My First Professional Tax Preparation Experience as a Full-Time Influencer

This post is sponsored by H&R Block. 

Big things happened in my business during 2019. It was my first year being a full-time, self-employed Influencer, and I moved my business from the state of Maryland to the state of California. As I was leveling up in my business, I decided that I needed to take my professionalism to a new level. As a solopreneur, I don’t outsource many tasks but can admit that I definitely needed help with my taxes as it was causing a lot of stress and anxiety.

This year, I had my taxes professionally done for the first time ever by H&R Block. In previous years, I always prepared my own taxes. However, I’m so glad I chose to outsource my tax preparation as it made my life so much easier!

Initially, I had several areas of concern:

• Will I have to pay taxes to both the state of Maryland and the State of California since I moved my business during the year?
• Now that I am self-employed full time, will I receive any additional tax breaks?
• Can I write off a portion of my rent?
• Will I receive a refund? If so, how can I maximize it?

The process:

My local H&R Block tax expert, Francisco Radia Castanon, CAA, AFSP, addressed all my concerns and made me feel comfortable and confident enough to ask questions. He was patient and walked me through the process step-by-step. This really helped me eliminate the initial anxiety I was feeling about our appointment. There is still a lot of stigma surrounding Influencer marketing being a legitimate career path, but I felt really respected by Francisco.

Documents I brought to my appointment for efficiency:

• Employer Identification Number (EIN)
• 1099s from brands
• All proof of income that was not eligible for a 1099
• 1095-A for my health insurance plan
• Proof of copays from doctor’s appointments
• Form 5498 for my individual retirement accounts (IRAs)
• Proof of quarterly federal tax payments
• Confirmation of payment to the California Franchise Tax Board for business entity taxes

*Ask your local tax expert at H&R Block if you need to bring any additional documents. 

Why I chose H&R Block:

• H&R Block was transparent and there were no surprises about the price or process.
• I knew my price upfront. If the price changes for any reason while your taxes are being prepared, H&R Block will notify you.
• You can drop off your tax documents, and an H&R Block tax pro will prepare them for you. As an entrepreneur, this is so key! I don’t always have hours on end to spend at appointments, so it’s really helpful when I can handle administrative tasks that don’t require me to be physically present. This includes weekdays, weekends, and evenings.
• There is an H&R Block location within five miles of most Americans and your taxes can be done in about an hour.

Here are some documents that can help full-time content creators streamline their tax preparation appointments.

H&R Block completely changed my perspective about having my taxes professionally done. I originally expected this to be an exhausting and cumbersome process. However, I learned a lot along the way and believe that this partnership helped me to navigate the process of filing taxes as a full-time, self-employed Influencer. 

If you are new to H&R Block, use my code: 95522 to save $25 on your tax preparation appointment.

♡ Chelsea