Music Licensing & Royalty-Free Music
Music licensing services like Epidemic Sound, Artlist, and royalty-free music.
Tax Form
Schedule C, Line 18
Estimated Savings
$100-500/year
Best for
Income Level
How It Works
Music licensing subscriptions and royalty-free music purchases for your content are fully deductible. This includes services like Epidemic Sound, Artlist, Musicbed, Soundstripe, and individual track purchases. Background music is essential for professional content and these costs are legitimate business expenses.
IRS Rules & Requirements
- Subscription services are deducted in the year paid
- Individual track purchases are also deductible
- Must be used for business content creation
- Keep receipts and subscription records
- Sound effects libraries also qualify
Real Examples
Epidemic Sound subscription at $144/year = fully deductible
Artlist subscription at $199/year = fully deductible
Individual royalty-free track purchases = fully deductible
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Forgetting to deduct music licensing as a business expense
- Not keeping subscription payment records
- Missing deductions for sound effects libraries
Pro Tip
Many music licensing services offer annual plans at a discount. The upfront cost is fully deductible in the year you pay it.
Related Deductions
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