Tax serenade for small business filers

April 9, 2008

If you’re still putting off your tax filing, maybe you just need a little musical encouragement. Say, perhaps, the latest stylings of the Singing CPA.

Singing_cpa_zelin3
On his third CD release, New York CPA Steven Zelin provides listeners with financially themed parodies of popular tunes.

My favorites from this collection include Tax Busters, Dear IRS and, being a big Mary Poppins fan as a child, A Charitable Contribution (Makes the Tax Bill Go Down).

Don’t let this and Zelin’s other CDs fool you. He still takes his day job seriously.  According to the blurb on CD Baby, he has been
featured in "The Trusted Professional," the publication of the New York
State Society of CPAs, and was profiled in the February 2007 issue of
CFO magazine.

But when tax time rolls around, it’s also tune time. For the past four years, Zelin has entertained New Yorkers who flock to the main James A. Farley Post Office for last-minute 1040 filing.

He should be back there next Tuesday night. If, however, you don’t live in the Big Apple or just can’t wait, you can pick up a copy of his CD online.

Unfortunately, I doubt the purchase is tax deductible, unless you’re a musician and you can convince the IRS that the CD is for legitimate melodic research.

And thanks to TaxProf, the tax world’s favorite DJ, for the musical tax tip.

Tax_tip_icon_pencil_point_2
Real tax tips for musicians:
Living in Austin, the Live Music Capital of the World, I’m surrounded by thousands of folks who truly do make their livings by performing.

Most are independent contractors and the standard tax rules apply to them as they would all other independent, small business people.

The IRS has a good section dedicated to the tax concerns of small businesses and the self-employed.

Becky McCray usually focuses on small business folks who have products more tangible than tunes, but her

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