If you don’t have to pay the IRS, do you set aside some play funds?

I just filed, and am excited to receive a return. I find it interesting how many providers do not file taxes. For those that do you can write caca off for entertainment. Do you fellas ever write off your fun money as entertainment? lol Smile for me!

I have a friend who owns a business & he writes off his family vacations + Christmas as entertainment. As a provider, or model/outcall nude entertainer you can write off your make up, hair, nails, travel, meals, etc. Fun facts.

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that would try to write off his illegal activities?  It's like asking if you write off money you spent on illegal drugs.  I don't write off ANYTHING that might trigger an audit and lead to more questions  . . . . questions I would prefer not to answer.   Your simplistic view shows a lack of experience in business and tax matters.  

 
Your friend is breaking the law based on what you say.  What he MAY be doing is taking his family along on a business trip, and is giving you a simple version you can understand,  If he does that, he better have some documentation or corroborative witnesses that he took care of some business while on the trip.  There are better and less-transparent ways to take tax deductions for businesses than family vacations, which is just asking for an audit.  

 
With that said, if you are taking your family to San Jose, it probably won't trigger an audit, but if it is always places like Hawaii, Bahamas, Whistler, etc., there is SOMEONE at the IRS who will think the dots don't connect, especially if your business is something that does not lend itself to travel to unlikely destinations for business.  For those that have never experienced an audit, they will start with something small that is a red flag and then dig through everything.   It can cost you tens of thousands in taxes, interest and penalties.  Having been through it, not worth the risk, IMO.  

because I am pretty sure that you can not take tax deductions for unlawful business activity.

 
Deducting a purely personal vacation with no business purpose is certainly unlawful, so this friend better be careful about that.

I’m sure he can justify it silly 😜 people work remotely it’s not uncommon.

Hunter Biden was doing this and got caught recently. I'm sure people can get away with it here and there but any audit is going to question large cash withdrawals being written off as "consulting/professional expenses" with no associated receipts, unless you girls are providing invoices these days? I'm sure some guys may do electric transfers and credit cards to try and make things appear legit but I usually try to avoid creating paper trails when it comes to illegal activity. I don't want my legit business entangled with my illegal activities.

If you setup your withholdings properly, you won't get a tax return. That's more money, in your pocket, as you earn it. It's March now, so, it's not too late to fix the rest of the year and deny creepy Uncle Samuel a free loan. Also to answer you question of "do you commit tax fraud", no, absolutely not. I evade taxes everywhere it is legal to do so, as is the duty of every taxpayer, but writing off things dishonestly is not one of the ways I do so. I shoot for zero return every year, and usually land plus or minus a few hundred dollars.

 
 Also, remember that you can receive 18k per person (as of 2024) as a tax free gift, every year, and being that nothing a lady does is considered "work" (that'd be illegal mind you), she's simply been well gifted, so no real reason to pay taxes at all. If they'd like to make a donation to creepy Uncle Samuel so he can continue buying missiles to shoot at brown kids in 3rd world countries, they're free to do so.

 On the hobbyist end of things, if you gift over 18k to a single lady, well, you might as well marry her at that point, but you do have to file a 709 and they'll want to know her name and whatnot, so, avoid that whenever possible.

As a Libertarian I despise paying taxes, but I do it to avoid any awkward interactions with uncle Sam. I try to keep my deductions to a minimum to avoid suspicion and I am actually pretty honest. I usually have very generous clients that pay for me to have my hair and nails done so no deduction there. Business supplies that are an actual business expense (condoms, lube, ads, website etc.) I do deduct in full. I also keep track of my business milage, airfare and hotel receipts for deduction. My phone and internet I deduct 50% as they are also used for personal reasons, not just business. I pay for my health insurance so this is also deductible as well as a home office. I pay in quarterly and do not get a refund, usually I do still have a bit to pay in, which is fine with me. Less of my money the government is using interest free. I do use an accountant  and I believe he has my job listed as "any other professional service". In closing please remember the IRS does not give a shit what you do for a living as long as you pay your taxes. Tax evasion is a much more serious offence with the US government than playing with schlongs for money. Be smart, and be safe.

I’m here for 💩 & giggles 🤭 my TER friends. Smile for me! Don’t sweat the small stuff.

If it gives you some mental comfort, at least some of what you pay taxes for, you'd pay some sort of user fee for.  For instance instead of a private security firm to protect against crimes, consider your taxes that pay for police as a sort of fee for service that you'd get anyhow.  Similarly courts and national defense are things we would probably subscribe to on a fee basis because they are valuable services that we benefit directly from.
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Of course there is a lot of waste, or malinvestment in government spending, and corruption, of course.  But at least some of your dimes are going to services you'd opt for anyhow.  

I know two business owners who both bragged to me about how they deduct their personal fuel, household supplies, family meals at restaurants, family trips, etc.  One would ask me to save my restaurant receipts for him.  Or they would openly ask customers to pay them in cash, in exchange for a discount.  One would buy aluminum (for his manufacturing business), deduct the business expense and then sell the scrap aluminum and pocket the cash.

 
Both have been audited.  Just saying.

You have brought me no comfort Lester and everything you mentioned I would very happily pay for with a subscription service. Where and how do I sign up?????

Small businesses have the highest audit risk, because the IRS focuses its efforts there, because so many of them are cheating and they can't really afford to fight it much.

On an individual basis, audit risk is low provided you're not doing anything too exotic.

If you live and  or work in certain part of Nevada , and is in the sex industry, youre required to file taxes based on your earnings from sex work as  it's legal there.  

For clients outside of that structure, writing of money you paid for sex would be just making a great day for the people at the  IRS , and the police.
 
So  again, you can write off anything, as long as you don't get audited,

WIMissScarlet,  
 Explain how you get Clients to pay for your nails & hair to be done. I've always paid for them by myself.  And doing this as a job (Considering I do On-Call Security). What is taxable?!

Hi Kitty!!

I have regulars that either get me gift cards to my salon or I have a gentleman that likes to take me to get my toes done and then we go out to eat after. I have a decent pool of regulars (thank you guys if you are reading this!!) and they like to get me something for Christmas or my birthday and it is always a very thoughtful gesture. I know gals sometimes have a wish list on their website. Guys love to get gals gifts and it does help so they know what you actually like and want!
As for my taxes I have done them before, but I feel more comfortable having an accountant do them. The deductions I take are pretty basic, nothing exotic or unusual.  
For the online security you did not mention if you work for a company that takes out taxes for you or if you free lance, so that will make a difference.  
For my provider business I am listed as a sole proprietor. When I was in real estate and renting out commercial businesses I did also have an LLC but I dissolved it and just do my taxes now as a sole proprietor. There are going to be perks and drawbacks to either, I would recommend talking to someone that knows taxes wayyyy more than I do to decide what is best for you!  Best of luck!

Unfortunately the same rules does not apply to everyone equally in America.