Tax tips for musicians: maximize your deductions!

802 NOTES: the electronic newsletter of Local 802

This edition: March 13, 2013

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It's tax time, so don't miss our TAX TIPS FOR MUSICIANS!

When you go on tour, do you know how to compute your taxes as you travel to different states? What if you buy a used instrument -- do you have to pay sales tax on it, even if the seller doesn't charge you? (And what can happen to you if you don't pay the sales tax?) What are the very best deductions to take as a musician? Don't miss our comprehensive TAX GUIDE FOR MUSICIANS. Click here to read it now!

BONUS: MusicCares announces a TAX TIPS FOR MUSICIANS workshop! Maximize your deductions, get your questions answered and increase your cut of the gig! Thursday, March 28 from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Space is limited and this workshop will sell out fast. Call (212) 245-7840 now to register. Location will be given out over the phone. (This event does not take place at Local 802.)

SPECIAL OFFER FOR JAZZ MUSICIANS:

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY!

Local 802 and the Music Performance Trust Fund are pleased to announce a special offer in honor of Jazz Appreciation Month. If you qualify, the fund will contribute 50 percent of the cost of your gig. But you must apply. Here are the details:

1. You must be a member of Local 802 in good standing.

2. You must create or organize a concert, educational program (i.e. workshop or clinic) or nursing home performance for you or your band under the guidelines of the MPTF. (We'll tell you all the details.)

3. The performance must be free and open to the public, and it must take place between April 1, 2013 and April 30, 2013 (Jazz Appreciation Month).

4. You are responsible to pay wages and make benefit contributions for you and your musicians using a Local 802 union contract -- specifically, the Local 802 public service scales and benefits that apply to MPTF approved projects. We can help you with the rates, budget and paperwork.

5. Other details apply. Approval is not automatic. Each application must be completed and submitted prior to the concert performance date for review by Local 802 and the Music Performance Trust Fund.

6. If you qualify, the fund will pay for 50 percent of the total cost of one rehearsal plus the engagement (it can include multiple performances), and you are responsible for the other 50 percent of the total cost.

This is an excellent opportunity for self-starting, business-minded musicians who can follow through on details. For more information or to make an appointment for assistance, contact Aimee Covo at (212) 245-4802, ext. 150 or click here.

MONEY
FOR MUSIC SCHOOL? YES!

Now is the time to apply for this year's Anne Walker Scholarship prizes. This is the 15th year that members of Local 802 and their children who are pursuing studies in music will have the opportunity to apply for a scholarship established in memory of Anne Walker.

The fund honors a fiery advocate for musicians whose more than 30 years of work at 802 were cut short by a tragic automobile accident in 1996. At the time Anne Walker was administrative assistant to the president, supervisor of the Music Prep Department and administrator of the Local 802 Sick Pay Fund. A membership meeting subsequently adopted a bylaw establishing the scholarship fund.

To be eligible, you must be a Local 802 member in good standing or the child of a member in good standing, and you must be pursuing a course of study in music as part of a degree-granting program at an accredited institution

Click here for more info on how to apply.

Click the ad above for more details. Tell them you saw their ad in the Local 802 electronic newsletter! To advertise, click here.

Musicians: do you have a legal concern? Click the link below to reach Local 802's lawyer Harvey S. Mars:

Click the ad above for more details. Tell them you saw their ad in the Local 802 electronic newsletter! To advertise, click here.

Do you want to SEE yourself play, with all of your muscles at work? Do you want to identify EXACTLY what's causing your performance pain? Click the link below for more info:

Click the ad above for more details. Tell them you saw their ad in the Local 802 electronic newsletter! To advertise, click here.

To respond to this newsletter directly or to give any comments, click here

To reach Local 802 by phone, call (212) 245-4802. For more information on our services and departments, see www.Local802afm.org

Paid ads in 802 NOTES support your union and keep your costs down. You can advertise here and reach thousands of your peers. E-mail Allegro@Local802afm.org for more information.

Local 802 AFM

322 West 48th St
New York, NY 10036
(212) 245-4802

Mikael Elsila is the editor of Allegro magazine and the 802 NOTES electronic newsletter. He can be reached at: Allegro@Local802afm.org

THE MARCH ISSUE OF ALLEGRO IS AVAILABLE ONLINE

OUR MAIN STORIES:

Who wrote Bach's music?

An open letter to our younger musicians.

And much more.

THE UNFAIR LIST: DO NOT PERFORM FOR THESE EMPLOYERS!

The current AFM UNFAIR LIST can be found here. AFM musicians are prohibited from working for these employers.

WANT TO CLEAN OUT YOUR CLOSET?

Local 802 will be accepting your used clothes, shoes, hats, belts, curtains, handbags and linens (but no carpets!) It's O.K. if items are ripped, damaged or stained. We'll give these items to the Broadway Green Alliance, who in turn will donate them to Wearable Collections. Bring your items to the Local 802 club room between Friday, March 15 and Tuesday, March 26. For more information, click here.

HOW OLD IS TOO OLD?

Have you ever lost a gig because your client or bandleader thought you were too old? What can you do about it? Click here to read the article that everyone is talking about, from the February 2013 issue of our union magazine Allegro. Let's blow the lid wide open on one of the most taboo subjects in the music industry: age discrimination. Tell us your story of age discrimination -- or give us feedback -- by sending us a confidential e-mail here .

Have you visited the Local 802 FACEBOOK PAGE yet?

If not, you've missed out on exclusive stories and announcements.

Get special tips, and network with other musicians on our Facebook page. Click here to get started.

WATCH OUT FOR AUDITIONS ON BROADWAY!

It has come to the attention of the Theatre Department that some Broadway musicians and substitute musicians are being asked to audition for theatrical productions on Broadway. Auditions are not allowed for Broadway shows without the full cooperation and notification of the Local 802 Executive Board. If you are asked to audition for any position on a Broadway show, contact the union immediately. Auditions have only been allowed in the past under very special circumstances after approval of the Local 802 Executive Board and only if the appropriate wages, including pension and health benefit contributions, are made to the musicians involved. Please let us know immediately if you are asked to audition on Broadway. Your anonymity and confidence will always be respected and ensured. Call (212) 245-4802 and ask for the president's office or the Theatre Department.

ALLEGRO

CLASSIFIEDS

Do you want to see the BEST DEALS on used instruments and other services for musicians? Click here to check out the Allegro classifieds. To purchase a classified, click here.

LOOKING FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING?

Did you know that there's a housing project for musicians where the rent is only $635 a month? Click here to learn more!

AND: Click here for information on a new housing lottery that just opened up!

LOOKING FOR MUSIC WORK?

When someone calls the union to hire musicians, our referral service handles the call. We match up our members with prospective clients. If you're a Local 802 member, signing up for the referral service is easy. Send an e-mail to Steve Singer by clicking here or call (212) 245-4802, ext. 156.

Also, from time to time, movie and TV producers call the union looking for musicians to perform on camera. If you're interested in being considered for this kind of work, ask about sideline work.

If you are a Broadway musician and your show closes, can you apply for unemployment? Yes. While you are collectingunemployment, can you sub on other Broadway shows, teach lessons, and play other freelance gigs? Yes, but your unemployment check may be reduced.

What if you're a club date musician and your leader or office hasn't booked you on a wedding gig in months? Can you apply for unemployment in that case?

For the answer to that question and more information on musicians and unemployment benefits, click here to read a story written by Local 802's counsel Harvey Mars with the Workers Defense Fund.

WANT TO HELP MUSICIANS, MAKE CONNECTIONS AND HAVE FUN?

Interns at Local 802 make a tremendous impact on the lives of musicians while gaining valuable experience and connections. You or someone you know can help us make a big difference. The union is now accepting applicationsf or interns. Spread the word and click here for more information!

DO YOU HAVE YOUR COPY OF THE LOCAL 802 DIRECTORY?

The Local 802 Membership Directory is available for members only. Pick up a free copy on the second floor of the union building. Or for mail delivery, contact the Membership Department by clicking here. (You must be an active member to get a directory, so be sure to tell us your union card number!)

WERE YOU UNDERPAID?

Sometimes, musicians are paid less than union standards and benefits at major venues in NYC. If you get called to play at a major venue (Lincoln Center, Town Hall, Symphony Space, Radio City, Carnegie Hall, the Beacon, BAM, City Center, Madison Square Garden, 92nd Street Y, etc.), please confirm that you are getting paid union standards and benefits. Make a confidential call to the union's organizing department at (212) 245-4802 or click here.

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT

NOT TO BE ALONE!

If you're playing in a union ensemble or orchestra, and someone from management calls you into a meeting where you think you are about to be disciplined or even fired, you have a right to union representation! Click here for more information.

NEED FINANCIAL AID?

DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND?

The Emergency Relief Fund helps musicians in need. Financial assistance is provided in the form of a directed grant to the musician's creditors; for example, to a landlord, physician, etc. The eligibility requirements are:

A minimum of two years' membership in the union;
Union membership in good standing, with all dues paid;
"Dire need" as defined by the fund's trustees. This can include: threat of gas, electric or telephone cutoff; eviction; medical debts; costs incurred due to the theft of instruments; auto repairs vital to continued employment; and other emergencies.

To apply, contact the union's social worker Cindy Green by clicking here or calling (212) 245-4802, ext. 180. Cindy can also help you apply for other financial help from sources like the Actors' Fund and other relief organizations.

Click the ad above for info.

JAZZ JAM!

There is a jazz jam on most Mondays at Local 802 (322 West 48th Street), from 7 to 9:30 p.m. For more information, call Joe Petrucelli at the Jazz Foundation of America at (212) 245-3999, ext. 10, or click here.

DO YOU HAVE MONEY WAITING FOR YOU?

Somtimes the union may have a check in your name, but no way to get it to you because your address is outdated. To see if there's money waiting for you, click here.

Paid ads in 802 NOTES support your union and keep your costs down. You can advertise here and reach thousands of your peers. For more information, click here.

Click the ad above for info.