. Will they send me w2’s at the end of the year like a regular job? and will i have to owe money instead of getting money back?
Do I file taxes even as a new model that hasn’t really went on to make much yet? Or only when i make thousands?
You shouldn’t worry about taxes if you make just a little. But if you start making thousands, then yes, file the taxes
I was wondering the same thing. I make between $800-$1000/month. I live in the US. Does anyone know where I can find more info about this
? Nothing came up besides this.
This helped so much thank you. I was very confused on how to file taxes without a form from my modeling agency.
I live in the US and only made 1300 this year, do I still have to file?
I’m confused on how to even send money to the IRS.
Last year I made 10k and had to pay tons of taxes, and got no refund at all, and am only 19.
The minimum income for filing a federal income tax return may be as little as $400 in net earnings, if you are self-employed. So, yes you have to file taxes. But from the other perspective $1300 is not such a big amount so you might get away with it without paying taxes. Although it will assume some risk.
Sorry if u tried to use over half of those as tax write offs u would get an IRS Audit…
All webcam Models must file Taxes! If you don’t they WILL CATCH YOU and you do not want to go through that….. When you start working for the site you give your Social Security Number and even though the company works out of the country and even though they do not take taxes out of your pay, they DO REPORT YOUR EARNINGS to the country you live in! SO even though you may have not reported your pay to the IRS, the website you work for HAS. You cannot hide from the IRS, Webcam Models MUST pay taxes…
As a WebCam Model you are considered an Independent contractor. Do NOT try to write off these items as they are dis allowed…
–> supplements, waxing, makeup, haircuts, lube, adult toys, clothes, gym, tanning. None of these are deductible. I know because I found out the hard way and it was horrible!
Also, do NOT try to write off shoes, under garments, lingerie these will get an audit without a doubt!
The computer, camera, internet, rent, electricity are allowed at a very low rate. It will depend on how many hours you are using them for WORK and you must be able to PROVE and have records kept that they were used entirely during those times for WORK only.
If you are living / working in the United States as I am, then hopefully u paid your quarterly payments? If not, expect to owe thousands of dollars, especially if you Webcam full time…
Visit your library / bookstores for good books
on filing a Schedule C (business profit/loss)
statement. If you make over $400 net, you are also required to File SE.
PLEASE – Do your reading as audits are a hassle. Also if this is your first year as a Webcam Model, please see an Accountant. Do NOT File your Taxes with Online Software. You NEED a Professional Accountant that KNOWS THE LAWS.
I just started webcam model. If I start making 1,000s what do I do? Do I just keep track of how much money I have earned, put a certain amount away for taxes. Then when year is over have an accountant do the work?
I am considering becoming a cam girl, but honestly don’t plan on making much. I live in IL so what would be the most I could make a year and not file? I’m new to the tax thing, because I haven’t had a job yet due to medical circumstances.
If u r injured because of a car accident and can not do manual labor and need the freedom of a webcam girl job, but you collect ssi can a girl still work webcamming and will her ssi get cut off if she works doing this.
I only made $3,251.00 in 2013 doing webcam modelling. I was told by a former webcam model that I could deduct business expenses. I have receipts, but it’s mostly for toys and things I wear on cam. I am using Turbo Tax Deluxe to do my taxes. Should I file quarterly and how do I do that if I make more money in 2014?
To everyone asking if they need to file taxes even if they are making very little. The answer is yes. If you owe anything to the IRS they want it, and I have found the best way to see how much you are most likely going to owe is by visiting https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/calculators/taxcaster/
And to another question I saw in the comments they will not send you a w2, you are considered an independent contractor which pretty much means you have to pay a self employed tax. You will receive a 1099 misc form.
Awesome ideas on things to write off though! Thanks for the info and I’m definitely looking for receipts now. :p
I been camming since Feb 2015 full time! I have earned over 16K this year. I have a separate savings account were I put away 30% of what I earn. I also keep a spread sheet of what I use for my business and a folder for ALL my receipts and in response to Miss Keri I AM writing off make up, lingerie and adult toys because I use them for my business. I never had any and once I started camming I had to make those purchases. I have the receipt to prove it so audit away IRS. Being a web cam model requires you to stay beautiful and staying beautiful cost money! Good luck ladies, once I file my taxes Ill update this post. Hopefully it wont be too bad:)
I’m also seeking advice. I know that I have to file but I can’t really pull up records of how much I made on the site or go back that far, until my check comes. I just now really started thinking about taxes and had no idea that I had to pay them back so I guess you could say that i’m pretty clueless, so I have a couple hundred dollars saved here and there but I haven’t been saving for taxes because like I said, i’m totally clueless. I have a few months to figure it out but, i’m pretty anxious.
I’m getting a lot of conflicting information. Some of the things you guys sound scary, i’m not sure what to believe. I have purchased the following things since I started camming:
– Webcam
-lighting
– a 100 and something dollar tip reactive vibrator
– costumes
– sex toys
I can’t figure out if it will be okay to write off any of that stuff. I read where someone said that they wrote them off as props. I don’t know who to file with, I’m in the USA. I’ve also heard other people say that you can write off portions of:
– Rent
-Heat
-Electricity
-Internet bills
But why is it that you have to work out of one room. I like to use multiple rooms for camming but I guess I could set up a designated room. Does it really matter? I’m kind of afraid that after all of this time i’m going to have to pay back thousands of dollars or something. Not to mention paying an accountant. I’ve always had terrible luck with taxes, even when I busted my ass working at normal jobs I hardly ever got anything back… I never even got a federal tax return last year. So I guess if anyone has any information they could share please do..until then I guess I’ll try to get information together in an anxious frenzy…
By the way I’ve heard of people saving receipts but what about online purchases?
also can someone explain quarterly payments to me?
Here is a good post about doing taxes as a camgirl: http://www.camgirltoolbox.com/camming-tax-advice-doing-taxes-as-a-camgirl/
Do NOT deduct lingerie, clothes, shoes, makeup, etc. Unless you want an audit!
*CANADA*
Hello fellow camgirls! Question for Canadian girls that file their own taxes.
I already know to report it as self-employed, but was curious which job title do you guys select?
I used TurboTax and it was very helpful, I ended up selecting the one under artists/performers etc
and in another space I clarified and wrote Model. It also asked me if I make money from any site and I wrote myfreecams.com because that is where I cam.
Any more info is helpful. this was my first year doing taxes as camgirl
thx in advance <3
ALSO when you apply for an apartment etc, what do you write as employment?
Also to add to my previous post, I am not writing anything off. It is not worth the hassle of possibly getting audited in my opinion
(i don’t use my home just to cam, i live here and I use the internet for personal purposes not just camming . as for toys an other things most of the stuff i already had)
so yeah, all i want is to report the money i made.