Ever found yourself Googling “When is my photography tax return due?” at 11 PM while eating cold pizza after a shoot? If so, you’re not alone—and you’re exactly who this video is for.

One of the most common struggles I see new photographers face isn’t mastering manual mode or finding ideal clients. It’s keeping track of all the important tax deadlines (and figuring out which ones even apply to them in the first place).

Whether you’re still figuring out your pricing or you’ve hit your stride and are earning consistently, knowing your photography tax deadlines can save you time, stress, and money.

In my latest YouTube video, we’re breaking down:

• The four tax deadlines every photographer needs to know
• Who needs to send a 1099 (and who might be receiving one)
• Why quarterly taxes matter—and how to know if you need to pay them
• Simple systems to keep you organized all year long

It’s the kind of video I wish I had when I first started my business—especially the year I almost missed a key filing date and panicked trying to track down missing documents the night before my appointment with my tax pro. 

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The Key Photography Tax Deadlines You Can’t Afford to Miss:

Here’s a quick peek at what the video covers:

• January 31 – The deadline to issue 1099s to second shooters or contractors (if you paid them $600+ during the year).
  
• March 15 – If you’ve elected S Corp status, this is your business tax deadline.
  
• April 15 – The one we all know: personal tax return day (and the deadline for most sole proprietors).
  
• Quarterly Estimated Taxes – If you owe more than $1,000 in taxes annually, the IRS expects payments throughout the year, not just in April.

The video also includes a bonus resource:
🗂️ My free Tax Preparation Checklist —a complete guide to both your personal and business tax prep. It includes a calendar with all the key photography tax deadlines PLUS a checklist of what to gather so you can walk into tax season confident and ready.

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Don’t Let Tax Season Sneak Up on You:

As a photographer, your job is to capture the big moments—but that doesn’t mean you should miss the important ones in your business.

Staying ahead of your photography tax deadlines is one of the simplest ways to protect your business, stay compliant, and avoid unnecessary stress (or penalties). Click below to watch  the video. (It’s short, to the point, and designed with photographers just like you in mind.)

You’ve got this—no calculator meltdown necessary. 

XOXO – Heather

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And don’t forget to grab my  Tax Preparation Checklist. It includes everything you need to gather before you file plus a tax calendar to keep you ahead of every major deadline.

Let’s make this the year you take control of your business finances!

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Let’s Prep for Tax Season – Together

Keep more of what you make inside of your business with these 5 key deductions for photographers. I’m sharing all inside of my free class — Maximizing Your Tax Deductions as a Photographer!

Make tracking your numbers easy with my Tax Prep Spreadsheet and ensure that tax season is a breeze.

Transform your passion into a thriving business and unlock success for your photography business with my free guide to setting goals for the first year of your photography business.

Mastering your business taxes starts with understanding the different tax categories. Grab my free tax category guide to take the first step towards stress-free taxes today.

Want taxes to suck less? Learn how to correctly prepare your taxes for your accountant with the Photographer Tax Course – and say hello to a confident and calm tax season!

Don’t know what you don’t know? You’re just 90 minutes from a custom tax prep system with my 1:1 Tax Prep Mentoring sessions!

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