Why creators need different books
Money from platforms in other currencies, brand deals paid on their own terms, gear and props, software, travel for content and income that changes every month. Most creators find out what they owe at tax time, which is the problem.
What a bookkeeper for creators keeps track of
- Platform payouts, often in US dollars
- Brand deals and sponsorships
- Gear, props and software
- Travel for content
- Tax to set aside
In the US
- Platforms send a 1099-K once you pass $20,000 and 200 payments in a year; brands paying $2,000 or more in 2026 send a 1099-NEC. You report all your income either way.
- You pay self-employment tax and estimated tax four times a year.
- Free products from brands can be income too.
In Canada
- Register for GST/HST once your income passes $30,000 in four quarters in a row; payments from platforms outside Canada are often zero-rated.
- Digital platforms now report sellers' income to CRA.
- US dollar income is converted at the Bank of Canada rate for the day it arrives.
What SumSwift does for creators and influencers
- Platform and brand payments sorted, in US dollars and your own currency
- What to set aside for tax, with the payments and their due dates
- Big purchases get one question, "Is this equipment?", so they're written off over the right years
- Subscriptions watched for price rises
- Invoices made, emailed and chased in SumSwift, with a pay link your customers can use
- Every statement checked against the balances your bank printed, to the cent, with personal spending kept off your profit