The world of taxes may seem overwhelming to a freelance actor or voice actor. It may seem difficult to maximize your tax savings and file your taxes correctly, but with the right information and resources, it can be made easier.
Knowing which costs are deductible from your taxes is among the first things you should learn. Since you operate your own business as a freelancer, you can deduct the costs associated with running that business from your taxable income. The following are a few instances of deductions that could be relevant for independent actors and voice actors:
- One may be eligible to deduct a portion of their home expenses, including rent, mortgage interest, utilities, and maintenance, if they have a designated space in their home that is solely utilized for voice-over or acting work. Expenses for office supplies and furniture that you incur while setting up and maintaining your home office are also deductible.
- Business expenses: You can write off any costs you incur in the course of doing business as a freelance actor or voice actor, including pay for acting services. This could include costs for renting a studio, purchasing equipment (such as microphones and soundproofing materials), software, subscriptions, building a website and marketing it, and traveling (such as gas and rental cars) to incur costs.
- Professional development costs: You may be able to deduct the costs of your own training and education from your taxes. One type of professional development expense that can be deducted from taxes is attending classes and workshops to hone your acting or voice-over abilities.
- Self-employment taxes: You must pay the self-employment tax, which includes Medicare and social security, as a freelancer. Thankfully, you can reduce this tax by half by deducting it from your taxable income.
Understanding which costs are deductible is crucial, but it can get complicated to figure out how much can be written off. This is where self-employment tax calculators and 1099 tax estimators, among other online tools, can be very useful.
One tool that can assist you in estimating the taxes you will owe based on your freelance income is the 1099 tax estimator. For people who receive payment via 1099 forms, this is especially beneficial. Your tax liability is approximated by the estimator, which considers your income, expenses, and deductions.
Estimating your estimated tax payments is crucial, in addition to using the 1099 tax estimator. Paying your tax liability over time to the IRS rather than waiting until tax season in one lump payment is known as estimated tax payments. By doing this, underpayment penalties may be avoided.
Use these procedures to determine your projected tax payments for 2023:
- Calculate your annual income projection.
- Take your estimated deductions and deduct them from your overall income.
- Calculate your tax liability using the tax rate applicable to your income bracket. You can find your rate using the tax bracket table provided by the IRS.
- Assuming quarterly payments, divide your tax liability by four.
- Include any tax you owe on self-employment in your income tax liability.
- After determining your estimated tax payment, you have two options for making your payment: you can send a check to the IRS or use the IRS’s Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS).
Freelance voice actors and voiceover artists can optimize their taxes with online tools and deductions. Maintaining detailed income and expense records year-round is essential to streamline the tax process and avoid surprises during tax season.