May, 2025 - Boldly Financial

May 30, 2025
Touring Money

The Artist’s Visa and Tax Implications: What Touring Internationally Means for US-Based Musicians

Performing outside the US triggers withholding obligations, visa requirements, and potential foreign tax credits. What US-based touring musicians need to know before an international run.

May 27, 2025
Touring Money

Streaming Revenue as a Touring Income Supplement: Setting Realistic Expectations

Streaming revenue is real but modest for most independent artists. How to build a financial model that treats it as a supplement — not a foundation.

May 24, 2025
Touring Money

Setting Up Your Music Business: LLC, S-Corp, or Sole Proprietor for Touring Artists

The entity structure you operate under as a musician has major tax implications. A comparison of the three most common options for working artists.

May 21, 2025
Touring Money

Gear as a Business Expense: Depreciation, Section 179, and the Bonus Depreciation Rules

Musical equipment is a capital asset. How musicians can deduct the full cost in the year of purchase or depreciate it over time — and which approach saves more...

May 18, 2025
Touring Money

Booking Agent Fees, Management Commissions, and Label Splits: What the Percentages Mean

The music industry extracts fees at multiple levels. Understanding the cumulative impact of booking, management, label, and distribution splits on your net income.

May 15, 2025
Touring Money

SoundExchange, ASCAP, BMI, SESAC: How Each Collects and When to Register

Performing rights organisations collect money on your behalf — but only if you're registered. A breakdown of which PRO covers which use case and when to register.

May 12, 2025
Touring Money

Music Publishing vs. Master Rights: The Financial Difference and Why It Matters

Publishing rights and master rights generate different revenue streams. Understanding the split between them determines how much you earn from every use of your music.

May 9, 2025
Touring Money

Tour Budgeting 101: The Fixed and Variable Costs Most Bands Underestimate

A realistic tour budget includes more than gas and hotels. The commonly overlooked costs that turn a profitable-looking run into a loss — and how to model them accurately.

May 6, 2025
Touring Money

How a Touring Bassist Saved $24,000 in Tax Legally in One Financial Year

Home office deduction, per diems, vehicle depreciation, and a SEP-IRA: a complete line-by-line breakdown of a touring musician's tax strategy that saved $24,000.

May 3, 2025
Touring Money

Per Diems on Tour: The Tax Rules for Travel Expense Reimbursements

Per diem rates set by the IRS determine what's deductible for daily travel expenses. How touring musicians and crew should document and claim these correctly.