Do You Know Your Tax Deductions As An Actor?

Tax season is here and everyone is trying to figure out last minute deductions to save money this year. If you are not sure what deductions you can claim as an actor, here are some tips to help you save money and (maybe) get a refund this year.

• Self-employed actors can deduct expenses directly related to acting activities that are not viewed as "extravagant" when it comes to properly doing their work. In other words, the deduction must be deemed to be "ordinary and necessary" in the eyes of the IRS.
• Some actors try to deduct everyday items like makeup and a gym membership on their taxes. However, the use of these items must be clearly defined by the actor. For example, makeup for a photo session or a stage play can be deducted but makeup bought for use during a normal day cannot be deducted. A gym membership is rarely deductible because it is considered exercise and not "research" or "training".
• Clothing is also an area to be handled with caution. An outfit bought for an audition can fall into the deduction category but clothes bought to wear to lunch or the beach are not considered tax deductible. 
• Items that might count for "research purchases" include magazine subscriptions and books for the purpose of staying up to date on your profession. Movie tickets can count as research for your job as well as some (or all) of your cable, Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu subscriptions.
• Fees paid to your reps or a PR firm can be marked as business expenses. However, you will need to provide statements showing your payments as well as examples of the services they provided. Also, fees paid for acting classes, private sessions and casting director workshops might be good deductions for you.
• Keep track of your mileage as you drive to auditions, agent and manager meetings, acting classes, rehearsals and acting jobs. They can be counted as business trips. In addition, out of town travel for work can include some deductions. 
• Did you mail anything related to your career last year? Fed Ex, UPS and USPS expenses that were a result of mailing resumes, headshots and other career items can fall into deduction territory.
• Resumes and headshots, along with postcards and fees charged by sites like LA Casting, can all be classified as "promotional expenses" when filling out your taxes.
• Finally, making business calls can be written off on your taxes. Plus, a new phone can be a tax deduction if you have the proper paperwork to show its business use.

I hope the examples listed above help you save some money. As always, consult with a tax professional when using the above deduction examples. To quote the JP Morgan website:

"This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal, or accounting advice. You should consult with your own tax, legal and accounting team before engaging in any transaction."

Take the money you save on your taxes and invest it in your career with new headshots or taking an acting class.

This actor is finishing his taxes this weekend.

The Most "LA Thing" That Has Happened To Me (So Far)

I have been in Los Angeles for over 5 years and have certainly had some odd moments since moving here. However, a business meeting earlier this week might be the most "LA thing" I've ever experienced.

I had a meeting the other day with a new business connection. He contacted me out of the blue about working on 2 upcoming projects in the entertainment industry. We are both located in the Los Angeles area so it made sense to meet in person. I have ongoing freelance copywriting, marketing and publicity projects with clients located in New York, Florida, the Philippines and West Virginia so it was nice to make a business connection where I live.

We set a meeting time to get some coffee and discuss the projects. He has a European accent so each mention of coffee sounded like "We will get-uh da coffee and discuss-uh the project over da coffee."
I drove to his office and discovered that his office was his home. No big deal because I work at home as well. The surprise was that we were just doing coffee at his place and not at a coffee shop.

I rang the doorbell and was greeted by his assistant as well a dog that excelled in the art of crotch sniffing. Super sweet dog but extremely fascinated by the crotch region. After making some small talk with the assistant and bonding with the dog, I went into the backyard to meet with my contact and his partner. Before getting into the business at hand, we discussed our personal lives, They were tired from different social events and had meant to relax in the pool earlier in the day. However, they had run out of time before our meeting.

That's when they had a "great-uh idea"...What if we all got in the pool and did our business meeting relaxing in the water????

Without any hesitation, I politely declined by using the (very valid) excuse that I was not wearing appropriate pool gear and did not bring any with me. No problem (according to them) because the giant pink flamingo in the pool was big enough that I could just sit in it rather than having to get my body in the water.

I realize this is easy for me to say since I was experiencing the offer in person. The offer to get in the pool didn't strike me as straight up odd as it sounds. It was more European eccentric and probably something they do on a regular basis.

After thinking about it for about 20-seconds, I agreed to get in the pool. I removed my shoes, rolled up my jeans and climbed aboard the giant pink flamingo. I have never seen the show "Entourage" but this experience was exactly how I imagine the Hollywood in the show was portrayed all the time.

We floated in the pool for a good 30-minutes drinking "da coffee" and discussing the different ways to promote their projects. We even worked on a PowerPoint while my flamingo drifted next to their panda and martini glass floats in the pool. The dog even joined us in the pool at one point.

There was only one or two times that I was floating in the pool and thinking, "How the hell did my life get to the point that I'm drinking coffee in swimming pools and taking meetings on flamingo floats???"

I'm not complaining at all. It is just not a thing I ever imagined happening in my professional life.

It was a very productive meeting and I think great things (creatively and financially) will come from our partnership. I even made it out of the meeting without falling in the pool! If nothing else comes from this meeting, it will make a great story if (and when) I do an Open Mic comedy night around town.

This actor has a stand up comedy date in Burbank this month.

I Always Get Interesting Feedback About My Blog

It's always a pleasant surprise when someone mentions this blog to me . I enjoy writing it but I never give who actually reads it much thought. I do hashtags when I post a link to a new entry. I also do search descriptions so search engines can easily find me. Having said that, I still don't often think about who reads the blog and where they are located. It surprises me where people are located that read it and who contacts me about the topics I discuss.

Taking a look at the current stats, the countries where people have viewed entries today include the United States, United Arab Emirates, France, Bulgaria, China, United Kingdom, Moldova, Macedonia, Portugal and Turkmenistan. 

The majority of those viewers found me through Google. Some of the other ways people found me include Instagram, Facebook and going directly to the blog itself. I won't bore you with too many details about the most viewed pages but most of them have to do with casting tips and acting advice.

I've had many people reach out to me after reading the blog. Some just want to say they enjoy reading it, others want advice and a few people are a bit crazy with their requests.

Here are my favorite crazy interactions I've had thanks to my Dadager blog:

• The person who emailed me asking if I could set-up a meeting for him to pitch his idea for a "Star Trek" reboot to Paramount. His version had Spock as a woman, McCoy as a little person and Kirk as a blind person. The idea behind the reboot was to "spotlight struggles faced by all people that are not white and male and perfectly made." 
• A random lady wanted to open an acting studio with me. She has no acting experience, lives in Iowa and wants me to run it because I "have the connections and also live here." She wanted to be partners but still live in Iowa. She would promote it on her FB page and tell all her friends about it.
• I often write about Zach's agent and manager. However, there was one gentleman who wanted to know if Zach was interested in leaving his current team and coming over to his management firm. Zach had no intention of joining him but I was curious what type of agent/manager tries to get clients through random emails. When I asked him about his company,I found out he had been in business three days. He was also his only client but was hoping I could let him "sponsor" my blog for free if Zach joined up with him. "The more mentions you give me, the more we can try and build relationships with casting directors." (No thank you.)
• There have been people that want to buy the rights to my life story. Unfortunately, most of these people want the movie/TV show to change for their vision which includes:

1. Replacing me with a female Dadager (I'm serious about that)
2. Me as a widower who tries not to mix casting business with pleasure 
3. Zach as a spunky child orphan hiding that fact from adults in Hollywood

• The guy who was convinced that I was stealing his life for my blog and threatened to bring legal action if I didn't stop using his stories for my blog. He lives in Senoia, Georgia so I'm not sure how I'm living his life.
• I heard from a woman who asked me to read her script and give her feedback. I politely declined by saying I didn't really have time to give her notes. She replied with "If you don't want to know my solution for how to avoid being enslaved when the animals rise up and overthrow mankind, it's your loss of freedom."
• The guy who wanted me to turn my blog into a book. He wasn't a publisher or an literary agent. He just thought it was a good idea and wanted me to give him a cut of the profits for suggesting it to me.

While I have received other emails, notes, videos and odd photos from readers of my blog, there are some that are better left in the "don't respond and the crazy people will go away" file. If I ever disappear for an extended length of time, check the email from my blog because the likely suspect is probably somewhere in my inbox.

I always welcome email from this actor.

7 Jobs To Pay The Bills While Waiting For Your Big Break

The TV upfronts are over and the fall schedules are set for the major television networks. The shows won't start filming until July or August and that is when episodic season starts for actors. Until then, bills need to be paid so many actors have part time jobs that allow them the flexibility to still attend auditions while earning a living. While there are many ways to make money, here are seven of the most popular occupations for actors looking to make it in Hollywood:

1. Waiter or Bartender - There is a reason this is the first job almost everyone thinks of when it comes to struggling actors. The hours are somewhat flexible when it comes to scheduling shifts. Plus, you can always trade shifts with someone if you have an audition so you can still make money while trying to book a job.
2. Temp Work - There is a large demand for temp workers in Los Angeles. Many companies find it easier to pay temporary workers an hourly wage with no benefits so they are always looking for workers to fill positions that open up after people find better paying jobs. While you might not get rich working a temp job, the income helps to finance acting classes and headshots.
3. Telemarketing - A job that is definitely not for everyone. A quick look at Craigslist reveals a large list of companies looking for telemarketers to work 4 or 5 hour shifts. The hours are not long but it's definitely not a job for someone who can't handle rejection or angry people on the other end of the phone. You might consider testing your acting skills by playing a character while calling prospects on the phone.
4. Provide A Service That Others Need - From babysitting to dog walking to personal stylist, there are a variety of services that others need on a regular basis. You can often set your own hours in order to leave yourself plenty of time for auditions. Marketing yourself as a professional is a big key to your success. Approach potential clients as a business person and not as an actor looking to make extra cash. 
5. Personal Trainer - Physically fit actors can make extra money as a personal trainer. You don't need to have your own studio since you can conduct the lessons at the homes of your clients. The hours are very flexible and it's up to you to decide how many clients you want each month.
6. Promo Work - Think of the people you see handing out flyers at events or in Costco demonstrating how to use a new kitchen utensil. These gigs are easy to find on Craigslist. They often happen at night after normal audition times or during the weekend so you can make the hours work with your acting schedule.
7. Graphic Design - Are you handy with Photoshop and other graphics programs? There are always companies looking for people skilled with graphic design programs as they update their websites and try to create online content that grabs the attention of consumers. The best part about this job is that you often get paid by the project (instead of by the hour) and you can work from home as well as on-set or in a coffee shop.

Episodic season will be here before you know it. Until the casting calls start coming in, make some extra money so you can have the perfect headshots ready to go when you enter the audition room. The money you make today is an investment in your acting career as well as a big help when it comes to paying the bills.

This actor has done a variety of gigs to make spending money between acting jobs.

Tax Deductions For Actors

It's that time of year! Tax season is here and everyone is trying to take deductions off their taxes in an effort to save money.  Not sure what deductions you can claim if you're an actor? Here's some tips to help you save money and perhaps even get a refund this year.

The first thing to remember is that actors are often considered "independent contractors" and not employees. For the purpose of your taxes, acting is your line of work/your business. As such, a self-employed actor can deduct expenses that are directly related to acting activities and are not extravagant when it comes to properly doing their work. In other words, the deduction must be deemed to be ordinary and necessary in the eyes of the IRS.

Some actors try to deduct everyday items like clothing, hair, makeup and gym memberships on their taxes. This is a very fine line to walk for many people because the use of the above items must be clearly defined by the actor. For instance, makeup for a photo session or a stage play can be deducted but not makeup bought for use during a normal day. Clothing is always an area that needs to be handled with caution. Even if an outfit was bought for an audition, clothes that can be worn to lunch or to the beach are not considered tax deductible. A gym membership is rarely deductible because it is considered exercise and not "research" or "training".

There are some items that count as "research". Some examples include movies, magazine subscriptions and books that keep you up-to-date on your profession. Movie tickets can count as research for your profession as well as some (or all) of your cable, Netflix and Hulu subscriptions.

How much money did you pay to your agent and manager last year? Any fees paid to your representatives or a PR firm are marked as business expenses. However, you do need to provide statements showing your payments as well as examples of the services they provided. Also, any fees you paid for acting classes, private sessions and casting director workshops can be deducted.

Be sure and keep a mileage book in your car as driving to auditions, agent and manager meetings, classes, rehearsals and paid acting jobs can all be counted as business trips. Also, traveling out of town for work can include some deductions. The expenses that only happen due to being away from home for the night can be deducted.

Did you mail anything career related last year? Expenses from Fed Ex, UPS and the Post Office that were a result of mailing resumes and headshots can all be deducted.

Speaking of resumes and headshots...Those two items along with postcards and fees charged by sites like LA Casting can all be classified as "promotional expenses" and can be deducted from your taxes.

Any acting union dues you pay are tax deductible.

Finally, doing business on your phone can be written off on your taxes. Making business calls as well as buying a new phone can be tax deductions if you have the proper paperwork to show how you used them for business.

I hope the examples listed above help you save some money. Take the money you saved and put it towards new headshots or a publicist and make this the best year of your career!

This actor just finished his taxes.

How I Spend My Time When I'm Not Writing About Acting And Hollywood

Besides spending my time writing about Hollywood, I do copywriting and PR for a living. My worlds intersect sometimes but there are many subjects I promote that have nothing to do with acting. I'd like to give you a glimpse into my world with some of my favorite business related conversations from the past 2 or 3 weeks. All of the quotes below are from people who sought me out for my PR or writing services:

• "I'd like you to represent me and help me get some speaking engagements. I've written a 5-volume book series about being abandoned as a teenager as well as my life in foster homes and drug dens. I'm thinking my presentation can conclude with a medley of my favorite Broadway songs performed by my line of copyrighted sock puppets."
• "The copy needs to speak to a 50+ female who might be a mother but could also be a cougar while still retaining her dignity after a night in the arms of her mid-20s co-worker. Do you think you can find the written voice for our line of weight loss snacks?" 
• "The event will be in June. If you don't raise enough money to reach your projected sponsorship goal, would you be okay with covering the rest on your credit card?"
• "I'd love to hire you but I'll need to take credit for everything you write so my wife won't know I didn't do any work on the project."
• "I was looking at your sample copy. It was really good but you wrote "practice" when it should be "praktice". (I'm not making that up!)
• "I'm thinking of holding the world's largest hamster race in DTLA on a Sunday morning. How much press can you get and can you ask the reporters if they would stand inside giant hamster balls?"
• "My book should be done soon and I need a press agent to help me promote it. I think there's an audience for a book on how standing on one leg can activate your psychic abilities."
• "I don't understand what public relations does for a client. Can you run a 3-month campaign for me for free so I can observe what you do to see if I like it?"

As odd as Hollywood can be at times, it's nothing compared to some of the weird questions and requests I see on a daily basis while working.  

Don't get me wrong...I welcome your business ideas and the chance to work together. There are just a few business proposals that amaze me every week!

This actor is always ready to work on his career.