Top Five Tax Cuts for Actors by Lira Kellerman

KISS MY TAX! I absolutely hate procrastinating, so I always seem to spend the first of the new year going over receipts. So let’s go over what a Struggling Actress should go through and save, shall we? Some of these may seem obvious, but a few should be a revelation!

1. Cell Phone!  It helps you stay in contact with your agent, scoring and confirming auditions, callbacks, and hooray, the job itself. Keep your monthly bills!

2. Netflix/movies/cable/internet! This all falls under the “research” category. You watch movies to study acting, to understand different directors’ styles, and you watch cable and tv to understand the type of acting required for the show you’re auditioning, and the internet is for Hulu and submitting yourself online using all those handy dandy actor websites.

3. Medical! Saw a chiropractor to improve your posture (like moi)? Got glasses (not contacts, mind you, although I have no idea why.)? Saw the doctor for any ailments? Deduct away!

4. Networking! You went to a few of those “Industry Events” where they promise agents and casting directors, but all you got were fellow non-union actors, right? Well, the ticket price of $20 that you paid to attend is deductible. If you and an actor friend go out to eat and discuss acting coaches, movies, agents and projects you auditioned for/creating, the money you paid is tax deductible. JenIsIris and I always find some time to do exactly that. Hooray!

5. Networking Gifts! When you booked your commercial, you sent your agent a bouquet of flowers, and guess what! Up to $25/gift is deductible! Or, did you do a play and gave every cast member a small gift each under $25? Deductible! And wow, you are super nice. And here’s where it gets super fun: If you have ever hired your friend, or hired someone who became your friend and you hang out with them and buy them a drink, or a birthday gift, or you go out and got a frozen yogurt together to catch up, it is deductible! Our tax lady told us that because I had hired my beau Antne on my film, the dinners we go out to could be considered deductible! Now, this makes me feel a leeeetle bit uneasy, so we don’t abuse it. But fun, right?

Hopefully this helps! Depending on the responses we get I will most likely be posting more, and adding to the list!