Click on Showbiz Bookkeeper to order.

FOREWORD:
So, you've actually picked up a tax guidebook for working artists. GREAT! You are on the road to the business of show business. I've been working in the theatre for fifteen years as an actress, singer and director. As my theatre business grew, so did the need to organize my records -- my shopping bags full of receipts, papers and stubs.

ShowBiz Bookkeeper began April 15, 1986, when I was directing Hello Dolly!, having my first baby, and trying to file my 1985 income tax return, all at the same time. Before me was a mountain of religiously kept receipts, cancelled checks and papers. I didn't know where to begin. I could juggle simultaneously motherhood, living with my musician husband on the road, directing a cast of 55 in an outdoor production of Hello Dolly! and performing the lead in another production of Pajama Game. But I didn't have a good system of keeping records.

ShowBiz Bookkeeper was born - and not a moment too soon! Three years later I was audited. I was audited in 1989 for the tax year 1986. Thanks to ShowBiz Bookkeeper, I was prepared and came through with flying colors -- not owing a dime because my records were kept accurately and the deductions I claimed were proper and allowable. I learned from this experience how information is best presented to the IRS and have thus designed the bookkeeping charts accordingly.

ShowBiz Bookkeeper is an easy system for keeping essential business records for artists. While ShowBiz Bookkeeper has been written with theatre artists in mind (performers, directors, writers, musicians, producers, designers, costumers, stage hands, etc.), ShowBiz Bookkeeper will be very helpful for other artists (painters, fine artists, graphic designers, etc.). If you use ShowBiz Bookkeeper, come January 1st, you will be ready to bring all your records to your theatrical income tax preparer.

I want to thank my husband for his urging me to keep things simple and for actually testing the forms over the past four years. I also want to thank my accountant Richard Morse for his advice and consultation on the information that I have provided. And finally, I want to thank my 1986 IRS tax audit for putting my record-keeping system to the ultimate test and PROVING THAT IT WORKS!

Have fun with life even after taxes.

Annie Chadwick

Up-To-Date Theatrical Services, 449 West 44th ST., #3S, New York, NY, (212) 265-0260