What Can I Claim?
There are some expenses you can claim, including:
- Car Expenses: You can claim for things like parking and tolls if you travel between jobs in a day (e.g., from your main job at an adult entertainment bar to a dance teacher gig) or travel to different work locations (e.g., going from client to client).
- Commissions and Fees: This includes any commissions paid to an agency and fees for unions or professional associations.
- Advertising Costs: Any money spent on promoting your services in the adult industry.
- Work Clothing: Costs for buying, repairing, and cleaning work clothes that are unique to your job (like job-specific costume and speciality lingerie or Pleasers).
- Consumables: Items you use solely for earning income, like condoms, lubricants, gels, oils, and tissues.
- Makeup and Hair Products: Expenses for stage makeup, hairdressing products, or makeup removers designed for stage makeup.
- Multimedia Expenses: Costs for downloading music files used for rehearsals or shows.
- Phone and Internet: Work-related use of your personal phone or device, or a dedicated phone for work.
- Photographic Portfolio: Costs for maintaining your portfolio for publicity, but not the initial creation cost.
- Self-Education: Costs for courses, training, or seminars related to your current job, like an advanced pole dancing masterclass or entry to industry events like Sexpo.
- Job-Related Reading: Journals, periodicals, and magazines related to your job in the adult industry.
- Equipment and Tools: Expenses for buying and insuring work-specific equipment or tools, such as fetish gear, adult novelties, and vibrators.
- Travel Expenses: Costs for accommodation and meals if you travel for work and need to stay overnight (e.g., performing a show in another city).
- First Aid Training: Costs for first aid courses if you’re the designated first aid person at your workplace.
What Can't I Claim?
There are some expenses you can’t claim, including:
- Upfront Fees: Joining or search fees paid to an agency (if incurred before earning income).
- Audition Costs: Expenses for preparing or attending auditions.
- Regular Clothing: Any normal clothes you wear to work that could also be worn outside of work (e.g., jeans, a white t-shirt) or fitness clothing, even if it’s specifically for work.
- Childcare Costs: Expenses for childcare while you’re working.
- New Career Education: Courses or training designed to help you get work in a new area (e.g., singing lessons while working as an exotic dancer).
- Meals During Work: Costs for meals or snacks during a normal workday
- Entertainment Costs: Costs for entertainment events, like award nights, galas, concerts, even if they’re related to the entertainment industry, unless you are advertising your business or paying for sponsorship.
- General Health and Fitness: Costs for gym memberships, weight loss programs, food substitutes, or vitamin supplements unless your job requires a high level of fitness (e.g., a pole dancer).
- General Grooming: Hairdressing, cosmetics, and skincare products not directly related to your job.
- Commute Costs: Travel costs between your home and workplace (if you work in one location), even if you live far away.
