Article
From Hashtags to Revenue: Tax information for Influencers & Content Creators
Likes, Followers ... and Taxes. If you are a Content Creator, Influencer, Developer, or get paid for other work online or on social media, it is important not to ignore your tax obligations.
By Tadhg Moriarty 6 min read
Over the last few years there has been a huge rise in people working on social media and online. The number of content creators, influencers, freelance social media managers, developers etc. have increased as people flock to sites like Instagram and TikTok. However social media success comes with a tax bill.
If I work on Social Media do I need to pay tax?
Anyone in Ireland that receives income must pay the correct amount of tax. If you are an employee your tax is paid at source by your employer through PAYE before you receive your salary into your hand. However, if you earn income outside the PAYE system you are required to report this income to Revenue and pay your liability.
People working across the social media space, including influencers, often earn money outside the PAYE system so they may be viewed as self-employed and as such they may need to fulfil their tax obligations with Revenue.
What tax do I need to pay?
1. Income Tax
Income tax is a tax charged on the money you earn. It applies to most types of income, such as wages, salaries, pensions, rental income, and profits from self-employment or investments.
How much you pay depends on what tax band you are in and what tax credits you are entitled to.
To pay your income tax on money earned outside the PAYE system you generally need to file a Form 11 Tax Return each year. You can do this by using the Revenue Online Services (ROS).
When completing your tax return, you must report your total income from all sources. This includes earnings from influencer and social media work, self-employment, rental income, investments, and any other income streams. Additionally, you are required to declare any virtual or cryptocurrency assets, such as tokens, that you have received. Be sure to also include details of any deductions or allowances you are eligible to claim, as these can reduce your overall tax liability.
Using the information you provide on your Form 11, the Revenue Online Service (ROS) will calculate your tax liability. Since the system operates on a "self-assessment" basis, you are required to review and agree with this calculation. Once confirmed, you must ensure that any outstanding tax is paid in full by the specified deadline.
The way the system works is that you file your return for the previous year by the deadline in the autumn of the following year. For example, if you made money in 2024 this needs to be reported on your Form 11 tax return by the 2025 deadline. The deadline for your 2024 tax return is Thursday 13 November 2025 if you file and pay online through ROS. If you do not use ROS the deadline is 31 October 2025.
2. Capital Acquisitions Tax (CAT)
Many companies and individuals send gifts to social media influencers in the hope that their products or services will be promoted online. However, if you receive such gifts, they may be subject to Capital Acquisitions Tax (CAT).
CAT is charged at a rate of 33% on the taxable value of gifts. Influencers, like all taxpayers, can benefit from the Small Gift Exemption, which allows you to receive gifts valued at up to €3,000 from any one person in a calendar year without incurring CAT. It’s important to note that this exemption applies to the total value of all gifts received from the same person within a calendar year, not per individual gift.
If the value of gifts you receive exceeds the exemption limit, you are required to file a CAT return using Form IT38. This can be done online through myAccount or the Revenue Online Service (ROS).
The deadlines for filing your CAT return and paying any tax due are as follows:
- For gifts received between 01 January and 31 August, the return and payment must be made by 31 October of the same year.
- For gifts received between 01 September and 31 December, the return and payment must be made by 31 October of the following year.
Receiving gifts as payment for work
Influencers often receive gifts as compensation for work completed. For instance, if an influencer is given a selection of makeup products in exchange for promoting them on their social media platforms, the gift may be considered payment for services rendered. In such cases, the value of the gift is likely subject to income tax rather than Capital Acquisitions Tax (CAT), as it is treated as taxable income rather than a personal gift.
3. VAT
In Ireland, businesses are required to register for VAT if their annual turnover, in any 12-month period, exceeds or is likely to exceed certain thresholds. For those businesses delivering services, including online services, the cut-off point is €42,500. If your annual turnover is more than €42,500, or is likely to exceed €42,500 this year, then you are required to register for VAT, charge your customers VAT and file bi-monthly VAT Returns.
A standard rate of 23% VAT applies to most services in Ireland.
Can I claim any expenses?
There are many expenses you can claim in your tax return to help reduce your liability.
Here are some expenses that you can claim but this list is not exhaustive:
- Any goods that you buy for resale
- Employees' pay
- Rent and bills for your business premises
- Running costs for vehicles or machines that you use in your business
- Lease payments for vehicles or machines that you use in your business
- Accountancy fees
- Interest payments for money you borrowed to finance your business
- Expenses you had before your business started trading such as the cost of preparing business plans
- Advertising expenses
- Legal fees related to running the business.
If you spend money on something that is for both business and private use, you should be able to claim a deduction for part of the expense. This would include items such as phone bills, internet bills, light & heat. You must work out how much of the expenditure was for business purposes and claim a deduction for that amount only. In practice, this split can be difficult to compute so you should always ensure that you approach this matter in a pragmatic manner and adopt a just and reasonable approach.
Can I have an accountant file my returns?
Many self-employed people rely on an accountant to file their returns for various reasons, and it is something you may consider. Remember fees paid to an accountant are a deductible expense.
The main reasons people choose to have an accountant file on their behalf include:
- Peace of mind – tax returns can be complicated. Having a professional file your returns means that you have peace of mind that everything has been handled correctly.
- Reduce your tax liability – Accountants have significant expertise and deal with hundreds of tax returns every year. They know the law and the tax forms inside out and know how your liabilities might be reduced.
- Save Time - If you are running a business chances are that you aren’t going to have time to even think about doing your tax return. VAT returns need to be filed every second month and require significant paperwork, so can be very time consuming. If you think that your time would be better spent managing your business or with your family then it is probably a good idea to hire an accountant.
- Have an experienced person deal with Revenue – If you are working with an accountant, Revenue will contact them directly with any queries they have, and everything can usually be sorted without you getting too involved at all.
What are the penalties if I don’t file?
Every year thousands of taxpayers miss the deadline for filing tax returns and there are penalties for missing deadlines.
If you miss the Form 11 Tax Return deadline there will be financial penalties, and these will increase the longer you leave it to file your tax return. If you submit your income tax return within two months of the filing deadline you will be issued with a surcharge of 5% (subject to a maximum amount of €12,695). If the return is more than 2 months late this surcharge is increased to 10% (subject to a maximum amount of €63,585). As well as the surcharges, Revenue can also apply interest at a daily rate of 0.0219%.
Filing returns late can also increase the likelihood that you will be chosen to be audited by Revenue.
If you have missed a deadline the most important thing to do is to engage with Revenue as soon as possible. Ignoring them is not the right approach and will lead to further penalties. It is always a good idea to seek the help of a professional if you find yourself in a difficult situation. Accountants often help people in situations like these and are used to dealing with Revenue on their behalf.
Clarification from Revenue
Social media influencers have been the target of a recent compliance campaign from the Revenue Commissioners. The expectation is that Revenue will issue certain specific guidance on the taxation of income and gifts in this area. However, our advice would be that the general principles of Irish tax law apply to influencers, just as they do to other self-employed individuals or businesses, and we suggest that influencers do not ignore their tax. If they are concerned, they should speak to a professional.
Are you an influencer looking for help with your tax?
Contact TaxAssist Accountants for a free, no-obligation consultation to get a fixed fee quote
Or contact usFirst published 3 Apr 2025 | Last updated 22 Apr 2025
This article is intended to inform rather than advise and is based on legislation and practice at the time. Taxpayer’s circumstances do vary and if you feel that the information provided is beneficial it is important that you contact us before implementation. If you take, or do not take action as a result of reading this article, before receiving our written endorsement, we will accept no responsibility for any financial loss incurred.
Tadhg Moriarty
Tadhg Moriarty is a highly skilled Chartered Accountant, Chartered Tax Consultant and Chartered Tax Advisor with over 15 years of experience. Tadhg has worked with private clients and family run enterprises and has a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by these businesses. He is committed to helping his clients optimise their tax positions and improve their financial performance.
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