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!

Comments

Want to Be a Victoria's Secret Model?

(*Due to the number of comments and questions I get from aspiring models about working for VS, please be sure to read my post on this very carefully. If you don't meet all of these requirements then you cannot become a model for VS. If you are not tall enough, if you are not signed to a top agency, your chances are not good. If you don't meet the requirements, please don't be too upset about it. Find another field of modeling you may be good for. There are plenty of other modeling opportunities for models outside of being a VS angel. They may not be as good or as well-known as VS but it's better than nothing.) I know I’d jump at the chance to be offered a gig modeling for Victoria’s Secret (although I think they’d be irritated by Photoshopping my stretch marks HAHA, yeah, I said it, I’ve got stretch marks!). All silliness aside, the gals of Victoria’s Secret are probably the inspiration for a majority of aspiring models out there. Not only do they get to wear the s...

Modeling & Pay Rates: How Much Should You Charge?

(This post is more targeted towards freelance models and not those with agency representation, although it may apply to those that have an agent but continue to find their own work.) A part of being a successful model is making money from the jobs that you book. However, being a freelance model comes with many challenges--figuring out what you should charge is one of them. I will say upfront that there are no established black and white rules when it comes to pay rates. Each modeling job is different, each client is different and budgets vary. Ultimately the factors that should influence what you charge should be the amount of experience you have, the strength of the images in your portfolio and the client's budget/needs. Not every client is going to pay what you want to charge. There may be times when you will be skipped over for charging too much or taken advantage of for charging too little. It's going to happen so be prepared for it and do not take it personally. It...

How Old is Too Old to Model?

It’s no secret that the media has made a big deal out of youth. Think about it: how many people have you heard say, “Gosh, I can’t wait to get wrinkles!” Worldwide, selling the idea of youth has made many companies billions of dollars. Without the models, however, they wouldn’t get very far. So that’s the obvious stuff but what about the question of age and being older in the modeling industry? Well, for starters, if you plan on being in the fashion and runway field, the younger you are the better. The longevity for this type of modeling is extremely short for the majority of models involved. Agencies sign girls as young as 13 years old and tend to hesitate if a model is over 18. This topic, like the height issue, is a reality of the industry that you don’t have to agree with but you will have to accept or at least get used to. It’s just a plain fact that agencies and their clients can get more work out of youthful models than those who already show the signs of aging. Sadly, this...

Modeling & Acting 101 - A Model/Actor's Diary

Search This Blog