Sunday, June 17, 2012

Creatively Minding Your Business…and Your Taxes


Initially, I planned on following up the last post with more conversation about being creatively stuck and how frustrating it can be when artists feel they cannot produce or express themselves creatively.  Obviously, the topic is extremely important to me, and a conversation we will continue, but of equal importance is the topic of creatively minding our business.  That is what I’m all about right?

So when I fired up my laptop a few days ago and saw the article in Billboard talking about R. Kelly and his tax problems, I just had to address this.  One would think that in 2012, with the numerous highly publicized financial issues that have impacted artists’ lives over the past years, that we would have seen the end of these stories.  But alas, we have not.

According to the article, not only did his home fell in to foreclosure last year, but the IRS is now holding him accountable for payment of taxes dating back to 2005.  While his representatives are not commenting, The Chicago Tribune indicates that there are liens filed against for approximately $4.8 million. 

This made me wonder if any of his managers or financial advisors recommended he make estimated tax payments to the IRS at any point during his career.  This simple financial process would have helped him avoid this latest challenge.  For an artist with so many years of success in the music business, it would seem like common sense that he would either have personally done a better job or had individuals in place that would help him better manage his economic situation.

Far too often, as we’ve seen while artists are busy with the business of creating, someone else is managing their finances and many times to the detriment of the artist and their families.  It is becoming even more important in this time that artists really take charge of their financial present and future.

Just my thoughts.  Looking forward to hearing yours.  Until then creatively mind your business.

No comments:

Post a Comment