1-can you do them one time a year?
2-do you have to say "dancer" on it as your job title?:-/
3- how do you write off things like miles on your car, clothing, makeup,ect..... Or can you even do that!?
1-can you do them one time a year?
2-do you have to say "dancer" on it as your job title?:-/
3- how do you write off things like miles on your car, clothing, makeup,ect..... Or can you even do that!?





If you check the sticky thread at it will walk you through the tax filing process for dancers. But here are some quick answers.
#1 - after you've 'been in business' for a year, independent contractor dancers must file quarterly estimated tax vouchers and must make quarterly estimated tax payments to the IRS ... as well as to their state tax agency if their state of residence levees an income tax of its own. The next estimated tax voucher filing and payment is due this coming January 15th and covers taxes due on income earned from last September 1st through this coming December 31st. But the actual filing of a tax return only happens once a year, with an April 15th due date.
#2 - the IRS has a list of specific 'occupation codes' from which the tax filer must choose the best match. The closest one for exotic dancers is 'independent artist / writer / performer' # 711510
#3 - there are strict rules about what can and cannot be written off as a business expense. In fact, the IRS has just put out a new 'position paper' in this regard. From
(snip)Appearance and Image
Taxpayers in the entertainment industry sometimes may incur expenses to maintain an image. These expenses are frequently related to the individual's appearance in the form of clothing, make-up, and physical fitness. Other expenses in this area include bodyguards and limousines. These are generally found to be personal expenses as the inherently personal nature of the expense and the personal benefit far outweigh any potential business benefit.
No deduction is allowed for wardrobe, general make-up, or hair styles for auditions, job interviews, or "to maintain an image".(snip)
This latest IRS 'position paper', in conjunction with the already existing IRS 'housewife test', would appear to now eliminate business expense tax deductions for tanning, for health club / gym memberships, for hair / nail salon visits, for 'department store' makeup ( with the single exception of theatrical supply house makeup ), for virtually all clothing ( with the single exception of non 'street legal' dance costumers ), etc. This may also now make it impossible to deduct money paid to 'bouncers', at least in an OTC scenario.
Also, previously published IRS 'position papers' have clarified that mileage can only be deducted as a business expense if an overnight hotel stay is involved ( i.e. working at a remote location where it's impossible to return home after work because of distance ) or between one business location and another business location ( i.e. if you report to work at one club and the clubowner sends you to work at a sister club ). Normal 'commuting' mileage between home and work is not deductible.
Last edited by Melonie; 10-20-2012 at 01:22 AM.





You'll need to cite the Rev.Pro., Rev.Rule or Rev.Pub. for that contention.
Simply, any driving for a business purpose, not commuting, is deductible. Thus, if you drive from the club to the office store to pickup some post-it notes for work, that's deductible. Commuting, that is from home to work, is not deductible. What I think is causing you confusion is the fact that if you travel overnight for work, you can deduct the trip even though it is from home to someplace for work (looks like a commute) and if you stay over night, you get the deduction. That is what the IRS call travel and not commuting.
Here are the rules:
Home to work = commute = not deductible.
Work (even if you work from home i.e. cam girls) to someplace for work purpose, even the office supply store for camera batteries, is an ordinary and necessary = deductible. No over night stay required.
Home to distant and temporary work place = not a commute if overnight stay is required = deductible.
So, for the dancer who makes the rounds of clubs in town, the trip from home to the clubs is not a deductible expense. If she drives from one club to the next, to work two places in one day, the trip from the first club to the second is deductible, but not the trip from home to the first club and not the trip from the second club to home. Finally, the dancer who drives an hour and a half from home to a different city to work at a club for a week, can deduct the drive and the hotel room and meals, subject to limits, while she is in the different city. Of course, the IRS requires that you keep contemporaneous records. Those records have to record the business purpose of whatever expense you are claiming.
HTH
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