Support Act, White Sky launch free financial planning workshops in time for tax season

For most of us, tax time is like hitting a month of Mondays while sick with flu.

Support Act is here to help.

The music industry charity is partnering up with music accounting services company White Sky for a series of free workshop series, to help take the sting out of tax and all-things money related.

The aptly-titled “Money Money Money” sessions are designed to educate industry professionals on how to improve their mental wellbeing through better money management.

“Pursuing a financially stable career in the music industry can be challenging, complex and even unsustainable,” comments Clive Miller, CEO of Support Act.

To thrive in the original gig economy, he continues, “independent artists, artist managers, crew and music workers have to make informed decisions daily about how to make money, pay taxes and find financial stability.”

The new workshop series is intended to help lift those literacy skills and upskill the industry “to do better this tax time,” he continues.

First up is Financial Wellbeing 101, set for 9-11am next Thursday (May 27) at White Sky’s offices in Collingwood, hosted by Jo Syme (Big Scary, Pieater Records, Hotel Motel Records).

Expect the speakers to pour over such topics as getting the right business structure, nailing those taxes and submitting them on time, keeping good records, what can and can’t be claimed, budgeting and more.

The session is free and will be built into networking breakfasts presented by Music Victoria and VMDO. If you miss a spot, the workshop will be available to stream afterwards on the Support Act website.

Support Act

Just a head’s up: Your tax return covers the income year from July 1 to June 30. If you do need to complete one, the ATO requires you must lodge it or engage with a tax agent, by October 31. Failure to do so can incur a fine. 

Secure your spot for the Money Money Money workshop here. For further information on Support Act and its services, visit www.supportact.org.au.

This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.