397: A Stress-Free Tax Guide for Content Creators: LLCs, Write-Offs & Peace of Mind with Katie Callaway of Cookie Finance

[00:00:00] Tax season is upon us friends. Yes, it's February. Yes. The official tax deadline is not until April. Unless you have an S corp and unless you have a business, there are things that you have to do prior to that. April. Deadline. So today I am so excited to have Katie join me from Cookie Finance, and together we go over the basics that we need to have set up for our business, and then also like what are the next steps?

How do we set ourselves up for success with taxes without stressing out? How much should we set aside? What are we overlooking and just. How do we really set ourselves up for success so we are not feeling stress at this time of year? There are some key things that we're able to do throughout the year that don't take a lot of time, but are going to make our lives so much easier and just relieve any stress that we have around finances and around taxes.

And that is what Katie and I dive into in this episode. So let's get started.

[00:01:23] Bree: Hi Katie. Welcome to the show. I am so happy you're here. We met, oh my gosh, a year ago now, I guess, at Tastemaker Conference in Vegas, which was so much fun, and I, oh my gosh, you guys, if you ever get to see Cookie. At a booth in person. It's so much fun. They have actual delicious chocolate chip cookies that I probably ate way too many of.

And then, the owner, his kids were there too, and they were like running around giving everybody cookies. Oh my gosh. You guys had the best booth.

[00:02:00] Katie: They, they make the booth so much fun. I mean, listen, talking about taxes and accounting can be intimidating. So if we can bring cookies and children into the mix, then we're helping alleviate the stress right away. That's our

[00:02:12] Bree: They're just running around like, do you need a cookie? I'm like, yes. Yes, I do. Thank you.

[00:02:16] Katie: Yeah. And it was so fun, and you and I just, we clicked instantly and did besties ever since.

[00:02:21] Bree: Yes. So tell me what you do over at Cookie and what is Cookie Finance?

[00:02:28] Katie: Yeah, I'm a VP on the executive team here with Cookie Finance, and we are an accounting company that works exclusively with content creators, their agencies, influencers. So we truly understand the world of content creation, the creator economy, at a really cellular and granular level, which a lot of traditional accounts just.

Don't, it's no fault to them. It's an industry that's growing really quickly, but we spend every single day helping creators navigate the same questions about taxes, about LLCs, about deductions, and write-offs, S corps, pr, and gifting, all of those things. So we wanna make sure all of our clients feel really confident that they are doing things right, that they have someone that understands their world and the way that they work and operate.

[00:03:11] Bree: Yeah, just the fact that like Cookie Finance was built specifically for content creators. Can you tell us a little bit about like how it started and like why it was founded in the first place?

[00:03:22] Katie: Absolutely. So our founder and CEO, his name is Nate Coffin. He's the one with the four adorable kids at our conferences. When we go. So he has been a CPA for, you know, over a decade, I think 15, 16 years at this point. And he has two sister-in-laws that are Instagram content creators. They both have blogs in very different niches.

One does like food blogging and baking. The other does more home decor and DIY type of content. But, 'cause he's a younger guy and he's been a CPA for so long, they were going to him just for ancillary advice. You know, my. My accountant told me I can't deduct X, Y, and Z, or they said this specific strategy wouldn't make sense for what I do.

And. Immediately, Nate realized just what, quite frankly, garbage information that they were getting because again, they didn't really understand their world. They didn't understand that the lines very much blur between business and personal whenever it comes to content creation. So that's where a light bulb moment happened for him, and that's why Cookie Finance was founded, was to work exclusively with creators.

And that way, depending on their niche, depending on their platform, we can really give them a lens that makes sense for their unique business.

[00:04:32] Bree: Yeah, that's why like as soon as I discovered you guys, and then I, I think I found you through Kristen, another podcaster and creator coach, and then I saw you guys were coming to the conference and I was like, oh my God, I'm so excited. I knew immediately that I wanted to switch over my accounting and bookkeeping to you guys and to work with you guys because just having an accountant. An accounting like firm and company that focuses specifically on content creators where I'm not having to explain to you like, okay, I need to buy X, Y, and Z for this. Is that a write off? I mean, you either. I feel like at the beginning I had an account, it was like, you can write off everything. And I was like, oh, I'm a little scared of that.

And then I had an accountant that was like, you can't write off anything. And I'm like, okay, I need somebody that gets. What I do, and I know like this is a, I mean, it's not super new, but it is a newer industry and so a lot of things have been like slower to evolve and a lot of gray area. So like having a team that this is their sole focus makes my stress just like completely go away.

[00:05:39] Katie: Oh, well that's music to my ears. And being in that like messy middle area where it's like you. You can't really write off everything, but you shouldn't be afraid to deduct things that are very necessary for your business. I mean, context matters, and that's why really getting to know our creators at that very granular level of like niche platform, everything that they're doing to build their brand online, like it really, really does take having someone that understands the lay of the land to then tailor that advice appropriately.

So that makes me happy that we've given you that peace of mind. That is our goal, is just to reduce friction from our creators, creating content and giving them peace of mind.

[00:06:13] Bree: Right. Like that's not what you wanna have to worry about. You wanna just like go and create the content doing this part. Like, uh, unless you're like my friend Allison, who is like a CPA and she like loves this stuff, I'm like, I don't wanna touch it with a 10 foot pole. I am fully the Grinch when it comes to this stuff.

Don't let it near me. Just,

[00:06:30] Katie: are that way. Most are right brained, not left brained, you know, and that is a stereotype, but we do see that to be more often the case, so, yeah.

[00:06:38] Bree: Absolutely. So can we talk about just some of the basics that we need to have set up for our business to keep us safe, to make sure, you know, we don't get audited and all of that. What are some of those basics that we need?

[00:06:52] Katie: Yeah, absolutely. So we typically lay out like a getting started roadmap and some creators have all of this set up already. Most have none, and then some have a few. But there are a few things to. Start as far as just good financial hygiene comes into play. Think of it as your financial foundations. There are three big things, so I'll just boil it down into three.

One, set up an LLC, like do it for your own sanity. The second thing would be opening a separate bank account, a business credit card if you prefer to use one. And then the third thing is simply tracking your financials, those three things. And even if you just do the first two, setting up your LLC, separating your income and expenses into a separate bank account, then you are really, really well on your way.

Uh, happy to dive into the specifics as to why with each of these.

[00:07:38] Bree: like, yeah. So like you said, for your own sanity, tell me about the LLC and why it is so important to just go ahead and get that set up from the get go.

[00:07:46] Katie: I would say the two biggest reasons in, in my mind are protecting your personal assets and then also just giving the IRS legitimacy as to what you're doing. That it's like a real sustainable job, but first protecting your personal assets. So. Why is that important? What does that mean? Let's say you're a content creator and you're operating as a sole proprietor, so just on your own and you don't have your LLC and someone is going crazy on the internet and they decide to sue you.

For whatever reason, internet is kind of the wild west. It could happen. We're gonna knock on wood that A doesn't, but you never know. Let's say they sue you, but the courts actually rule in their favor, so you lose the case and you don't have this LLC in place. That means. The courts could go after your personal assets, so like your home, your personal savings, all of that wealth that you've been working really hard to accrue as a creator.

And that risk is really scary. It's kind of frightening, especially if you've worked really hard to build your personal brand. But if you have an LLC, then all the courts can go after would be the assets of the business. And as a content creator, as an influencer. It's not like you have machinery and factories, like the assets are relatively minimal.

It's, you know, the money in your business bank account. Uh, it's a, you know, a co, some equipment potentially, but nothing major. So your personal wealth stays protected. So. That's incredibly important as far as a reason to get an LLC. My favorite reason though, even though that one's probably arguably more important, would just be legitimacy in the eyes of the IRS, like the creator economy is, you know, not totally new, but it's still new-ish.

And if they look at what you're doing, um, we work with a lot of like video game content creators. Like if they look at that and say, Hey, what you're doing is a hobby, even though it's bringing in. Substantial amount of income, then you're gonna lose the ability to deduct very necessary. But sometimes like wacky expenses, things that like really do fall outside of what is quote unquote like normal for people with a traditional job.

So that means you would be paying taxes on every single dollar that you earn, and we don't want to do that. But having an LLC helps establish what you're doing as a real business. And then the third. You are also going to be able to protect your social security number. You can get an EIN with your business and employer identification numbers, what that stands for, and that is just really good for privacy when you're working with brands or agencies or the platforms directly, so that way you're not giving your full legal name and address and social security number.

And so. God forbid there's any kind of data breach or someone gains access to a brand's W nine files, you know, that way it's just the information for the business. It's none of your personal information that can be compromised. So those are the three big reasons as to like why form an LLC is a creator.

It goes way further than you think.

[00:10:32] Bree: Yeah, for sure. I mean, the biggest thing for me, I remember when I was getting my LLC set up for Thrive was just like I. Realizing like, oh, if something terrible happened and somebody wanted to sue me, they would go after like my home, but then also my husband's salary and screw with all of that. And I was just like, oh, absolutely not.

Like we need to create a very firm barrier here where that is not an issue.

[00:10:59] Katie: Yeah. There's also an interesting psychological shift that happens that I've noticed with creators specifically because again, they don't usually see themselves as entrepreneurs from the get go. If you do, I mean, then you're, you're in the right spot, you're in the right mindset. But there is something that happens when you form that LLC that says like, okay, I'm taking this seriously.

I have formalized my business. I'm doing this exactly.

[00:11:21] Bree: Yes. Oh, I love that. Okay. And then talk to me next about like the business bank account versus personal. I think it's incredibly important to have these things separate. I, when I was first getting started doing like contract work as like a graphic designer back in the day, like it was all kind of mixed and muddled and it was like me keeping spreadsheets on my own and a headache.

So. I want everybody to avoid that. That's my reason. So is that like kind of accurate is just like peace of mind and keep it separate?

[00:11:53] Katie: I would say that's definitely the biggest benefit for sure. That second foundational step of opening a separate bank account. Just please for your own sanity to your point, just don't run your business out of your personal checking account. It feels a little painful at first, right? You do have to get used to using new debit cards or credit cards.

You have to transfer all of those auto pays and payments. And let me just say though, that pain point is so worth it. We have seen. Tons of creators go through thousands and thousands of personal transactions during tax time. Just trying to figure out what was for the business, what was for personal, which gets difficult when a lot of your purchases are from very just common retailers.

But with a separate account. Everything is very clean. It's very easy to categorize. And yes, no, I, I would say the peace of mind for sure is gonna make everyone's life. It's gonna make your accountant's life easier, but also in addition to that, it's kind of the third. I'll call it a green flag in the eyes of the IRS as well, versus having that LLC, like I mentioned, you're legitimized as a business.

Having that EIN, that's also helpful. And then the third green flag is just separating your business and personal income, so that is a bonus as well. They do look for that to make sure it's not being muddled.

[00:13:05] Bree: Right. Okay. Let me ask you more of like a technical question, I guess, if I can of like, okay, so say somebody is just getting started, they're like, alright, I wanna start out on the right foot. And we'll tell them about like what you guys have to help get, like the LLC in the bank account set up to make that even easier.

But so say they go ahead and do that. They've got their LLC, they've got the business bank account, but they're literally not making. Any money just yet. They're like, okay, I wanna start making money with like affiliates, but like I need to purchase a couple of things. So is it like, okay, I'm going to give my business a loan type of thing?

Or is it like, okay, I'm gonna purchase a business credit card and then my personal. Bank account is going to pay off their credit card. You know what I mean? Like what are like the very, like if somebody is just brand new, what does that kind of look like? What's the best way to go about that?

[00:14:02] Katie: That's a fantastic question that is gonna really boil down to personal preference. If you do have a dedicated separate credit card and you feel comfortable racking up that credit and the debt there, that does keep it organized for sure. Otherwise, yes, you can in the meantime operate off after your personal checking account and pull funds just from there as long as you're tracking your income and expenses.

So if you do have a spreadsheet early on saying, you know, these purchases were things that I bought for affiliate marketing and affiliate links, these cameras I purchased for X, Y, and Z for content production. So as long as you're staying organized in the very beginning, before you are monetized and making income, it's not the worst.

Thing, it's whenever you are really making a

[00:14:44] Bree: is

[00:14:44] Katie: amount of income. Yes, that is when it absolutely makes sense to form that LLC Open up that separate business bank account. But in the early days, as long as you are staying relatively organized, either by using a separate credit card, even using PayPal sometimes can be a good solution as well.

And having everything go from there, or just tracking it through your personal checking, it's not the worst thing, but it is gonna become a headache. Sooner rather than later. So it's more so just keep it in the back of your mind that you'll wanna do that at some point.

[00:15:12] Bree: Yeah. Oh my gosh. Okay, great. So w beyond that, like basics, let's say we've got the basics all set up, what's kind of like those next steps? Setting ourselves up for success with taxes without that being too stressful? And then one question I get all the time is like, well, how much do I even set this?

Side for taxes. So can you, we dive into, and we're coming up on tax season, so can we dive into that a little bit? I mean, yeah. For you, like you're in it,

[00:15:42] Katie: Oh, we're in it. Yes. No, absolutely. I I think to your point, just thinking about taxes would absolutely. Be worth it. As far as a next step, there's so much misinformation out there about like when you need to pay taxes. We hear different numbers all the time. Like unless you're making $600 or $1,200, then you don't need to report that income on your tax return from content.

But none of that's true. Every single, every single dollar from income you have to report on your tax return. So. It's gonna vary based on where you live, right? There are three different kinds of taxes that those who are self-employed. So content creators pay one federal income tax. That's something no one here in the United States can avoid.

We have to pay the IRS. That's gonna vary just based on your income bracket, your tax bracket. Then state taxes obviously varies as well. Some states have no estate income tax. And then if you're like me in the, in California, we have pretty high state income tax, so that's gonna vary across the board. Then there's a sneaky third tax that most content creators get a lot of sticker shock from.

So something to keep in mind earlier rather than later. Would be self-employment tax. Self-employment tax breaks down into Social security and Medicare. So when you have a like quote unquote normal job, you don't really notice that you're paying that because you are paying it out of your paycheck and your employer is paying the other portion.

So you're paying 7.65%, your employer is paying seven point. Six, 5%. However, when you're self-employed, you're actually paying both portions 'cause you're the employer and you're your own employee. It's 15.3%, which is usually higher than everyone's, both state and federal taxes that they owe. So lots of sticker shock there.

So first and foremost, I guess, be prepared that you will have to pay that. Now as far as how much you need to be setting aside for taxes, and this is another benefit of having a separate business bank account, you can set up like just an auto withdrawal of a certain percentage of everything that comes your way to set aside for taxes.

We usually say. If you are working with a good accountant that can help you write off everything that is legitimate as a business expense, you probably will be fine putting away and saving 25% of each deposit for your taxes. That should be fine. With that said, there are gonna be nuances here and there.

If you feel more comfortable putting away 30, then do that, but that should be more than enough. So getting prepared for that self-employment tax and just paying taxes in general is absolutely a fantastic next step. And then beyond that, it would be getting into the practice of paying quarterly taxes as well.

[00:18:21] Bree: Yes. Yeah. Which once I started doing that, that relieved such a huge headache because I would just like stress out. Like especially once you got to the end of the year, I was like, oh my God, how much am I gonna have to pay? How much am I gonna have to pay? But when I'm paying quarterly, I'm like, I should be good.

Everything should be pretty even out. We should be pretty fine. And that stress just goes away. And that is. 10 out of 10 recommend. And what I was gonna say too, and you kind of touched on it, but like, setting aside money for taxes, like I recommend, and I'm sure you guys do too, like make like a savings account as well, where you can just like automatically like put that into that bank account and that is not touched.

Like I literally have one inside my Wells Fargo and it's called taxes and like that's what I've named it. And like money just goes in there and that is not something that we can touch.

[00:19:12] Katie: Yes, exactly.

[00:19:14] Bree: A lot cleaner.

[00:19:15] Katie: That money belongs to the IRS. Do not touch it by any and all means. And then if you are paying quarterly and then you have a little leftover, then by all means you can pocket that. That's great. But that absolutely is such good financial hygiene is just put it in your savings. You will be tempted to touch it, especially if you do wait until the end of the year to do your taxes.

'cause that'll be a pretty substantial amount of money. But that's another benefit of just. Paying quarterly, staying organized, and you're gonna avoid any kind of interest in penalty fees associated with not paying quarterly as well, which that can add up pretty quickly too.

[00:19:46] Bree: Yeah, a hundred percent. Is there anything that you feel like creators are ignoring or overlooking when it comes to finances and taxes that you're like, oh my gosh, I wish you guys would stop doing this?

[00:19:59] Katie: I, I would say if you have those three things in place that we talked about, aside from those three things, which again, we see creators making like millions of dollars with none of those things set up. They've been in the business a long time, so, so you're not alone if you don't have those things set up.

So beyond that, because I feel like that would be my obvious answer is like, let's just get the foundations in place. I think a lot of creators. Are very conservative with writing off things they don't feel are valid to write off as a deduction. And, and for some clarity too, anyone listening, you're gonna hear me say like, write off deduction business expense.

They all mean the same thing. Uh, it's all interchangeable. It just means legitimate business costs that are gonna reduce your taxable income. But the challenge is that like no one. Deductions are going to be the same. You know, our gaming content creators that I mentioned earlier, they are gonna have different business expenses than someone that has a food blog and they're gonna have different business expenses than someone that has like a famous Instagram dog, right?

So everyone is going to have like very different legitimate business expenses. So. I guess what I can do is just give you a North star, which is just asking yourself, is this purchase ordinary and necessary for my business? And we too, B Brie, we have a a content creator deduction cheat sheet. It's not like a hard and

[00:21:15] Bree: you guys handed that to me at the conference and like, I mean I've been doing this for a long time, but there was still like a couple things on there. I was like, wait, I can deduct this. And you're like, yep. And I was like, oh, well I'm gonna use my business card for that from now on. It's been great.

[00:21:30] Katie: a really common one for every content creator would be writing off your Netflix, your Hulu, your HBO subscriptions,

[00:21:39] Bree: doing that. That was one of 'em where I was like, hold on. So I like immediately went in and like switched things around. Yeah.

[00:21:45] Katie: Yeah, well, I mean, think about Fortune 500 companies or those, like with a more traditional business model, they're going to be writing off their subscription to Business Insider or the New York Times because they have to stay well-informed about a lot of things regarding the, the entertainment or not entertainment industry regarding their business.

But as creators, we are in the entertainment industry. We have to stay on top of trends. We have to be well-versed in things

[00:22:09] Bree: I have to know what's going on in Bridger. I mean, if I'm gonna create some fun memes and like talk about it on the podcast, I gotta know.

[00:22:17] Katie: Exactly, exactly. No, it's completely valid to deduct any of those streaming services. Obviously your internet bill, your phone bill. But the tax code, just for some, some fun facts here, since we're talking about taxes, it hasn't been updated since 1986. That was actually the year our CEO was born, which is like very serendipitous and funny.

[00:22:35] Bree: is crazy.

[00:22:37] Katie: So that was long before like TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, anything ever existed. So the creator economy now has to navigate like within the guidelines of when the tax code was last updated, which the internet wasn't really a

[00:22:51] Bree: No,

[00:22:52] Katie: people were monetizing

[00:22:53] Bree: no.

[00:22:53] Katie: So the gray area intentionally gives flexibility, but I think it just also gives creators, uh, it just gives them confusion because they feel like they're guessing.

So.

[00:23:04] Bree: It's like, just tell me like gimme the rules. Tell me what I can and cannot do. The fact I did not realize, I knew it was a long time ago. 1986. That is

[00:23:13] Katie: Old. Yeah. I hadn't been born yet,

[00:23:16] Bree: No, same.

[00:23:18] Katie: so, so we do have to navigate within a very gray guide, but the flexibility is there for a reason. It is not a common occurrence to get audited. Don't go crazy. Don't like stick a logo on a Porsche and call that entire Porsche. Write off, but. It's okay to really just work within that North Star framework of, is this ordinary, is this necessary?

Could I be producing content and making money from my content without this purchase? I think that's a fantastic framework to work within. So that includes some very oddly specific things sometimes, and that's okay.

[00:23:50] Bree: Yeah, I love that, that saying there, I feel like we need to make a quote about that, like. Could my business operate without me doing this or having this one thing that's such a good North star to have? So, okay, now that we've dove into all of these things. And I think people are probably like, Ooh, excited about, Ooh, certain things I can write off.

I love that we kind of ended with that part of it. Like, let's wrap this up with something fun. Here's things you can write off, but how does Cookie help alleviate all of this stress? Like I have said earlier, like I switched to Cookie Finance last year and it helps me so much, but since then, you guys have also come out with a lower tier, so.

Anybody can really start working with you no matter if they're just getting started or like already making money. So can you tell us about those two different services that you guys have?

[00:24:43] Katie: Absolutely. So the newer service that we have, it's called Creator Business Essentials, and it is exactly that. It's everything that we talked about in the beginning as far as the foundations that you need in place. So with Creator Business Essentials, we form your LLC for you. We can open up a cookie finance virtual business bank account.

So all that is fully included, $29 a month. We will get you your EIN. Then as you are growing, it's a very natural way for them to, uh, support you with our more full service like white glove tax and accounting services. And to answer your question about how we save you stress, it's all about being proactive this time of year.

It almost feels like an emergency room where people come to us panicked and stressed with,

[00:25:28] Bree: out. Oh my God,

[00:25:29] Katie: out. We hear all the time, I think the IRS is gonna knock on my door and arrest me, and we reassure that that's not, that's not how it works. And also they won't. It's like you're in good hands. So it's all about being proactive.

Of course, we will make sure to get your taxes for the year 2025. All handled and squared away. After that, it's about reviewing a monthly profit and loss statement, going through your transactions on a regular basis, so that way everything is being like clean and categorized and we're not scrambling come March or April for years to come.

We're paying quarterly. So it's a lot of really hands-on communication with your team that be working with over here, and then ask them about those write offs if you have a very specific niche. Let me tell you, when I say we've seen it all, we have seen it all in terms of niches. Ask them, that's exactly what they're there for.

[00:26:16] Bree: podcast episode just for that.

[00:26:18] Katie: We could, I could talk hours on end about some of the questions I've gotten and some of the things I've been asked. Can I deduct X, Y, and Z? And a lot of the times it's a yes depending on their work, but that's why we give you a human team as well. Being a content creator is like, relatively isolating is a career, and I don't think a lot of people realize that.

So bringing a human touch, having a team that you can text and email with, work with on a monthly basis to make sure that your. Books are clean, and if you have tax questions like a big purchase, like a house or a car, like bring that to your team so we can talk strategy. So it's very helpful to have someone in your corner that understands what you do, that you can actually email them and talk with them, and you don't have to, you know, have a robot on the other line.

So we're very proactive in that approach as well. Just making sure you can focus on what you do best, which is creating content and growing your business, growing your brand.

[00:27:08] Bree: Yeah. And what does that monthly cost look like right now?

[00:27:11] Katie: So for our LLC clients, so anyone making under 100,000 to 120,000. So ideally you're making between, let's say 60 to 70 K from content up to like 120,000. So that's our LLC package, meaning we'll also help form the LLC if you don't have one, get your, that separate bank account and then the full accounting services that I mentioned.

So that's 3 25 a month. Fully month to month as well. We do have annual billing options if anyone's interested, but we want our creators to stay with us 'cause they like us, not because we're forcing them to under a contract. And also everything in this world is crazy and we have to, you know, we wanna be mindful and flexible.

If TikTok ever gets banned, you'd never know. And then our escort plan, which would be for content creators making over 120,000, give or take, sometimes it depends on the nuances of their finances, but that's. Good framework, that's gonna be $400 a month and we can get into S-corp at another at another

[00:28:08] Bree: Yes. Another

[00:28:09] Katie: way to save. Yeah, that's a, that's a whole other episode in conversation if people are interested. But, but those are those two packages and we keep it straightforward. Everything is included and that no hidden fees, no hidden figures. It's all.

[00:28:19] Bree: That's what, like whenever I sat down and talked with you at the conference, it was like, oh, okay, well, like this is everything you get. And I was like, okay, but then how much extra is it? Like, what else am I getting billed for at tax season? And it was like, no, that's all included. I was like, I'm sorry, what?

So that was not the case. Like previously with my accountant, it was like, oh, okay, well this would be the bookkeeping cost and the cost to meet with a team and for us to be available to you, and then this is the extra cost to do your business and personal finances or taxes, and that all being included. I was like, oh, okay.

Here, take my money. Let's go

[00:28:55] Katie: Fully included personal returns, joint returns as well. So, um, the way that we charge is by entity. So if someone had like five LLCs, then that would be a little bit different, but, you know, everything is fully straightforward and we like to keep things simple. And again, just give, give you the peace of mind that, that all creators need.

[00:29:12] Bree: Yes, absolutely. And I, I really love that you guys did the Creator business Essentials this past year and started that just so, 'cause we do have a lot of newbies listening and those that are like, we're not at that point yet where we have, you know, the extra $300 to spend, or we're not making the $60,000 yet.

Like, we're more on the newer side. So having a place where they can just get started, it's super affordable, and then feel like, okay. If they're setting up my LLC for me, I don't have to worry about doing it correctly. And do I go to Legal Zoom or do I have to fill out my own paperwork? Like that alone stresses me out.

Obviously, if you couldn't tell by the way I'm explaining it, but I was like, I don't wanna touch it, somebody else do it for me. So I think. You know, that's just, that's why I love you guys, plus you guys, your team is so much fun and so kind and easy to work with, and I don't feel like I'm not working with like a stuffy accountant.

Like you said, the founder was born in 1986. That's when my husband was born. Like, it's like, it's not me working with somebody my dad's age. You

[00:30:13] Katie: Yeah.

[00:30:14] Bree: there's just a little bit of a difference there when it comes to, you know. This creator economy and making sure people understand all of the different nuances and everything that we're doing

[00:30:24] Katie: Yeah, I mean imagine explaining like LTK, our style. I mean, who knows what cap cut. To a poor 80-year-old that, you know, usually works with the dentist office down the street. And I, I'm biased obviously, but I think we're also pretty fun. We have a good time and we care so deeply about our talent and clients that work with us.

We, we get to know y'all so well. Um, a lot of clients that I have worked with, you know, we, we text each other regularly about. Nothing regarding accounting, like we really true, like to bring that human experience and element into something that is scary, which is taxes. So that makes me super happy that you've had a good experience too.

[00:31:01] Bree: Oh my gosh, I love it. I talk to you guys all the time and say, everybody, this is what we should do to make your life easier. So tax season is coming up guys, and if you don't want the stress that you might be feeling right now, I'll leave all the links below for you guys so you can check out Cookie Finance.

I've got a discount code, I believe, for the Creator Business Essentials Program, so they can go and check that out and get. You know, save money there too. As well as if you sign up for the full package though, we'll just link everything in the show notes for you guys so you can check it out. And of course you can message me anytime you have questions about it.

I wanna dive in further. So, Katie, this was so fun. Oh my

[00:31:39] Katie: was so fun. I wanna come back next year, next tax season.

[00:31:43] Bree: Yes, I know. I'm like, maybe we should get ahead of it a little bit, but then I feel like, okay, if we talk about this in September, it's just gonna be like, eh, I don't have to worry about that right now.

[00:31:52] Katie: Yeah. Yeah, you never know. Sometimes we get the funniest questions come July and August, so anytime where people want to talk taxes, which is rare, but anytime they do, then I'm happy to be here.

[00:32:03] Bree: Yes. Oh my gosh. We'll definitely have to keep doing this year after year, so, yay. All right. Well, I hope you have a great rest of your day, friend, and thank you guys for listening. Check out those links in the description below and we'll see you guys back here next week for a new episode.