31 Tax Write-Offs for Actors
NAICS business codeYour NAICS business code is a six-digit string of numbers that shows the type of work your business does. NAICS stands for North American Industry Classification System. When you do your taxes, you'll enter it in Box B of your Schedule C.711510
Reviewed bySabrina Wiechart, CPASabrina is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with over 15 years of experience in tax preparation, planning, and S-Corp compliance. She holds a Master’s in Accounting and specializes in helping self-employed individuals make smart tax decisions. Sabrina is passionate about simplifying the S-Corp process and making sure every client keeps more of what they earn.Let’s face it, acting is a grueling job. While you probably wouldn’t trade it for the world, the long hours and shifting schedules can easily leave you mentally and physically exhausted. Who has time after that to figure out your taxes?
That’s why we’ve taken the guesswork out. Here, we break down all the expenses you can write off as an actor — saving you money, and freeing up more time to practice your lines.
Get ready to yell "Cut!" at your tax bill, because this gig’s been wrapped.
You can write off makeup, nail, and haircare services if they're required for a gig.
Enhancing and learning new skills through acting or modeling classes is deductible.
This covers training that maintains or improves skills for the work you already do. Courses that qualify you for a new trade or profession are not deductible.
Commission fees you pay for agency representation are fully deductible.
Any equipment you use to shoot promotional tapes, portraits, and more can be written off.
Individual items under roughly $2,500 can be expensed up front under the de minimis safe harbor instead.
Getting professional headshots done to book acting and model gigs can be written off.
If you belong to a union, go ahead and write off your dues . The share of your dues that goes toward lobbying isn't deductible — your organization can tell you what percentage that is.
Where a union spends part of your dues on lobbying, that portion is not deductible.
Squarespace, Wix, GoDaddy, and other website service fees are fully tax-deductible.
Hiring a photographer to take professional photos for your portfolio can be deducted.
Costumes for photoshoots, dance performances, or acting gigs are write-offs.
This applies to clothing you can't reasonably wear outside of work. Everyday clothes don't qualify, even if you only wear them on the job.
If you buy a phone or laptop and use it for work, it's partially deductible — in proportion to how much you use it for business. The device itself is depreciated on Box 13 (or expensed under Section 179); your monthly service plan belongs on Box 27b, and accessories on Box 22.
Educational books to increase your knowledge and skills are tax write-offs.
Deduct anything you buy for your office, like pens, binders, folders, printer ink, or a whiteboard.
Audition tapes, portfolios, business cards: write off anything you use to promote yourself.
Write off the tools you use to create assets, schedule posts, or pull analytics.
Editing and post-production for your demo reel is a write-off.
Protecting yourself and your business with liability insurance? It's a write-off.
Fees to renew your license to perform your work are fully deductible.
The cut Stripe, PayPal, Square or your invoicing platform takes on each payment is a write-off.
If you drive for work ...
If you drive to auditions, acting classes, or to meetings with your agent, go ahead and write off your car expenses.
Parking for a meeting downtown, or any other work trip, is tax-deductible!
A toll while driving to or from a work destination is tax-deductible!
If you buy a new car, you can write off part of the cost every year for five years.
Flashlights, tire iron, duct tape, and other tools you may need in your vehicle are deductible.
Car insurance monthly fees, registration, even roadside assistance are partially deductible — if you use the actual expense method. The standard mileage rate already covers them.
Oil changes, repairs, and regular checkups are deductible if you use the actual expense method. Take the standard mileage rate instead and they're already baked into your per-mile deduction.
If you discuss work at a restaurant ...
Networking is likely a big part of your job as an actor. Luckily, grabbing food or drinks with agents, clients, lawyers, or coaches all count as business meals you can write off.
If you discuss work with a coworker, mentor, client, or prospective client, it's a write-off — 50% of the tab.
If you leave town for work ...
"Have headshot, will travel." Sound familiar?
Even if you live in a media hub like Los Angeles or New York City, you'll likely still find yourself traveling for on-location shoots, meetings with out-of-town clients, or non-local auditions. These are all travel expenses that can be claimed on your taxes.
Planes, trains, and car rentals are all work-related travel costs that can be written off.
When you travel for work, lodging expenses such as hotel rooms or Airbnb are write-offs.
When you're traveling for work, your meals are 50% deductible — takeout included. (Long-haul truck drivers subject to DOT hours-of-service rules can deduct 80%.)
If you work from home ...
As a freelance actor, you probably do just as much work at home as in front of the camera, such as recording auditions, developing branding and marketing materials, and taking care of administrative work.
Don't forget to write off your home office expenses!
A desk, chairs, lamps, and other home office necessities are all tax write-offs. Anything over about $2,500 gets depreciated on Form 4562 instead of written off all at once.
Repairs just for your home office are 100% deductible. Repairs to the rest of your home count too, prorated by your business-use percentage on Form 8829.
Gotta keep the lights on in your home office! A portion of your electricity bill counts.
Whether it's rental or homeowners insurance, you can write off a portion through your home office deduction.
It'd be hard to work in an office without running water, huh? Your water bill counts.
You need internet to do your job! If you claim a home office, deduct it prorated on Form 8829 along with your other utilities. Internet you pay for on the road, purely for work, is 100% deductible.
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