The Entertainment Community Fund (formerly The Actors Fund) is a national human services organization that helps address the specific needs of entertainment professionals—with a unique understanding of the challenges involved with a life in the arts and the knowledge of what it takes to thrive in an often-unpredictable industry.
The Fund’s Financial Wellness Program provides education and resources to help you navigate the landscape of tax prep as an entertainment industry professional. These resources include our forthcoming video series, lists of free and fee-based tax preparation services, information specific to entertainment professionals and answers to frequently asked questions, all designed to help performing arts and entertainment professionals navigate tax season.
These resources can help you identify answers to questions like:
- Should I do my own taxes or work with a service provider?
- What deductions may be available to me as an entertainment professional?
- What will my system for keeping my records related to tax preparation be?
- Do I need to make quarterly estimated tax payments?
- What if I didn’t file my taxes last year (or for the past several years)?
- Who can I contact with questions?
As you prepare to file your taxes, there are several options available to you, including:
Paid Tax Preparation Service Providers
These service providers can often assist you during tax season so you can get your taxes filed, but you can also develop a relationship with them so that they can answer questions throughout the year. Get recommendations, connect with multiple tax professionals and choose the one that feels like the best fit for your needs and budget.
VITA Centers
At these sites, you will sit down with a VITA preparer. Depending on the site, you may walk in and/or call for an appointment, drop off your tax documents and pick up the completed return later or upload your tax documents to a secure digital system and then meet virtually with a volunteer preparer who will answer your tax questions and help you file your return. To use a VITA site, you must meet certain income eligibility requirements.
Self-Preparation
File your own taxes online using free tax filing software.
The Fund highly encourages you to research and choose the appropriate option for you, taking into account your individual situation and recognizing that it may change from year to year. No matter which option you choose this year, the Financial Wellness Program strongly recommends working with a tax professional or service that is familiar with the unique income and expenses of the entertainment industry.
To learn more about these services and other free tax preparation resources, please visit entertainmentcommunity.org/TaxPrep.