Answering a Reader Question #130

Anonymous Wrote:

do you have to pay income tax in every state in which you shoot? even if the client was from out-of-state and you are from out of state too? thanks

Hi, Anonymous! This is a great question and I am going to answer it to the best of my ability. Please bear in mind, I am not a tax expert and any specific questions should be directed to a certified and reputable tax consultant as it applies to your situation.

When it comes to dealing with income taxes for modeling, you are an independent contractor. That means you have to report the amount of income you make from each modeling gig you book. As far as I know, it is not specific to what state you shoot in--what the IRS cares about is how much you made, not where you were when you made it. As far as the client that hires and pays you as the model, the majority of clients will not issue a 1099 form (A 1099 is a tax form for independent contractors that shows how much they made from a certain business) if the amount of money they paid out is less than $600. I'm not sure if that is just for California or if it counts for all states but that is what I have been told by the clients I have worked with.

However, to cover your bases, it is important that you report/keep track of the amount of money you make from modeling, regardless of what state you're working in. When it comes time to do your taxes, make sure to explain your situation to whoever is in charge of preparing your tax return. Keep a log of your income/earnings for the year and your tax consultant will know how to handle the rest.

I hope that helps and if anyone has direct experience with this particular situation, please feel free to comment on this post with any additional information. Please try to keep it as factual/objective as possible and not a subjective/opinionated response. Thanks!

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