VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[HeatherMasters]

So my kiddo just landed her first VO job, and is begging to continue. I've looked for info on the business side of things, but can't seem to find anything relevant. I know some of your kids do VO and was wondering if there is a site where I can find info like, does she need a business license, or does she just work under mine? How to go about taxes and such? And all those boring kinds of questions.


She had so much fun with it, and was so excited to do what Mommy does, that I'd at least like to consider it. She's almost six after all, it's about time she started pulling her weight around here...
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Heather

www.heathermastersvo.com

[yarg28]

interested to see responses. My 4 year old is chomping at the bit. He loves the booth and is constantly mocking/parroting commercials and announcers. It's really funny.

I'm planning on getting him going in about 6 months. I know the child laws are different in every state, especially California.

[todd ellis]

from my own experience - and i believe mandy will agree - book the work under you/your company. a 4 year old has very few tax deductions.
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"i know philip banks": todd ellis
who's/on/1st?

[Jason Huggins]

Under a certain amount I'm pretty sure you wouldn't even need to report it. Like side jobs. I think if it's under $600 or something for the year then you don't need to track it. I would consult a real tax person though. I just do my kids stuff under me for now.

[Jason Huggins]

It looks like a dependant child would have to file if they earn over $400 in self-employed income. So anything more than $400 and it would just be easier to do it under your taxes rather than doing double taxes. A kids income might be so low that there would really be no tax, but it is way easier to just file it with yours and just pay your kid out of your normal distribution.

As a disclaimer, I am no CPA and am just interpreting IRS rules as a regular dude. Don't take my advice. Contact a CPA or tax attorney and verify your particular situation.

[todd ellis]

the 1st job joseph did - in 2nd grade - was a $1,200 gig. i had the check made out to him because i thought it would be cool. he didn't owe any federal taxes - but $142 in state tax.

hey - it didn't come out of MY end.
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"i know philip banks": todd ellis
who's/on/1st?

[vkuehn]

All the conversation so far seems to center on the tax aspects, and maybe the need for a business license. Lurking in my memory is something about laws that were enacted particularly in California to regulate child actors. California and other states where agriculture needs laborers for the harvest has driven other laws about the things children can and cannot do.

It would be hard to see where letting a youngster make some recordings is some kind of social scourge, but this aspect may need a little legal scrutiny.

[Mandy Nelson]

In our case I do as Todd mentioned, take the money under my company and then pay out the child. If the year was good then we have to claim it (Turbotax asks - do you have a dependent child that had income?). So even if your kid is 14 and waiting tables, or 4 and doing vo, it's all the same. my kids have never worked more than an hour in a day, if that. There really isn't too much to worry about unless you start making them edit audio with a razor blade. I'm going to wait until they are 15 for that one.
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006 member of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Mic. Bonded by sound.

Manfillappsoc: The Mandy and Philip mutual appreciation Society. Who's in your network?

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[todd ellis]

mandy - you spoil that child!
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"i know philip banks": todd ellis
who's/on/1st?

[HeatherMasters]

Thanks for the info. Super helpful!
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Heather

www.heathermastersvo.com