Re: [Harp-L] Gig payment for harp players

[Joseph Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Yeah, I would do what Jim did too. IF I were a professional musician. And I DO know some that also figure in the tips. They do that because IF you consider yourself self employed (as some do), you pay both your AND your employers portions of the Soc. Sec. taxes. Inasmuch as you are your own emoployer. And since that is something like 10.5 percent combined (instead of 5.25 % solo), it builds up your soc. sec. account to a larger check later. 

But I also know people who don't claim tips. I (myself) never include tips on bills from wait staff. My argument is that the customer already paid taxes on that money. So it shouldn't be fair to double tax it. I give them their tips in person. They don't make enough to have to put up with government gouging.  

I know people who worked 'under the table', so to speak, for years. And now they are really hurting. One is an 87 year old sax player, who, luckily, DID have SS taken out in his early years with bands in the New England area, back in the 40s and 50s. So he does get a social security check..along with his musician's union check. And medicare. But they should be about twice as much. He did enough cheating that it hurts him today. He has a cavalier attitude about it. Feels that he has already outlived his expected life span.

Of course all the people who were music teachers and professors are sitting fat. But some musicians live IN the moment. So your point is well advised Mick. You always have such good skinny. :)

smo-joe

On Nov 10, 2015, at 7:55 AM, Mick Zaklan wrote:

>   This thread reminds me of a conversation I had with Jim Liban earlier in
> the year.  Hadn't seen him in 7 or 8 years and asked how he was doing.
> Told me he was retirement age and collecting Social Security and Medicare.
> That financially he was fine, unlike a lot of musicians we know.  He said,
> "I have all my money; I made a conscious decision when I was 16 to pay
> taxes on everything I made playing music."  Jim has been supporting himself
> as a musician for over 50 years, by the way.  He went on to tell me that
> over the years quite a few musicians would brag to him about how they were
> getting over on the government, not reporting any of their musical income.
> And many of them were broke now, destitute.
>   If you're in it for the long haul, you might want to think about that.
> 
> Mick Zaklan