Creators, coaches & info products

Books and taxes for podcasters.

Sponsor reads booked months out, dynamic ad revenue that trickles in from an ad host, Patreon support, and an editor to pay every week. Your own bookkeeper sorts all of it, an accountant checks every transaction, and you get one number a month.

Book a call What we handle
  • From $197 a month
  • An accountant on every transaction
  • Cancel whenever
SeptemberExample month
$10,000
what you made

September came in at $10,000. The new podcast mixer went in as equipment, since it will run every episode for years to come.

  • Sponsor invoice, gear brandSponsor reads
  • Megaphone ad payoutDynamic ad revenue
  • Patreon payoutListener support
  • Editor payment, direct invoiceEditing
  • Guest booking feeProduction costs
Money in$24,000
Money out$14,000
Set aside for taxes$2,500
An example month. Yours will have your numbers.

Why your books are different

A podcast's books go wrong in the same few spots.

A generalist sees deposits and calls it revenue. Yours comes from a sponsor invoice negotiated months ago, dynamic ad money that trickles in from a host, and listener support paid monthly, each moving on its own schedule. When the books do not separate them, you cannot tell what the show is really worth.

  1. 1

    A sponsor read gets paid long after it airs

    A read recorded in July for a sponsor booked in May often does not get invoiced or paid until September, so the income lands three months after the actual work and looks disconnected from any specific episode.

    What we doMatches sponsor payments to the episode and month they were recorded for, not just when the invoice clears, so you can see what each deal actually paid.
  2. 2

    Dynamic ad revenue looks random

    Ad money that gets inserted automatically based on downloads pays out on the host's own schedule and formula, so a month with a popular episode can pay less than expected and it is easy to assume the books are wrong.

    What we doTracks dynamic ad revenue as its own line so a strange payout month is visible and explainable, not mistaken for a bookkeeping error.
  3. 3

    A guest fee or travel cost eats a month's sponsor money

    Flying in a big-name guest or paying an honorarium can cost more than a single sponsor read brings in, and without tracking cost per episode it is easy to keep booking guests that lose money.

    What we doTracks production costs against sponsor income per episode, so you can see which guests and formats are actually worth the cost.
  4. 4

    Editing pay disappears into one software line

    A weekly payment to an editor gets lumped in with hosting fees and subscriptions, so nobody can see what production actually costs against what the show brings in.

    What we doKeeps editing pay in its own line and tracks the running total for the year's 1099.

Your categories

The categories Gus keeps for a podcast.

Set up once for how the show gets paid and what it spends on. You never pick a category. He does, and an accountant checks it.

Money in

  • Sponsor readsDirect-sold sponsorships invoiced to a brand or its agency.
  • Dynamic ad revenuePayouts from an ad host like Megaphone or Spotify's ad exchange.
  • Listener supportPatreon, Supercast, or a paid feed's monthly subscribers.
  • Live show ticketsTicket sales for live tapings and events.
  • Affiliate commissionsPromo codes and referral links read on air.

Money out

  • Editing and productionPayments to an editor, mixer, or producer.
  • Hosting and distributionThe RSS host and any ad insertion service.
  • Recording equipmentMixers, microphones, and interfaces.
  • Guest booking costsHonorariums and travel for guests.
  • Show promotionClips, trailer cuts, and paid social promotion.

What we watch for you

  • Sponsor revenue trend

    Whether direct sponsor deals are growing or shrinking against dynamic ad money.

  • Cost per episode

    What each episode costs to produce against what it earned in sponsorship.

  • Editing cost

    What editing and production pay costs against total show income for the month.

  • The set-aside

    What the show will owe, tracked every month, so a strong sponsor quarter does not become a surprise bill.

Ask Gus

Things podcasters ask Gus.

Text him like you would text anybody. He answers in plain English, and when a question is above his pay grade, an accountant looks and gets back to you.

A sponsor I recorded a read for in June finally paid in September. Is that a problem?

Not a problem, just timing. I matched the payment back to June so you can see what that sponsor actually paid for that episode.

My dynamic ad revenue dropped even though downloads were up. What happened?

That payout runs on its own formula through the ad host, not a straight download count. I keep it as its own line so a strange month is visible, not confused for an error.

Should I hire my editor as an employee instead of paying by invoice?

That is above my pay grade. I track what he is paid all year, and the accountant can weigh in on whether payroll makes more sense.

The tax side

The tax side of running a podcast.

Most of what trips people up here is timing between when work happens and when a sponsor or ad host actually pays, plus paying an editor with no record of the total.

What your return has to get right

Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.

  • Paying an editor $2,000 or moreAn editor or producer not on payroll, paid $2,000 or more in 2026, gets a 1099-NEC by January 31. Gus keeps that running total all year.
  • Self-employment taxA podcast host not on payroll owes 15.3 percent in self-employment tax on top of income tax, up to the Social Security wage base of $184,500.
  • Equipment write-offsMixers, microphones, and interfaces bought for the show can usually be written off in the year they are bought, since bonus depreciation is back to 100 percent for property bought after January 19, 2025.
  • The pass-through deductionMost podcast businesses can take up to 20 percent of profit off their taxable income. Above $201,750 single or $403,500 joint, the accountant checks how much applies.

Deductions podcasters miss

Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.

  • Microphones and mixers
  • Recording interface
  • Editing software
  • Hosting fees
  • Editor and producer pay
  • Guest travel and honorariums
  • Studio space or home office share
  • Show promotion and clips
  • Business phone and internet
  • Backup drives and storage
  • Business liability insurance
  • Website for the show

General information about 2026 federal rules, not advice for your business. Your accountant looks at your actual numbers before anything gets filed.

All year, not just April

A podcast's year, kept every month.

Episodes drop on a schedule, and sponsor invoices trail behind on their own. Your team keeps the books closed every month, all year. Every month in between, your bookkeeper closes the books and speaks up the moment something looks off.

  1. January

    Line up the year

    Last year's return gets started, the editor's 1099 is prepared, and a monthly set-aside is planned so April is no scramble.

  2. April

    Filed before the mic drops

    The show's return is filed and signed, with no scramble for cash since the set-aside has been building month over month since January.

  3. July

    Season halfway point

    Where the show stands, what it will owe, and whether spring sponsor bookings changed the number.

  4. October

    Before ad budgets reset

    Sponsors spend down ad budgets before the year ends. Gus looks at what is booked and anything worth doing before December.

What you get

Starts at$197a month

What you pay depends on what your business needs, and it does not move after that, busy season or slow. No hourly bills, no surprise invoices, no setup fee.

Book a call
  • Monthly bookkeeping

    Every transaction sorted into categories set up for podcasters. You never categorize a thing.

  • An accountant checks every transaction

    Real review, every month, before your books close. Not a spot check.

  • Your business tax return, filed

    Prepared, reviewed, and signed by that same accountant every year.

  • The monthly number

    What you made, what you spent, what to set aside for taxes.

  • Your own bookkeeper

    A real person assigned to your business, in the app whenever you need them. No hold music.

  • On your books all year

    Every month, not just in April. Your team speaks up whenever something is worth your attention.

  • Cancel any time

    No contract. No cancellation call. Your books are yours.

Straight answers

Questions podcasters ask first.

Do I owe tax on dynamic ad revenue I never invoiced myself?

Yes. All ad revenue from a host is taxable whether or not a form arrives. Gus tracks every payout from your bank statement so nothing gets missed.

I run two shows under one business. Can Gus keep them separate?

Yes. He tracks revenue and costs by show so you can see what each one actually earns, even while they share one set of books.

My sponsor paid a big lump sum for a full season up front. Is that a problem?

Not a problem, just something worth flagging. Gus notes when a payment covers more than one month of episodes so the monthly number reflects work delivered, not just cash received.

Can Gus tell me if my editor should be a contractor or an employee?

He flags anyone paid regularly who looks employee-shaped, working set hours on your schedule, and the accountant weighs in before it becomes a habit.

My books are a mess from launching the show last year. Can Gus start now?

Yes. Send the bank and payout statements you have. Gus sorts them, the accountant checks them, and most hosts know where they stand inside a week.

Is a real accountant checking my books?

Yes. You get your own bookkeeper, Gus does the first pass on every transaction, and an accountant checks every one before your month closes. That same accountant prepares, signs, and files your business return. Goatkeeper is not a CPA firm, and we never pretend a person looked when they did not.

What does it cost, and can I cancel?

It starts at $197 a month, depending on what your business needs. No setup fee, no hourly bills, no contract. Cancel any time from the app, and your books go with you.

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We keep books for the business next door too.

What makes a bookkeeper worth paying for Every business we keep books for

Book a call

Pick a time. That's the whole signup.

Fifteen minutes with a real person on our team. They look at where your books are, tell you straight what it takes to get caught up, and get you set up on the spot if it fits.

  • $197 a month to start
  • An accountant on every transaction
  • Cancel whenever