Quarterly taxes for content creators: A complete guide

What if we asked you your taxable income for 2024?

You might think, “Isn’t it too early to worry about that? It’s barely 2025!”

Not quite. If you’re making money as a content creator, you need to estimate your taxable income as you go—because the IRS expects you to pay taxes on it throughout the year.

Here’s why:

Your 2024 taxes (covering January 1 – December 31, 2024) are due on April 15, 2025.

And if you expect to owe more than $1,000 in taxes for the year, you’re required to make quarterly payments—rather than waiting until tax season.

By April 15, 2025, you need to make your first estimated quarterly tax payment for 2025 (covering income earned from January 1 – March 31, 2025).

As a content creator, whether you’re earning $6,000 or six figures, staying on top of tax payments is crucial. Otherwise, you risk IRS penalties—which have spiked in recent years. 

In 2023, the average estimated tax penalty spiked^[1] to about $500, up from just $150 in 2022—that’s a steep price to pay for not planning ahead.

Not sure where to start? Don’t worry—this guide breaks it all down for you.

What are quarterly taxes?

Quarterly taxes are estimated tax payments that self-employed individuals—including freelancers, independent contractors, and content creators—must send to the IRS (and in some cases, state tax agencies) four times a year.

Unlike traditional employees, who have taxes withheld from each paycheck, self-employed individuals must handle bookkeeping for content creators and pay their taxes directly throughout the year.

Quarterly tax payments cover two main components:

• Income tax: Based on your total earnings from content creation, sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and other business activities.
• Self-employment tax: Covers Social Security and Medicare taxes—which are typically split between employer and employee. As your own boss, you’re responsible for the full 15.3%.

Also read: Schedule SE (form 1040): Filing the self-employment tax form

Who needs to pay quarterly taxes?

If you expect to owe $1,000 or more in taxes for the year, the IRS requires you to make quarterly estimated tax payments. Skipping these payments can lead to penalties and interest charges.

You’ll likely need to pay quarterly taxes if your income comes from:

• Sponsorships and brand deals
• Affiliate marketing payments
• Ad revenue from YouTube, TikTok, or other platforms
• Sales of digital products, courses, or merchandise

If you’re unsure whether you meet the threshold, it’s better to estimate and pay rather than risk penalties. Make sure your bookkeeping for content creators is always up-to-date for an accurate estimate. A tax professional can help, or you can calculate your estimated taxes using IRS Form 1040-ES^[2].

When are quarterly taxes due?

Quarterly estimated tax payments follow this schedule every year:

• April 15 – Covers income earned from January 1 – March 31
• June 15 – Covers income earned from April 1 – May 31
• September 15 – Covers income earned from June 1 – August 31
• January 15 (of the following year) – Covers income earned from September 1 – December 31

If a due date falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day.

How to calculate quarterly taxes

Estimating your quarterly tax payments as a content creator is pretty straightforward if you keep up with your bookkeeping for content creators and then break it down into a few key steps. 

Here’s how to do it:

Step 1: Estimate your total income

Start by determining how much you expect to earn this year. If you’ve been creating content for a while, use past earnings as a reference. If you’re newer, make an estimate based on your current income streams and expected growth.

For example:

• If you’ve been earning $5,000 per month, your estimated annual income would be:
  $5,000 × 12 = $60,000

Step 2: Subtract business expenses

Yes, you earn from a personal brand, but that doesn’t mean you should mix your personal and business finances. In fact, content creators need to be even more mindful of this separation than other businesses, as the risk of commingling funds is much higher.

Keeping finances separate is essential for many reasons, one of the most important being the ability to claim tax write-offs.

As a self-employed content creator, you can deduct business-related expenses to lower your taxable income and maximize your savings.

Common tax deductions for content creators include:

• Equipment (cameras, microphones, lighting, computers)
• Software & subscriptions (video editing tools, analytics platforms, graphic design software)
• Home office expenses (if you use a dedicated workspace)
• Travel costs (flights, hotels, and transportation for business-related trips)
• Internet & phone bills (percentage used for business)

For example:

• If your annual business expenses total $10,000, subtract them from your estimated income:
  $60,000 – $10,000 = $50,000 taxable income

Also read: 18 popular tax deductions for business owners in 2024-2025

Step 3: Calculate your tax liability

Now that you have your taxable income, it’s time to determine how much you’ll owe in federal income tax and self-employment tax.

Federal income tax – Based on your tax bracket, which varies by income level and filing status.

Self-employment tax (SE Tax) – A flat 15.3% tax that covers:

• 12.4% for Social Security (on income up to a certain limit)
• 2.9% for Medicare

For example, suppose your taxable income is $50,000 after deductions.

• Federal income tax: Tax rates range from 10% to 37% depending on your total income and filing status. 

For this example, let’s assume an average 15% tax rate:
$50,000 × 15% = $7,500

• Self-employment tax:
  $50,000 × 15.3% = $7,650
• Total estimated tax liability:
  $7,500 + $7,650 = $15,150

Step 4: Divide into quarterly payments

Once you have your annual estimated tax liability, divide it into four equal payments for each quarter:

$15,150 ÷ 4 = $3,787.50 per quarter

This means you’ll need to send approximately $3,787.50 to the IRS every three months to avoid penalties.

Step 5: Adjust your payments each quarter

Your income as a content creator isn’t always predictable, so your estimated tax payments shouldn’t be set in stone. With proper bookkeeping for content creators, review your earnings each quarter and adjust accordingly.

• If you’re making more than expected: Recalculate and increase your payment to avoid a big tax bill or penalties later.
• If you’re earning less than projected: You may reduce your payment, but ensure you’re still covering what you owe.

The key is to find a balance—you want to pay enough to avoid penalties but not so much that you’re unnecessarily reducing cash flow for business growth and personal income.

How to pay your quarterly taxes

Once you’ve calculated your estimated tax payments, you have several ways to send your payments to the IRS:

Federal tax payment options

Online: The IRS provides several secure payment methods:

• Direct Pay (directly from your bank account, no fees)
• Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS)^[3] (requires registration but useful for scheduled payments)
• Credit/Debit Card Payments (processing fees apply)

By mail:

• Send a check or money order with Form 1040-ES^[4] to the IRS.
• Make it payable to “United States Treasury^[5]” and include your Social Security Number (SSN) or Employer Identification Number (EIN) as well as “2025 Form 1040-ES” (or current tax year) on the memo line

By Phone:

The IRS partners with third-party payment providers to accept phone payments via credit/debit card (fees apply).

State tax payments

Your state may also require quarterly tax payments if it has an income tax. Many states offer online payment portals, while others require mailing a check. Check your state’s Department of Revenue for specific payment options and deadlines.

The bottom line 

Following this guide will help you estimate and file your quarterly taxes accurately. While the process itself may seem straightforward, what happens behind the scenes is just as important. Without a solid bookkeeping system, managing taxes becomes chaotic—expenses might go unreconciled, income could be misreported, and personal and business finances may get mixed together.

That’s why expert bookkeeping for content creators is essential. Having an organized system in place ensures accuracy, prevents last-minute scrambling, and keeps you compliant with the IRS.

At CoCountant, we specialize in bookkeeping and tax solutions tailored for content creators. From tracking sponsorship income to categorizing deductible expenses and reconciling transactions, we set the basis for a solid financial foundation. As a result, your taxes are filed timely and accurately, and you can maximize your deductions.

FAQs