Are you trying to figure out how to show proof of income as an online gamer? Read this article to learn how to prove your online gaming income.
If you want to buy anything and get a loan, you’ll need to show proof of income. The lender needs to know you have a way to pay them off and that it is enough money to pay for what you’re buying.
When you’re self-employed, you don’t have an employer pay stub to show how much money you make each pay period. We are here to help you figure out what to do when you make money as a self-employed gamer. Continue reading this article for tips for proving income.
How Much Money Can You Make as a Gamer?
You might think there are only a few people making money with online gaming, but that’s not the case. While there are only a few gamers that are raking in the millions, there are many more that are getting $10,000 per month and more because of gaming.
The sky is the limit with online gaming earnings, but you do need to know how to monetize it and if you want to get loans or rent property, you also need to know how to prove your income.
Some people opt to make fake pay stubs, and this can work, but make sure you use real numbers from the money you made from gaming when you’re inputting numbers. You are likely to be asked for other proof of income like your bank account and even your last two years of taxes.
How to Make Money Doing Online Gaming
Making it even more complicated to prove income, there are a lot of different ways you can make money with online gaming. With so many different income streams, it can be hard to keep track of all the money and where it is coming from.
Ad Revenue
Many people are familiar with gamers making money from ad revenue from YouTube, but there are other platforms in the works that allow gamers to make money from ad revenue. There are some that get money from subscriptions like Twitch.
The more views your videos get, the more money you make from ads. Since ad revenue can fluctuate a lot, this also makes it difficult to track and prove income. Many people don’t understand how it works, so try not to explain too much since it can be confusing.
Merchandise
Selling merchandise is another way many gamers make money from their gameplay. Many of them have their own shirts, stuffed animals, and more.
Keep in mind that there are laws in place that determine how much you’re allowed to promote your merch if your videos are considered targeted at children. Gaming channels are considered as targeted at children, so keep that in mind as you’re promoting and know that will impact your income as well.
Referral Cash
There are referral codes for games like Roblox that allow you to enter a gamer’s code, and it gives them money. If people like your gaming channel and you ask them to use their code when they buy, many people are glad to help out.
Even if there isn’t a lot of money in referral cash—ever little bit helps.
Sponsorships
Sponsorship is when a company pays you to promote a product or service. Many gamers get games given to them, and that is considered a sponsorship. Other gamers even get money to play the game and get the word out about the new game coming out.
Donations and Tips
Yes, you can get donations and tips on various platforms. When people enjoy watching your gaming, they can drop cold hard cash for you to support future videos.
Understanding the Proof of Income
Now that you know a little more about the different ways you could have money coming in as a gamer, you need to keep your documents and income organized.
In some cases, you might get a 1099 form from a company, which will make it a little easier for you to file your taxes. On the other hand, many companies expect you to keep track of your own income.
You might be able to show transactions coming from the company to your bank, invoices, or other proof of income. If you haven’t been earning money as a gamer for 2 tax years or more, it can be difficult to prove your income.
While you usually only need to have your job for six months, that isn’t the case when you’re working as a self-employed individual. Many lenders consider self-employment to be a riskier type of employment, which is why they require that you show you are stable for two years.
Showing two years of similar or increasing income puts lenders at ease knowing that you are growing your business, or it is at least staying steady.
You can take your documents to a tax professional to file your taxes, or you might choose a self-service option that has support to help you file on your own. It’s important to be very accurate when you’re reporting your income, or you might get in legal trouble.
Share Your Proof of Income
Now you know more about showing proof of income, and you can get a loan you need or show income for whatever else you need like for renting an apartment. Without proof of income, you can get stuck in a bad position no matter how much money you’re making.
Do you want to learn more about personal finance and other important topics? Keep reading our blog to get the information you need to succeed in life.
