For creators paid by YouTube, Twitch, Patreon, TikTok, and every 1099
Know what's yours to spend.Set aside the rest.
Type your income. Sero shows what to keep and what to set aside for taxes, with the whole calculation laid out. Free, in your browser, nothing sent anywhere.
You keep
$41,807
after estimated federal taxes
Set aside
$10,193
about 19.6% of your $52,000 profit
That's roughly $2,548.25 per quarterly estimated payment. See the full breakdown
Estimate only. Not tax advice. Sero doesn't file returns or move money. Confirm with a professional before filing. Everything you type stays in your browser.
The calculator is the demo. The app is the habit.
Sero for iPhone tracks every payout across your platforms and keeps one live number: safe to spend versus set aside. Coming for tax season 2027.
One live number
Safe to spend vs set aside, updated with every payout you add.
Snap a receipt
Scanned on your device; the image never leaves your phone.
Write-offs, organized
The deductions creators miss, captured as you go.
Quarterly reminders
Deadlines land on your calendar before they land on you.
Clean year-end export
A Schedule-C-style summary your accountant will actually like.
Private by design
Estimates only. No filing, no money movement, no ad SDKs.
Estimates and organization only: Sero never files returns and never touches your money.
Your platform, your tax rules.
Plain-English guides with real computed numbers, not vibes. Each one uses the same engine as the calculator. Browse all answers.
- Twitch taxes: what streamers owe, and what to set aside
How Twitch income is taxed in 2026: the two 1099 forms, self-employment tax, computed set-aside amounts by income, and streamer write-offs.
- YouTube taxes: what creators owe on AdSense and brand deals
How YouTube income is taxed in 2026: AdSense and the 1099 from Google, brand deals, self-employment tax, and engine-computed set-aside amounts by income level.
- TikTok taxes: Creator Rewards, gifts, and brand deals
How TikTok income is taxed in 2026: Creator Rewards payouts, LIVE gifts, brand deals, self-employment tax, and engine-computed set-aside amounts.
- Patreon taxes: memberships are income, with or without a 1099-K
How Patreon income is taxed in 2026: the 1099-K threshold after the 2025 law, why membership income is taxable regardless, and engine-computed set-aside amounts.
- Quarterly estimated taxes in 2026: dates, amounts, and the safe harbor
The four 2026 estimated-tax deadlines, who must pay, how much (computed by engine, or the prior-year safe harbor), and how to pay the IRS.
- The 1099 threshold changed for 2026: what creators need to know
The 1099-NEC threshold rises from $600 to $2,000 for 2026 payments, and 1099-K returns to $20,000. The paperwork changes; the tax you owe does not.
Fair questions, straight answers.
How much should a creator set aside for taxes?
It depends on profit, not revenue. As a computed reference for 2026: a single creator with $50,000 of net profit should set aside about $9,732 federally, an effective 19.5%. Lower incomes set aside a smaller share, higher incomes more. Sero's calculator computes your number from your income, expenses, and filing status, with the full breakdown shown.
Do I owe taxes if I never got a 1099?
Yes. 1099 forms control what payers report, not what you owe. All self-employment income is taxable from the first dollar, and starting in 2026 even fewer payments generate forms (the reporting threshold rose to $2,000 under the 2025 tax law), so your own payout records matter more than ever.
What is self-employment tax?
It's Social Security and Medicare for people without an employer: 15.3% applied to 92.35% of your net profit, on top of regular income tax. Employees split this with their employer; creators pay both halves, which is why tax bills surprise people who switched from a W-2 job. It applies once net earnings reach $400 for the year.
When are quarterly taxes due in 2026?
April 15, June 15, and September 15, 2026, and January 15, 2027. You generally must pay quarterly if you expect to owe $1,000 or more for the year. Paying 100% of last year's total tax (110% if your prior AGI topped $150,000) is the safe harbor that avoids underpayment penalties.
Is Sero tax advice? Does it file my taxes?
No. Sero gives you estimates to organize your finances and set money aside. It is not a tax preparer, accountant, or financial advisor; it does not file returns and does not move your money. Always confirm with a qualified professional before filing.
When does the Sero app launch?
Sero is coming to iPhone for tax season 2027 (late January). It tracks creator income across platforms, shows a live safe-to-spend versus set-aside number, reminds you before quarterly deadlines, and exports a clean year-end summary for your accountant. The calculator on this site runs the same tested tax engine the app ships.
Deeper answers: quarterly deadlines for 2026, the new $2,000 1099 threshold, and how every number is computed.