My Economic Values
Offering discounts and transparency about my own financial situation are one small way to take into account the varied opportunities and oppressions we encounter in neo-liberal late capitalism. I’m interested in economic justice on a personal, local, and national level. My personal belief system is anti-capitalist, and I am committed to dismantling systemic oppression in the circles I work in.
TAX PREP
Providing low-cost tax preparation services to artists in Philadelphia and beyond. My tax team is trained to provide federal, state, and local tax filing for single and married clients. We are experts in artist taxes, 1099 based incomes, deductions for freelancers, and the intricacies of working in artistic fields. My team will provide you with high-quality, personalized services based on your specific needs. To make a tax prep appointment, visit: phillytaxprepforartists.com
FINANCIAL LITERACY
Teaching workshops on Financial Literacy & Well-Being for Artists. Topics include valuing your time & negotiating for fair pay; self-employment & entity types; budgeting & taxes; credit, debt & long-term saving. Workshops can be focused on professional artists and/or colleges & universities. These sessions range from two hours to two days and cover topics based on your specific needs.
CONSULTATIONS
Offering advice and expertise to artists and non-artists who need support, guidance, and problem-solving. Sessions are available to focus on immediate issues or long-term planning. A wide variety of topics are available based on your needs. Priority is offered to women, trans* folks, and people of color.
My Personal Financial Story
I come to this work with many privileges. I am white. I attended an elite college (Wesleyan University). I am cisgender and mostly heterosexual. I started my dance company, Headlong Dance Theater, in collaboration with two well-educated white men. I grew up in a middle class family with a lot of class consciousness (my parents were both anti-war activists, labor organizers, and socialists in their youth). Though my parents were divorced, they each had comfortable middle class lives. My wealthy grandparents paid for my college education and I left college with no student loan debt. In my 20s I supported myself as a working class artist, but I always had a financial safety net. In my 30s I became middle class myself. My husband is a teacher with a union job and good health insurance for the whole family. Like her parents before her, my mother is helping us pay for my kids’ college education. The money I inherited from my grandparents has been mostly spent providing no-interest loans to folks who come from less privilege than I do: a black friend who needed a down payment to buy a house, a trans friend to attend higher education, etc. I also purchased an electric vehicle and built a solar carport so my car is powered by the sun, lowering my carbon footprint.