Quarterly taxes are one of those “adulting” things nobody tells you about when you start making real money online. And if you’re an OnlyFans creator, it can feel extra confusing because your income isn’t a neat biweekly paycheck. It spikes, dips, and sometimes comes in waves (PPV drops, customs, a promo that suddenly pops off).

The good news is that quarterly taxes are manageable once you set up a simple routine. This guide breaks down what to pay, when to pay it, and how to estimate your numbers without spiraling.

Disclaimer: This is educational, not legal or tax advice. Tax laws and platform policies can change. Verify details in official guidance or with a qualified tax professional.

What “OnlyFans quarterly taxes” actually means

When you work a traditional job, your employer withholds income tax (and payroll taxes) from each paycheck. As a creator, you’re typically treated as self-employed, which usually means:

• You pay your own taxes.
• You may need to pay estimated taxes during the year (often called “quarterly taxes”).

In the U.S., these payments go to the IRS (and often your state) throughout the year, so you’re not stuck with a huge bill in April.

Who usually needs to pay quarterly estimated taxes?

A common IRS rule of thumb is: if you expect to owe $1,000 or more in federal tax for the year after subtracting withholding and credits, you may need to make estimated payments.

The IRS explains estimated taxes and who must pay them on its official page: Estimated Taxes (IRS).

If you’re brand new and your income is still small or inconsistent, you might not need quarterly payments yet. But once you start having regular payouts, it’s usually safer to assume you do.

What taxes are you paying as an OnlyFans creator?

For most U.S. creators, estimated quarterly payments cover a few buckets.

The one that surprises creators: self-employment tax

Many creators plan for “income tax” but forget that self-employed people also pay self-employment tax (which funds Social Security and Medicare). The standard self-employment tax rate is commonly described as 15.3% (12.4% Social Security plus 2.9% Medicare), though real situations can vary and annual limits can apply.

Official reference: Self-Employment Tax (IRS).

If you’ve never had a self-employed business before, this is the reason your first “serious” tax year can feel like a slap.

What income counts (and what you should track)

For taxes, think in terms of business income. That can include:

• Subscription revenue
• Tips
• PPV sales
• Custom content
• Referral or affiliate income
• Income from other platforms (Fansly, Fanvue, ManyVids, etc.)

Even if you don’t receive a tax form for your earnings, you generally still report the income. Forms and thresholds can vary by year and payment processor, so don’t anchor your tax plan to “whether I got a form.”

Gross vs net: the OnlyFans fee matters

OnlyFans takes a platform fee (commonly referenced as 20%). For bookkeeping, you typically want to track:

• Gross receipts (what fans paid)
• Fees and expenses (platform fees, processing fees, chargebacks, etc.)
• Net profit (what’s left after business expenses)

Why it matters: your estimated taxes are based on profit, not vibes. If your revenue is high but your business expenses are also high (editing, paid promo, outfits, equipment), your taxable profit can be very different than your payout.

When are quarterly taxes due? (U.S. estimated tax dates)

In the U.S., “quarterly” doesn’t perfectly match calendar quarters. The IRS uses four payment periods, and the due dates are typically:

If a due date falls on a weekend or holiday, it usually shifts to the next business day. Always confirm on the IRS schedule for the current year.

Official reference: Estimated tax due dates (IRS).

What to pay: a creator-friendly way to estimate your quarterly taxes

You have two main approaches: quick-and-safe or more precise.

Option A (quick-and-safe): the “set aside percentage” method

If you’re early stage, your income is inconsistent, or you just want a simple system, choose a conservative percentage of profit and set it aside.

A common creator habit is to set aside a chunk of income in a separate savings account every payout. The exact percentage depends on your state, your total income, and deductions. If you’re unsure, it can be better to start higher and adjust down once you have real numbers.

This method is not perfect, but it prevents the worst-case scenario: spending tax money because it looked like “extra.”

Option B (more precise): estimate profit and calculate using IRS guidance

This is the method you graduate into when you’re consistently earning, scaling, or you want to reduce overpaying.

Here’s the workflow:

1. Estimate your total business revenue for the quarter (across platforms).

2. Subtract business expenses you can reasonably deduct.

3. The result is your estimated net profit.

4. Use that profit to estimate:

• federal income tax (based on your overall income and filing situation)
• self-employment tax
• state income tax (if applicable)

The IRS has a full worksheet approach in Form 1040-ES.

A simple decision framework: which method should you use right now?

Use this to choose the least stressful path.

Choose “set aside percentage” if:

• You’re under 3 to 6 months into earning consistently.
• Your income swings heavily month to month.
• You haven’t built a solid expense tracking habit yet.

Choose “more precise estimates” if:

• You have steady income and predictable expenses.
• You’ve had at least one full tax season as a creator.
• You want to avoid large overpayments.
• You’re scaling and adding contractors, agencies, or paid marketing.

Choose “hire help” if:

• You’re making enough that mistakes would hurt.
• You have multiple income streams, multiple states, or you moved.
• You want privacy and clean documentation without learning everything yourself.

(You’re not “bad at business” if you need help. You’re just treating your income like it’s real, because it is.)

The safe harbor rule (how many creators avoid penalties)

Creators often ask: “What if I guess wrong and underpay?”

The IRS has what’s commonly called a safe harbor: in many cases, you can avoid an underpayment penalty if you pay either:

• at least 90% of your current year tax, or
• 100% of your prior year tax (or 110% if your prior year adjusted gross income was above a certain threshold)

Details matter, so verify with a tax pro or the IRS estimated tax guidance. But conceptually, safe harbor is why many experienced creators base their quarterly payments on last year’s tax and then “true up” later.

What you can usually deduct (and what to be careful with)

Deductions reduce your taxable profit, which reduces what you owe. The key idea is “ordinary and necessary” business expenses.

Common creator expense categories include:

Be cautious with “gray area” deductions (especially anything that’s also personal). For example, “beauty” costs are often not deductible in the way people assume. When in doubt, ask a professional.

How to pay quarterly taxes (without overthinking it)

For federal estimated tax payments, creators commonly use:

• IRS Direct Pay
• EFTPS

Your state may have its own estimated payment portal.

If you’re privacy-conscious (many creators are), consider paying from a dedicated business account so your records are clean and you’re not mixing personal spending with tax payments.

A low-stress quarterly tax routine (monthly mini-close + quarterly payment)

If you only do taxes once a year, it’s painful. If you do a tiny bit monthly, it becomes boring (in a good way).

Here’s a routine that works well for creators with fluctuating income.

Monthly mini-close (30 to 45 minutes)

• Export your payout history from platforms.
• Update your income spreadsheet (or bookkeeping app).
• Upload receipts to a folder (by month).
• Tag expenses by category (marketing, wardrobe, tools, contractors).
• Check your “tax set-aside” account balance.

Quarterly payment day (60 minutes)

• Total revenue and expenses for the IRS payment period.
• Estimate net profit.
• Calculate your estimated tax using your method.
• Pay IRS (and state, if applicable).
• Save confirmation screenshots/PDFs.

If you want a simple checklist you can copy into Notes:

• Income totals updated
• Expenses categorized
• Net profit estimated
• Tax payment calculated
• IRS payment submitted
• State payment submitted (if needed)
• Receipts and confirmations saved

A realistic example (so you can visualize it)

Let’s say you’re having a solid quarter:

• Revenue from subs, PPV, tips: $18,000
• Business expenses: $5,000 (editing, outfits/props, tools, paid promo)
• Estimated profit: $13,000

Your quarterly tax payment is based on that profit plus your wider tax situation (other income, filing status, credits, state). That’s why two creators with the same $13,000 profit can owe different amounts.

If you’re unsure, it’s completely reasonable to be conservative early on, then tighten your process after your first full tax year.

What changes when your OnlyFans income grows fast

Quarterly taxes get trickier when you scale because:

• your profit rises faster than your habits
• your expense mix changes (more contractors, more paid marketing)
• you may need better bookkeeping to protect yourself in an audit

If you’re actively scaling and adding systems, you may also like:

• OnlyFans Tracking Links Guide (so your promo spend is measurable)
• How to Start, Create & Verify Your OnlyFans Account (helpful if you’re rebuilding foundations)

Mistakes that cause the biggest tax stress for creators

1) Paying taxes from “whatever is left”

If you only pay taxes after spending, you’re gambling with your own peace.

A simple fix is to treat taxes like a non-negotiable bill and move money into a separate account every payout.

2) Mixing personal and business spending

It makes deductions harder to prove and turns bookkeeping into a messy detective story.

3) Forgetting state taxes

Some creators plan perfectly for federal and then get hit by their state.

4) Underestimating how much time admin work takes

If your DMs, content, and promo already fill your day, accounting becomes the thing you “do later.” Later turns into April.

If you’re already overwhelmed, you might relate to the bigger question of what to delegate and what to keep in-house. These are good reads:

• When to Hire an OnlyFans Management Agency
• OnlyFans Scam: How Agencies, Managers and Chatters Rob the Creators

When you should consider a CPA or tax pro (especially as a creator)

Hiring help is not just about “doing taxes.” It’s often about:

• choosing a clean bookkeeping system
• building an audit-proof paper trail
• planning for growth (and avoiding ugly surprises)
• protecting privacy with correct documentation

A few signs it’s time:

• You’re making consistent income and quarterly payments feel scary.
• You have multiple platforms and income streams.
• You’re paying contractors or working with an agency.
• You moved states or travel frequently.

One last thing: taxes are part of staying in control

Taxes are not fun, but they’re a form of stability. When you know what you owe and when it’s due, you can plan bigger moves confidently, like upgrading equipment, investing in marketing, or bringing on support.

If the business side of OnlyFans is what’s holding you back (marketing, growth, DM monetization, leak protection, time management), that’s exactly what a full-service agency is built for. You can learn more about Lookstars here: Lookstars OnlyFans management and, if you’re in the research phase, this breakdown is helpful: Are OnlyFans Agencies Worth It?