Influencer compliance + bookkeeping

Research steps and summary:1) Performed broad searches for authoritative guidance on influencer compliance and bookkeeping using the search_and_extract tool (FTC/advertising & endorsements; influencer bookkeeping, accounting, and LLC guidance; state sales tax, nexus and marketplace facilitator rules; Form 1099-K and information reporting changes). 2) Extracted content from targeted authoritative pages (FTC endorsement guidance; IRS Self-Employed Individuals Tax Center; IRS Form 1099-K guidance; New York Department of Taxation & Finance; and supporting IRS/industry FAQs and analyses on 1099-K threshold changes) to collect verbatim guidance and practical compliance actions for U.S. influencers and LLC owners.

Analysis / Key findings (compressed):- FTC disclosures: Influencers and brands must clearly and conspicuously disclose material connections (payments, gifts, sponsorships). The FTC provides plain-language brochures ("Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers") and updated Endorsement Guides addressing disclosures on video, livestreams, and all platforms.

Disclosures must be unavoidable and in the same medium as the endorsement (spoken and/or on-screen for video). Brands can also be held responsible for ensuring influencer compliance. - Federal tax/reporting basics for influencers and LLCs: Income from all sources (sponsored posts, ad revenue, affiliate income, merchandise sales, tips/donations) is taxable.

Self-employed individuals generally must file an annual return and pay estimated taxes; you must file if net earnings from self-employment were $400 or more. Use Schedule C (or LLC/corporate returns if the entity is taxed as an S-corp or corporation) and Schedule SE to compute self-employment tax.

Keep detailed records to substantiate income and deductible expenses (equipment, subscriptions, travel, software, home office where applicable). - Form 1099-K and other information reporting: The IRS uses third-party information returns (1099-K) to track payments received via payment apps and marketplaces.

Historically the TPSO threshold was >$20,000 and >200 transactions, then the IRS phased-in lower thresholds for 2024-2026 (e.g., $5,000 in 2024; $2,500 in 2025; $600 thereafter), but subsequent legislation (One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025) has reset/changed reporting thresholds back to the $20,000 and 200 transactions rule for 1099-K and adjusted 1099-MISC/1099-NEC thresholds.

Regardless of whether a Form 1099-K is issued, taxpayers must report all taxable income and reconcile 1099-K gross amounts (box 1a) to books, deducting fees, refunds, and non-business receipts to arrive at taxable net income.

Payment-card transactions may trigger 1099-K reporting with no dollar threshold. - State sales tax, nexus, and marketplace facilitator considerations: After Wayfair, most states have economic nexus rules (commonly $100,000 gross sales or 200 transactions, though thresholds vary).

Marketplace facilitator laws mean platforms (Amazon, Etsy, etc.) generally collect and remit sales tax for marketplace transactions, but sellers often still must register, file returns, or provide information to states; direct-to-consumer sales (own website) leave collection responsibility to the seller.

Using fulfillment services (FBA) can create physical nexus (inventory location). States may also have their own marketplace information reporting requirements. - Practical bookkeeping & entity recommendations (compiled from accounting industry guidance): Maintain a creator-specific chart of accounts separating revenue streams (sponsorships, ad revenue, affiliate income, product sales, tips/donations), track platform fees, refunds, inventory for merch, and reimbursements separately.

Separate business and personal accounts; obtain an EIN and elect an appropriate entity (LLC with S-corp election may help with self-employment tax planning for higher-earning creators). Track receipts, W-9s from contractors, and retain contracts/agreements that document material relationships for FTC compliance.

Automate platform reporting (download monthly/quarterly gross receipts by platform) and reconcile all 1099 forms to internal records. Plan for estimated quarterly tax payments.

Conclusion: The research gathered authoritative FTC and IRS guidance plus state-level and industry analyses that collectively support a comprehensive US-facing compliance and bookkeeping guidance package for influencers and LLC founders.

The next step is to synthesize this research into a full blog post (with state-specific sections and a practical bookkeeping checklist, sample chart of accounts, disclosure language templates, and a compliance + recordkeeping checklist) tailored for US business owners/LLC founders.Citations and verbatim excerpts supporting the above: Research steps and summary:1) Performed broad searches for authoritative guidance on influencer compliance and bookkeeping using the search_and_extract tool (FTC/advertising & endorsements; influencer bookkeeping, accounting, and LLC guidance; state sales tax, nexus and marketplace facilitator rules; Form 1099-K and information reporting changes). 2) Extracted content from targeted authoritative pages (FTC endorsement guidance; IRS Self-Employed Individuals Tax Center; IRS Form 1099-K guidance; New York Department of Taxation & Finance; and supporting IRS/industry FAQs and analyses on 1099-K threshold changes) to collect verbatim guidance and practical compliance actions for U.S. influencers and LLC owners.

Analysis / Key findings (compressed):- FTC disclosures: Influencers and brands must clearly and conspicuously disclose material connections (payments, gifts, sponsorships). The FTC provides plain-language brochures ("Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers") and updated Endorsement Guides addressing disclosures on video, livestreams, and all platforms.

Disclosures must be unavoidable and in the same medium as the endorsement (spoken and/or on-screen for video). Brands can also be held responsible for ensuring influencer compliance. - Federal tax/reporting basics for influencers and LLCs: Income from all sources (sponsored posts, ad revenue, affiliate income, merchandise sales, tips/donations) is taxable.

Self-employed individuals generally must file an annual return and pay estimated taxes; you must file if net earnings from self-employment were $400 or more. Use Schedule C (or LLC/corporate returns if the entity is taxed as an S-corp or corporation) and Schedule SE to compute self-employment tax.

Keep detailed records to substantiate income and deductible expenses (equipment, subscriptions, travel, software, home office where applicable). - Form 1099-K and other information reporting: The IRS uses third-party information returns (1099-K) to track payments received via payment apps and marketplaces.

Historically the TPSO threshold was >$20,000 and >200 transactions, then the IRS phased-in lower thresholds for 2024-2026 (e.g., $5,000 in 2024; $2,500 in 2025; $600 thereafter), but subsequent legislation (One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025) has reset/changed reporting thresholds back to the $20,000 and 200 transactions rule for 1099-K and adjusted 1099-MISC/1099-NEC thresholds.

Regardless of whether a Form 1099-K is issued, taxpayers must report all taxable income and reconcile 1099-K gross amounts (box 1a) to books, deducting fees, refunds, and non-business receipts to arrive at taxable net income.

Payment-card transactions may trigger 1099-K reporting with no dollar threshold. - State sales tax, nexus, and marketplace facilitator considerations: After Wayfair, most states have economic nexus rules (commonly $100,000 gross sales or 200 transactions, though thresholds vary).

Marketplace facilitator laws mean platforms (Amazon, Etsy, etc.) generally collect and remit sales tax for marketplace transactions, but sellers often still must register, file returns, or provide information to states; direct-to-consumer sales (own website) leave collection responsibility to the seller.

Using fulfillment services (FBA) can create physical nexus (inventory location). States may also have their own marketplace information reporting requirements. - Practical bookkeeping & entity recommendations (compiled from accounting industry guidance): Maintain a creator-specific chart of accounts separating revenue streams (sponsorships, ad revenue, affiliate income, product sales, tips/donations), track platform fees, refunds, inventory for merch, and reimbursements separately.

Separate business and personal accounts; obtain an EIN and elect an appropriate entity (LLC with S-corp election may help with self-employment tax planning for higher-earning creators). Track receipts, W-9s from contractors, and retain contracts/agreements that document material relationships for FTC compliance.

Automate platform reporting (download monthly/quarterly gross receipts by platform) and reconcile all 1099 forms to internal records. Plan for estimated quarterly tax payments.

Conclusion: The research gathered authoritative FTC and IRS guidance plus state-level and industry analyses that collectively support a comprehensive US-facing compliance and bookkeeping guidance package for influencers and LLC founders.

The next step is to synthesize this research into a full blog post (with state-specific sections and a practical bookkeeping checklist, sample chart of accounts, disclosure language templates, and a compliance + recordkeeping checklist) tailored for US business owners/LLC founders.Citations and verbatim excerpts supporting the above: Research steps and summary:1) Performed broad searches for authoritative guidance on influencer compliance and bookkeeping using the search_and_extract tool (FTC/advertising & endorsements; influencer bookkeeping, accounting, and LLC guidance; state sales tax, nexus and marketplace facilitator rules; Form 1099-K and information reporting changes). 2) Extracted content from targeted authoritative pages (FTC endorsement guidance; IRS Self-Employed Individuals Tax Center; IRS Form 1099-K guidance; New York Department of Taxation & Finance; and supporting IRS/industry FAQs and analyses on 1099-K threshold changes) to collect verbatim guidance and practical compliance actions for U.S. influencers and LLC owners.

Analysis / Key findings (compressed):- FTC disclosures: Influencers and brands must clearly and conspicuously disclose material connections (payments, gifts, sponsorships). The FTC provides plain-language brochures ("Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers") and updated Endorsement Guides addressing disclosures on video, livestreams, and all platforms.

Disclosures must be unavoidable and in the same medium as the endorsement (spoken and/or on-screen for video). Brands can also be held responsible for ensuring influencer compliance. - Federal tax/reporting basics for influencers and LLCs: Income from all sources (sponsored posts, ad revenue, affiliate income, merchandise sales, tips/donations) is taxable.

Self-employed individuals generally must file an annual return and pay estimated taxes; you must file if net earnings from self-employment were $400 or more. Use Schedule C (or LLC/corporate returns if the entity is taxed as an S-corp or corporation) and Schedule SE to compute self-employment tax.

Keep detailed records to substantiate income and deductible expenses (equipment, subscriptions, travel, software, home office where applicable). - Form 1099-K and other information reporting: The IRS uses third-party information returns (1099-K) to track payments received via payment apps and marketplaces.

Historically the TPSO threshold was >$20,000 and >200 transactions, then the IRS phased-in lower thresholds for 2024-2026 (e.g., $5,000 in 2024; $2,500 in 2025; $600 thereafter), but subsequent legislation (One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025) has reset/changed reporting thresholds back to the $20,000 and 200 transactions rule for 1099-K and adjusted 1099-MISC/1099-NEC thresholds.

Regardless of whether a Form 1099-K is issued, taxpayers must report all taxable income and reconcile 1099-K gross amounts (box 1a) to books, deducting fees, refunds, and non-business receipts to arrive at taxable net income.

Payment-card transactions may trigger 1099-K reporting with no dollar threshold. - State sales tax, nexus, and marketplace facilitator considerations: After Wayfair, most states have economic nexus rules (commonly $100,000 gross sales or 200 transactions, though thresholds vary).

Marketplace facilitator laws mean platforms (Amazon, Etsy, etc.) generally collect and remit sales tax for marketplace transactions, but sellers often still must register, file returns, or provide information to states; direct-to-consumer sales (own website) leave collection responsibility to the seller.

Using fulfillment services (FBA) can create physical nexus (inventory location). States may also have their own marketplace information reporting requirements. - Practical bookkeeping & entity recommendations (compiled from accounting industry guidance): Maintain a creator-specific chart of accounts separating revenue streams (sponsorships, ad revenue, affiliate income, product sales, tips/donations), track platform fees, refunds, inventory for merch, and reimbursements separately.

Separate business and personal accounts; obtain an EIN and elect an appropriate entity (LLC with S-corp election may help with self-employment tax planning for higher-earning creators). Track receipts, W-9s from contractors, and retain contracts/agreements that document material relationships for FTC compliance.

Automate platform reporting (download monthly/quarterly gross receipts by platform) and reconcile all 1099 forms to internal records. Plan for estimated quarterly tax payments.

Conclusion: The research gathered authoritative FTC and IRS guidance plus state-level and industry analyses that collectively support a comprehensive US-facing compliance and bookkeeping guidance package for influencers and LLC founders.

The next step is to synthesize this research into a full blog post (with state-specific sections and a practical bookkeeping checklist, sample chart of accounts, disclosure language templates, and a compliance + recordkeeping checklist) tailored for US business owners/LLC founders.Citations and verbatim excerpts supporting the above: Research steps and summary:1) Performed broad searches for authoritative guidance on influencer compliance and bookkeeping using the search_and_extract tool (FTC/advertising & endorsements; influencer bookkeeping, accounting, and LLC guidance; state sales tax, nexus and marketplace facilitator rules; Form 1099-K and information reporting changes). 2) Extracted content from targeted authoritative pages (FTC endorsement guidance; IRS Self-Employed Individuals Tax Center; IRS Form 1099-K guidance; New York Department of Taxation & Finance; and supporting IRS/industry FAQs and analyses on 1099-K threshold changes) to collect verbatim guidance and practical compliance actions for U.S. influencers and LLC owners.

Analysis / Key findings (compressed):- FTC disclosures: Influencers and brands must clearly and conspicuously disclose material connections (payments, gifts, sponsorships). The FTC provides plain-language brochures ("Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers") and updated Endorsement Guides addressing disclosures on video, livestreams, and all platforms.

Disclosures must be unavoidable and in the same medium as the endorsement (spoken and/or on-screen for video). Brands can also be held responsible for ensuring influencer compliance. - Federal tax/reporting basics for influencers and LLCs: Income from all sources (sponsored posts, ad revenue, affiliate income, merchandise sales, tips/donations) is taxable.

Self-employed individuals generally must file an annual return and pay estimated taxes; you must file if net earnings from self-employment were $400 or more. Use Schedule C (or LLC/corporate returns if the entity is taxed as an S-corp or corporation) and Schedule SE to compute self-employment tax.

Keep detailed records to substantiate income and deductible expenses (equipment, subscriptions, travel, software, home office where applicable). - Form 1099-K and other information reporting: The IRS uses third-party information returns (1099-K) to track payments received via payment apps and marketplaces.

Historically the TPSO threshold was >$20,000 and >200 transactions, then the IRS phased-in lower thresholds for 2024-2026 (e.g., $5,000 in 2024; $2,500 in 2025; $600 thereafter), but subsequent legislation (One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025) has reset/changed reporting thresholds back to the $20,000 and 200 transactions rule for 1099-K and adjusted 1099-MISC/1099-NEC thresholds.

Regardless of whether a Form 1099-K is issued, taxpayers must report all taxable income and reconcile 1099-K gross amounts (box 1a) to books, deducting fees, refunds, and non-business receipts to arrive at taxable net income.

Payment-card transactions may trigger 1099-K reporting with no dollar threshold. - State sales tax, nexus, and marketplace facilitator considerations: After Wayfair, most states have economic nexus rules (commonly $100,000 gross sales or 200 transactions, though thresholds vary).

Marketplace facilitator laws mean platforms (Amazon, Etsy, etc.) generally collect and remit sales tax for marketplace transactions, but sellers often still must register, file returns, or provide information to states; direct-to-consumer sales (own website) leave collection responsibility to the seller.

Using fulfillment services (FBA) can create physical nexus (inventory location). States may also have their own marketplace information reporting requirements. - Practical bookkeeping & entity recommendations (compiled from accounting industry guidance): Maintain a creator-specific chart of accounts separating revenue streams (sponsorships, ad revenue, affiliate income, product sales, tips/donations), track platform fees, refunds, inventory for merch, and reimbursements separately.

Separate business and personal accounts; obtain an EIN and elect an appropriate entity (LLC with S-corp election may help with self-employment tax planning for higher-earning creators). Track receipts, W-9s from contractors, and retain contracts/agreements that document material relationships for FTC compliance.

Automate platform reporting (download monthly/quarterly gross receipts by platform) and reconcile all 1099 forms to internal records. Plan for estimated quarterly tax payments.

Conclusion: The research gathered authoritative FTC and IRS guidance plus state-level and industry analyses that collectively support a comprehensive US-facing compliance and bookkeeping guidance package for influencers and LLC founders.

The next step is to synthesize this research into a full blog post (with state-specific sections and a practical bookkeeping checklist, sample chart of accounts, disclosure language templates, and a compliance + recordkeeping checklist) tailored for US business owners/LLC founders.Citations and verbatim excerpts supporting the above:

Research steps and summary:1) Performed broad searches for authoritative guidance on influencer compliance and bookkeeping using the search_and_extract tool (FTC/advertising & endorsements; influencer bookkeeping, accounting, and LLC guidance; state sales tax, nexus and marketplace facilitator rules; Form 1099-K and information reporting changes). 2) Extracted content from targeted authoritative pages (FTC endorsement guidance; IRS Self-Employed Individuals Tax Center; IRS Form 1099-K guidance; New York Department of Taxation & Finance; and supporting IRS/industry FAQs and analyses on 1099-K threshold changes) to collect verbatim guidance and practical compliance actions for U.S. influencers and LLC owners.

Analysis / Key findings (compressed):- FTC disclosures: Influencers and brands must clearly and conspicuously disclose material connections (payments, gifts, sponsorships). The FTC provides plain-language brochures ("Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers") and updated Endorsement Guides addressing disclosures on video, livestreams, and all platforms.

Disclosures must be unavoidable and in the same medium as the endorsement (spoken and/or on-screen for video). Brands can also be held responsible for ensuring influencer compliance. - Federal tax/reporting basics for influencers and LLCs: Income from all sources (sponsored posts, ad revenue, affiliate income, merchandise sales, tips/donations) is taxable.

Self-employed individuals generally must file an annual return and pay estimated taxes; you must file if net earnings from self-employment were $400 or more. Use Schedule C (or LLC/corporate returns if the entity is taxed as an S-corp or corporation) and Schedule SE to compute self-employment tax.

Keep detailed records to substantiate income and deductible expenses (equipment, subscriptions, travel, software, home office where applicable). - Form 1099-K and other information reporting: The IRS uses third-party information returns (1099-K) to track payments received via payment apps and marketplaces.

Historically the TPSO threshold was >$20,000 and >200 transactions, then the IRS phased-in lower thresholds for 2024-2026 (e.g., $5,000 in 2024; $2,500 in 2025; $600 thereafter), but subsequent legislation (One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025) has reset/changed reporting thresholds back to the $20,000 and 200 transactions rule for 1099-K and adjusted 1099-MISC/1099-NEC thresholds.

Regardless of whether a Form 1099-K is issued, taxpayers must report all taxable income and reconcile 1099-K gross amounts (box 1a) to books, deducting fees, refunds, and non-business receipts to arrive at taxable net income.

Payment-card transactions may trigger 1099-K reporting with no dollar threshold. - State sales tax, nexus, and marketplace facilitator considerations: After Wayfair, most states have economic nexus rules (commonly $100,000 gross sales or 200 transactions, though thresholds vary).

Marketplace facilitator laws mean platforms (Amazon, Etsy, etc.) generally collect and remit sales tax for marketplace transactions, but sellers often still must register, file returns, or provide information to states; direct-to-consumer sales (own website) leave collection responsibility to the seller.

Using fulfillment services (FBA) can create physical nexus (inventory location). States may also have their own marketplace information reporting requirements. - Practical bookkeeping & entity recommendations (compiled from accounting industry guidance): Maintain a creator-specific chart of accounts separating revenue streams (sponsorships, ad revenue, affiliate income, product sales, tips/donations), track platform fees, refunds, inventory for merch, and reimbursements separately.

Separate business and personal accounts; obtain an EIN and elect an appropriate entity (LLC with S-corp election may help with self-employment tax planning for higher-earning creators). Track receipts, W-9s from contractors, and retain contracts/agreements that document material relationships for FTC compliance.

Automate platform reporting (download monthly/quarterly gross receipts by platform) and reconcile all 1099 forms to internal records. Plan for estimated quarterly tax payments.

Conclusion: The research gathered authoritative FTC and IRS guidance plus state-level and industry analyses that collectively support a comprehensive US-facing compliance and bookkeeping guidance package for influencers and LLC founders.

The next step is to synthesize this research into a full blog post (with state-specific sections and a practical bookkeeping checklist, sample chart of accounts, disclosure language templates, and a compliance + recordkeeping checklist) tailored for US business owners/LLC founders.Citations and verbatim excerpts supporting the above: Research steps and summary:1) Performed broad searches for authoritative guidance on influencer compliance and bookkeeping using the search_and_extract tool (FTC/advertising & endorsements; influencer bookkeeping, accounting, and LLC guidance; state sales tax, nexus and marketplace facilitator rules; Form 1099-K and information reporting changes). 2) Extracted content from targeted authoritative pages (FTC endorsement guidance; IRS Self-Employed Individuals Tax Center; IRS Form 1099-K guidance; New York Department of Taxation & Finance; and supporting IRS/industry FAQs and analyses on 1099-K threshold changes) to collect verbatim guidance and practical compliance actions for U.S. influencers and LLC owners.

Analysis / Key findings (compressed):- FTC disclosures: Influencers and brands must clearly and conspicuously disclose material connections (payments, gifts, sponsorships). The FTC provides plain-language brochures ("Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers") and updated Endorsement Guides addressing disclosures on video, livestreams, and all platforms.

Disclosures must be unavoidable and in the same medium as the endorsement (spoken and/or on-screen for video). Brands can also be held responsible for ensuring influencer compliance. - Federal tax/reporting basics for influencers and LLCs: Income from all sources (sponsored posts, ad revenue, affiliate income, merchandise sales, tips/donations) is taxable.

Self-employed individuals generally must file an annual return and pay estimated taxes; you must file if net earnings from self-employment were $400 or more. Use Schedule C (or LLC/corporate returns if the entity is taxed as an S-corp or corporation) and Schedule SE to compute self-employment tax.

Keep detailed records to substantiate income and deductible expenses (equipment, subscriptions, travel, software, home office where applicable). - Form 1099-K and other information reporting: The IRS uses third-party information returns (1099-K) to track payments received via payment apps and marketplaces.

Historically the TPSO threshold was >$20,000 and >200 transactions, then the IRS phased-in lower thresholds for 2024-2026 (e.g., $5,000 in 2024; $2,500 in 2025; $600 thereafter), but subsequent legislation (One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025) has reset/changed reporting thresholds back to the $20,000 and 200 transactions rule for 1099-K and adjusted 1099-MISC/1099-NEC thresholds.

Regardless of whether a Form 1099-K is issued, taxpayers must report all taxable income and reconcile 1099-K gross amounts (box 1a) to books, deducting fees, refunds, and non-business receipts to arrive at taxable net income.

Payment-card transactions may trigger 1099-K reporting with no dollar threshold. - State sales tax, nexus, and marketplace facilitator considerations: After Wayfair, most states have economic nexus rules (commonly $100,000 gross sales or 200 transactions, though thresholds vary).

Marketplace facilitator laws mean platforms (Amazon, Etsy, etc.) generally collect and remit sales tax for marketplace transactions, but sellers often still must register, file returns, or provide information to states; direct-to-consumer sales (own website) leave collection responsibility to the seller.

Using fulfillment services (FBA) can create physical nexus (inventory location). States may also have their own marketplace information reporting requirements. - Practical bookkeeping & entity recommendations (compiled from accounting industry guidance): Maintain a creator-specific chart of accounts separating revenue streams (sponsorships, ad revenue, affiliate income, product sales, tips/donations), track platform fees, refunds, inventory for merch, and reimbursements separately.

Separate business and personal accounts; obtain an EIN and elect an appropriate entity (LLC with S-corp election may help with self-employment tax planning for higher-earning creators). Track receipts, W-9s from contractors, and retain contracts/agreements that document material relationships for FTC compliance.

Automate platform reporting (download monthly/quarterly gross receipts by platform) and reconcile all 1099 forms to internal records. Plan for estimated quarterly tax payments.

Conclusion: The research gathered authoritative FTC and IRS guidance plus state-level and industry analyses that collectively support a comprehensive US-facing compliance and bookkeeping guidance package for influencers and LLC founders.

The next step is to synthesize this research into a full blog post (with state-specific sections and a practical bookkeeping checklist, sample chart of accounts, disclosure language templates, and a compliance + recordkeeping checklist) tailored for US business owners/LLC founders.Citations and verbatim excerpts supporting the above: Research steps and summary:1) Performed broad searches for authoritative guidance on influencer compliance and bookkeeping using the search_and_extract tool (FTC/advertising & endorsements; influencer bookkeeping, accounting, and LLC guidance; state sales tax, nexus and marketplace facilitator rules; Form 1099-K and information reporting changes). 2) Extracted content from targeted authoritative pages (FTC endorsement guidance; IRS Self-Employed Individuals Tax Center; IRS Form 1099-K guidance; New York Department of Taxation & Finance; and supporting IRS/industry FAQs and analyses on 1099-K threshold changes) to collect verbatim guidance and practical compliance actions for U.S. influencers and LLC owners.

Analysis / Key findings (compressed):- FTC disclosures: Influencers and brands must clearly and conspicuously disclose material connections (payments, gifts, sponsorships). The FTC provides plain-language brochures ("Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers") and updated Endorsement Guides addressing disclosures on video, livestreams, and all platforms.

Disclosures must be unavoidable and in the same medium as the endorsement (spoken and/or on-screen for video). Brands can also be held responsible for ensuring influencer compliance. - Federal tax/reporting basics for influencers and LLCs: Income from all sources (sponsored posts, ad revenue, affiliate income, merchandise sales, tips/donations) is taxable.

Self-employed individuals generally must file an annual return and pay estimated taxes; you must file if net earnings from self-employment were $400 or more. Use Schedule C (or LLC/corporate returns if the entity is taxed as an S-corp or corporation) and Schedule SE to compute self-employment tax.

Keep detailed records to substantiate income and deductible expenses (equipment, subscriptions, travel, software, home office where applicable). - Form 1099-K and other information reporting: The IRS uses third-party information returns (1099-K) to track payments received via payment apps and marketplaces.

Historically the TPSO threshold was >$20,000 and >200 transactions, then the IRS phased-in lower thresholds for 2024-2026 (e.g., $5,000 in 2024; $2,500 in 2025; $600 thereafter), but subsequent legislation (One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025) has reset/changed reporting thresholds back to the $20,000 and 200 transactions rule for 1099-K and adjusted 1099-MISC/1099-NEC thresholds.

Regardless of whether a Form 1099-K is issued, taxpayers must report all taxable income and reconcile 1099-K gross amounts (box 1a) to books, deducting fees, refunds, and non-business receipts to arrive at taxable net income.

Payment-card transactions may trigger 1099-K reporting with no dollar threshold. - State sales tax, nexus, and marketplace facilitator considerations: After Wayfair, most states have economic nexus rules (commonly $100,000 gross sales or 200 transactions, though thresholds vary).

Marketplace facilitator laws mean platforms (Amazon, Etsy, etc.) generally collect and remit sales tax for marketplace transactions, but sellers often still must register, file returns, or provide information to states; direct-to-consumer sales (own website) leave collection responsibility to the seller.

Using fulfillment services (FBA) can create physical nexus (inventory location). States may also have their own marketplace information reporting requirements. - Practical bookkeeping & entity recommendations (compiled from accounting industry guidance): Maintain a creator-specific chart of accounts separating revenue streams (sponsorships, ad revenue, affiliate income, product sales, tips/donations), track platform fees, refunds, inventory for merch, and reimbursements separately.

Separate business and personal accounts; obtain an EIN and elect an appropriate entity (LLC with S-corp election may help with self-employment tax planning for higher-earning creators). Track receipts, W-9s from contractors, and retain contracts/agreements that document material relationships for FTC compliance.

Automate platform reporting (download monthly/quarterly gross receipts by platform) and reconcile all 1099 forms to internal records. Plan for estimated quarterly tax payments.

Conclusion: The research gathered authoritative FTC and IRS guidance plus state-level and industry analyses that collectively support a comprehensive US-facing compliance and bookkeeping guidance package for influencers and LLC founders.

The next step is to synthesize this research into a full blog post (with state-specific sections and a practical bookkeeping checklist, sample chart of accounts, disclosure language templates, and a compliance + recordkeeping checklist) tailored for US business owners/LLC founders.Citations and verbatim excerpts supporting the above: Research steps and summary:1) Performed broad searches for authoritative guidance on influencer compliance and bookkeeping using the search_and_extract tool (FTC/advertising & endorsements; influencer bookkeeping, accounting, and LLC guidance; state sales tax, nexus and marketplace facilitator rules; Form 1099-K and information reporting changes). 2) Extracted content from targeted authoritative pages (FTC endorsement guidance; IRS Self-Employed Individuals Tax Center; IRS Form 1099-K guidance; New York Department of Taxation & Finance; and supporting IRS/industry FAQs and analyses on 1099-K threshold changes) to collect verbatim guidance and practical compliance actions for U.S. influencers and LLC owners.

Analysis / Key findings (compressed):- FTC disclosures: Influencers and brands must clearly and conspicuously disclose material connections (payments, gifts, sponsorships). The FTC provides plain-language brochures ("Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers") and updated Endorsement Guides addressing disclosures on video, livestreams, and all platforms.

Disclosures must be unavoidable and in the same medium as the endorsement (spoken and/or on-screen for video). Brands can also be held responsible for ensuring influencer compliance. - Federal tax/reporting basics for influencers and LLCs: Income from all sources (sponsored posts, ad revenue, affiliate income, merchandise sales, tips/donations) is taxable.

Self-employed individuals generally must file an annual return and pay estimated taxes; you must file if net earnings from self-employment were $400 or more. Use Schedule C (or LLC/corporate returns if the entity is taxed as an S-corp or corporation) and Schedule SE to compute self-employment tax.

Keep detailed records to substantiate income and deductible expenses (equipment, subscriptions, travel, software, home office where applicable). - Form 1099-K and other information reporting: The IRS uses third-party information returns (1099-K) to track payments received via payment apps and marketplaces.

Historically the TPSO threshold was >$20,000 and >200 transactions, then the IRS phased-in lower thresholds for 2024-2026 (e.g., $5,000 in 2024; $2,500 in 2025; $600 thereafter), but subsequent legislation (One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025) has reset/changed reporting thresholds back to the $20,000 and 200 transactions rule for 1099-K and adjusted 1099-MISC/1099-NEC thresholds.

Regardless of whether a Form 1099-K is issued, taxpayers must report all taxable income and reconcile 1099-K gross amounts (box 1a) to books, deducting fees, refunds, and non-business receipts to arrive at taxable net income.

Payment-card transactions may trigger 1099-K reporting with no dollar threshold. - State sales tax, nexus, and marketplace facilitator considerations: After Wayfair, most states have economic nexus rules (commonly $100,000 gross sales or 200 transactions, though thresholds vary).

Marketplace facilitator laws mean platforms (Amazon, Etsy, etc.) generally collect and remit sales tax for marketplace transactions, but sellers often still must register, file returns, or provide information to states; direct-to-consumer sales (own website) leave collection responsibility to the seller.

Using fulfillment services (FBA) can create physical nexus (inventory location). States may also have their own marketplace information reporting requirements. - Practical bookkeeping & entity recommendations (compiled from accounting industry guidance): Maintain a creator-specific chart of accounts separating revenue streams (sponsorships, ad revenue, affiliate income, product sales, tips/donations), track platform fees, refunds, inventory for merch, and reimbursements separately.

Separate business and personal accounts; obtain an EIN and elect an appropriate entity (LLC with S-corp election may help with self-employment tax planning for higher-earning creators). Track receipts, W-9s from contractors, and retain contracts/agreements that document material relationships for FTC compliance.

Automate platform reporting (download monthly/quarterly gross receipts by platform) and reconcile all 1099 forms to internal records. Plan for estimated quarterly tax payments.

Conclusion: The research gathered authoritative FTC and IRS guidance plus state-level and industry analyses that collectively support a comprehensive US-facing compliance and bookkeeping guidance package for influencers and LLC founders.

The next step is to synthesize this research into a full blog post (with state-specific sections and a practical bookkeeping checklist, sample chart of accounts, disclosure language templates, and a compliance + recordkeeping checklist) tailored for US business owners/LLC founders.Citations and verbatim excerpts supporting the above: