Income Tracking
6 items
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Log all brand deal & sponsorship payments received
Date received, brand name, gross amount, platform fee, net amount
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Record all platform payouts (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram)
Check each platform dashboard and log payout amounts
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Log Subscription platform earnings
Net after platform fee; note the platform fee as a separate expense
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Record affiliate commission payouts (Amazon, LTK, etc.)
Check each affiliate program dashboard for monthly payouts
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Log gifted products received at fair market value
Gifted items are taxable income; note brand name and FMV estimate
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Verify all income matches bank deposits
Cross-reference your tracker with actual bank account credits
Expense Tracking
6 items
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Log all equipment & tech purchases
Cameras, lights, microphones, accessories, cables, storage
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Record all software & subscription charges
Adobe CC, Canva, Later, editing tools, cloud storage, etc.
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Log business meals & entertainment (50% deductible)
Note who you met with and the business purpose on each receipt
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Record travel expenses (Uber, flights, hotels)
Business travel only; note trip purpose for each expense
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Log professional fees (accounting, legal, management)
Bookkeeper fees, agent commissions, attorney costs
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Scan and file all physical receipts digitally
Use an app (Expensify, Dext) or photo folder named by month
Bank Reconciliation
5 items
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Download monthly business bank statement
Save as PDF in your records folder organized by year/month
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Match every bank transaction to an income or expense entry
Every credit and debit should have a corresponding record
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Download business credit card statement
Reconcile all business card purchases against your expense log
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Flag any unrecognized transactions
Investigate anything you don't recognize — could be fraud or forgotten subscription
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Confirm ending balance matches your bookkeeping software
QuickBooks, Wave, or spreadsheet balance should match bank statement
Invoices & Receivables
4 items
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Send invoices for all completed brand work
Include contract reference, deliverables completed, payment terms (Net 30)
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Follow up on all overdue invoices (30+ days)
Send a polite follow-up email with the original invoice attached
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Review upcoming invoice due dates
Know what payments to expect in the next 30 days
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Track any contracts signed this month (new deals)
Log deal value, deliverables, payment schedule, and expected dates
Tax Planning
4 items
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Transfer tax set-aside to savings account
Move 35–40% of net income received to a dedicated tax savings account
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Check if a quarterly estimated tax payment is due this month
Apr 15, Jun 16, Sep 15, Jan 15 — don't miss these dates
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Review YTD net income vs. prior year
If income jumped significantly, increase your set-aside percentage now
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Note any large planned purchases for Section 179 deduction
Equipment purchases before Dec 31 can be fully deducted in current tax year
Documents & Records
4 items
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File all contracts received this month
Organize brand contracts in a folder by brand name and year
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Back up all financial records to cloud storage
Google Drive, Dropbox, or similar — include statements, receipts, invoices
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Log business mileage from this month
Transfer MileIQ or manual log entries into your records. Rate: $0.70/mile (2025)
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Check for any 1099 forms expected (January only)
Brands and platforms must issue 1099s by January 31 for prior year payments
💡 Bookkeeping Tips for Creators
Use a Separate Business Bank Account
Never mix personal and business money. A dedicated business account makes reconciliation 10× faster and protects your deductions if you're ever audited.
Do This the 1st of Every Month
Set a recurring calendar reminder for the 1st of each month. Spending 90 minutes each month now saves 40 hours at tax time in April.
The "One Folder Per Year" System
Create a Google Drive folder named "2025 Business Records" with subfolders: Receipts, Statements, Contracts, Invoices. Drop files in as they come.