How many strippers file income tax returns?

I don't think any of us can accurately answer that question but my guess is less than 10%, actually file.

The smart move is to file with a declared income just high enough to explain their documented expenses.

Plenty of dancers received pandemic unemployment during shut downs, so I’m sure lots do

I know several that told me they hold part time straight jobs just to get some income on the record. They also spend a big part of their undeclared income of bars, restaurants, salons, (and for some drugs). They are not accumulating expensive assets, which can lead to no visible means of support questions.

Question isn't how many file, it's how many are honest about it.

While I’m not an enrolled agent, I have prepared my own returns as well as those for family and friends for many years.

Maybe I should offer to barter my tax preparation services for dances/VIP, etc. a complex return could be prepared for OTC services.

Out of the ones I know most do. A lot of clubs encourage it and offer free tax filing services for them. At least that's what I'm familiar with

Rock,

I have filed tax returns for strippers, hookers, and sugarbabies and it ain't worth it to go down that road. Occasionally you will find a winner but in most cases you just filed a risky return for free.

Tax returns aren’t usually what I discuss with strippers, but the 3-4 times I have were pretty shocking. While these girls were the older, more sober, career-stripper types, their risk tolerance & willingness to rationalize tax fraud was pretty stunning. They were pulling fully-subsidized health care, public assistance, etc., and felt zero compunction about lying on income & expense to maintain the same. And they always found some sucker client to sign off as their paid preparer. Of course it’s none of my business, and I always refused to get involved. It didn’t take me long to realize that staying out of strippers’ personal lives is the winning strategy LOL.

In my experience the only dancers who file tax returns are those who have other jobs that send them a W-2 and those who have dependent children. If you have children you can file and receive the Earned Income Tax Credit. The dancers can declare a small part of their cash earnings and then receive a refund from the Earned Income and Child Tax Credits even if they no tax withheld.

Some dancers I have known well have asked me about their taxes. I have told them they can deduct their stripper costumes and tip outs. But I would not become involved in preparing their taxes. I don't look good in stripes.

I knew lots of dancers that bought homes during the sub-prime frenzy leading up to the 2007-2008 housing bubble crash

No matter how easy it was to get a loan, lenders still required tax returns

Isn’t filing your taxes the most miserable thing ever? Even if you’re lucky enough to get a refund you then realize the government has been holding that money for you all year interest free or you realize how much you’ve paid in taxes and become physically sick!!! Lol

I knew a married dancer 15 years ago that wanted to buy a home but they couldn't qualify under her husbands reported income. So she had to file a return and pay taxes on $85K. She was pissed. :)

I used to help prepare tax returns through a community organization as part of the IRS's VITA program from the time I was in college until about 4 years ago. Back before I found TUSCL and realized how much the clubs around here sucked compared to other cities I had several of the girls from a couple of local clubs who I helped with their taxes. A lot of them had never filed before but one of the older dancers had started convincing them to do it so they could qualify for a car loan or eventually for a mortgage.

Most of them seemed to make just enough to maximize their Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit to get a nice little refund. Shockingly, I don't recall a single one that ever ended up owing taxes on their declared income for some reason. If I wasn't such a trusting person I would suspect they weren't honest about how much they made from dancing.

Around here, the ones with multiple kids seem to file. Usually because their tax obligation is next to nothing with all the credits and the deflated earnings they report. And they need tax returns to qualify for apartments/car loans/etc. The other ones who file are those who are working on their immigration, if they get a work permit while they're awaiting asylum they file.

At least those are the ones who I've talked to about it. The subset of strippers I talk about taxes with is kinda small, so my perception could be totally unrepresentative of the whole.

As others have said, the ones with kids pretty much have to file. It's the only way for them to get the generous earned income tax credits and to prove income for free/subsidized health insurance for the kiddos. They just don't declare all of their income.

I'm sure that it's a mixed bag for the ones without kids. I'm guessing that those with W-2 dayjobs are likely to file, but for those who are young and dance F/T I suspect that they don't feel the same pressure. A young healthy 20 something girl isn't too worried about qualifying for health insurance, especially when there are free clinics to help with female-related issues, and there are other ways to prove income for apartment rentals besides tax returns.

Rick is delusional as always. Young girls pay taxes. And women with kids don't just pay them to get benefits they deserve

^In Massachusetts every dancer gets a w-2 and they are all club employees. Nothing funny about it; it's the law. If you do not pay taxes, you are stupid, but won't find that out until you discover that means you didn't pay into social security and will retire on $853.00....a month, or less.

I am suprised how many strippers, bartenders, etc talk to me about using a tax prepaper. How complicated can there returns be?

A lot of places hook people up with a tax preparer. They're free so they use them

The vast majority of them are not free. A lot of those tax preparers are hawking refund advance loans, even the ones who aren't still usually charge. They lure people in with immediate cash and hide the prep and loan costs. It's appealing for someone who doesn't know any better, you can walk about with 1500 bucks or something, not realizing you just paid $300 or more to do your taxes and get a loan to cover the 60 or so days it would have taken the IRS to send the refund. If you live in a state with state income taxes, the fees are more significant.

Clubs hook dancers up with free tax preparers. A lot of employers do it. At least out here

I don’t enjoy doing tax work which I have to do to get accurate results even using a tax preparer or CPA. I have a couple side businesses in addition to personal taxes. I never thought about discussing taxes with strippers. If they have a business expense they should keep and track receipts. Buy a new outfit for stripping, thinking it might be a business expense. Scan the receipt and save the scan in case audited, easier to track if receipts scanned and already on a computer. It’s too easy to lose receipts. I’m not sure how many independent contractors are tax savvy with all tax laws. What I hate as a business owner is that tax filings are due at different times than personal taxes plus have to scan and upload and check paperwork that a cpa does so end up being a bit of a tax expert to get a somewhat accurate tax return. Then the IRS will send a penalty letter even if you filed personal on time but business was a few days late. CPA tax office had me send a tax abatement letter since all the exceptions apply.

Anyway, I think there is a good chance strippers lives along with customers may change within a year or two. I expect paper currency to be eliminated or a good chance it is soon. Was wondering how strip clubs would work with changes. Would taxes be charged with each dance? Would clubs use club bucks as a form of pay digital cash to the club and get paper club bills to pay dancers as needed? I’m not in favor of doing away with cash. Think governments are going to do it to prevent bank runs, etc.

I wonder if paying tip out to a club could be considered business expenses for a stripper? Strippers could be missing out on a lot of expense deductions from their gains. Need to keep records and track this stuff though if they are legal expenses. Clubs would do good for their customers and strippers if these were all legal expenses deductions and they could track the expenses for IRS reporting. Could also increase the number and quality of dancers working in a club if many were not legally claiming valid expenses. I don’t know. I’m not a tax expert. I just have great ideas on occasion.

Not sure if legal but an example. Club tracks tip out per month per dancer or per week of $200 per week for 4 weeks, example $6000 for the year. Dancer claims other expenses plus tip out business expense, etc for total annual expenses of $7k. Dancer could report gain higher than expenses and pay little extra in taxes. I have no idea what is legal or not or can be claimed. I was just thinking if both clubs and dancers keep more after taxes, there will be better run clubs with more dancers, more better looking dancers, and a.better club experience for customers.

It depends on the club. They’re legally supposed to send you 1099s or tax returns to file with. If they don’t, you can usually get away with not paying taxes, but those are usually sketchy places to work for. Also, that doesn’t work in your favor if you ever need to get a loan or verify your income or whatever. I’ve known girls not to file for years and then the irs comes knocking on their door threatening a lei in. They eventually will at some point and then you’re forced to pay a higher amount than you normally would have. They may get away with it for years, but they eventually do something about it if the club reports their income. When you file late or don’t pay, you get a reoccurring penalty as an independent contractor. I can’t believe her tax preparer would just say not to file to not pay? You can set up payment plans. The IRS just wants the money even if you pay it back over time. it’s better than nothing especially if the club records your money and reports to the IRS. Personally, I wouldn’t trust that person to do my taxes, but I file my own anyways and for some of my friends. Lmao.

In conclusion, most of the people I work with pay their taxes. At the sketchy clubs I’ve worked at, I don’t think I knew a single person that did, but then they have no verifiable income. I think people should just pay their fucking taxes. We have a lot of wiggle room with what we do and what we can write off and report.

Not to be so judgmental, but geez, if this what you’re talking to strippers about, you’re definitely doing it rong.