Guides

Most advice creators find about contracts and money is published by the people taking a cut of it. These are written by someone with no agency to protect, with the sources cited so you can check them.

Contracts

18 clauses in a creator management contract that should stop you signing The clauses that reliably cost creators money or control — what each one does, why it hurts, and what to ask for instead. John Nader · reviewed July 2026
What a fair management commission actually looks like Commission rates of 30-50% are normal in creator management. Here is what the number has to buy to be worth it, and how to work out your own break-even. John Nader · reviewed July 2026
Getting out of a management contract: notice, exit fees, and what they can actually enforce How to read your exit terms, what to do before you give notice, and which threats are real. John Nader · reviewed July 2026
Who owns your content when an agency manages you? Assignment, work-for-hire and perpetual licences — how to read the IP clause, and what a fair version says. John Nader · reviewed July 2026
The 12 questions to ask before signing with any management agency Twelve questions to ask before you sign — and what the answers, including the evasive ones, tell you. John Nader · reviewed July 2026

Taxes

Taxes for self-employed creators: what you owe, when, and what nobody withholds Self-employment tax, income tax, quarterly payments and the deductions most creators miss — the whole picture in one place. John Nader · reviewed July 2026
Quarterly estimated taxes without the panic: due dates, safe harbor, and what to send How quarterly payments work, how to calculate them on volatile income, and the safe harbor rule that protects you from penalties. John Nader · reviewed July 2026
What creators can actually deduct — and how well each one holds up The deductions creators miss, the three that get challenged, and the standard that actually applies. John Nader · reviewed July 2026
Which IRS business activity code goes on a creator's Schedule C There is no IRS code for "content creator". Here is which one to use, why, and how much it actually matters. John Nader · reviewed July 2026
How much of every payout should you actually set aside? One percentage, moved the day the money lands. Why a percentage beats a fixed amount on volatile income. John Nader · reviewed July 2026
The home office deduction when your home is your studio The "regular and exclusive use" test, simplified versus actual method, and the mistake most creators make. John Nader · reviewed July 2026

Chargebacks

What happens when a fan disputes a charge — and why you lose twice How chargebacks work, why they cost more than the disputed amount, and what actually reduces them. John Nader · reviewed July 2026
The evidence that actually wins a dispute, and the deadlines you cannot miss What to send when you fight a chargeback, what gets ignored, and when fighting is not worth it. John Nader · reviewed July 2026

Business of creating

Sole prop, LLC or S-corp: the profit level where each starts making sense What each structure actually does, what it costs, and the break-even where an S-corp election starts paying. John Nader · reviewed July 2026
Building a runway on income that swings 40% month to month Why creator income is harder to plan around than a salary, and how much cushion the volatility actually demands. John Nader · reviewed July 2026
Your first year of bookkeeping: the five records that actually matter What to track from day one, what to ignore, and the one setup decision that makes everything else easier. John Nader · reviewed July 2026

Nothing here is tax or legal advice — I'm not an accountant or a lawyer, and I say so on my page. What you get is the arithmetic done carefully and the primary sources linked. For anything you're about to sign or file, use a professional.