Tax season is here, and you have questions! Join our panel of tax experts - also fellow actors - who will answer all your questions and concerns about tax preparation this year.
SPEAKER BIOS:
Ronnie Steadman hails from the South, where he learned down home values, not the least of which was "a penny saved is a penny earned." Now he knows that "a penny itemized is a penny returned." He graduated Summa Cum Laude from Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga, TN. Though his studies were focused in math, ironically he turned his sights toward acting and has enjoyed a fruitful career with numerous roles in independent films, national commercials, television, and on the stage. As a result, he understands the entertainer’s challenges on a tax return. After 14 years of working with Chuck Sloan and Associates, Ronnie has now put out his own shingle and continues the great tradition of service with a personal touch. An avid puzzle-solver, Ronnie enjoys a challenge. He is incredibly thorough and will treat your return as if it were his own. (Which, trust us, means it will be done right, because he don’t mess around when it comes to his wallet.)
Emily Churchill, EA is an Enrolled Agent with the IRS. She has been doing taxes for over 12 seasons now. She specializes in the entertainment industry and has worked with clients throughout the country. She is also a working actor/writer/producer in the entertainment industry with over 20 years of experience. Her expertise in both the entertainment industry and tax preparation has helped many fellow artists understand their own unique tax situations.
More than 25 years ago, Ernie Charles, EA, began helping entertainment people prepare their tax returns with the V.I.T.A. (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program administered by the Performers Unions (AEA, AFTRA, SAG). Soon after, he became a licensed tax preparer and started preparing tax returns to help pay the rent while he continued to pursue his acting career.
A few years later, he passed the grueling Enrolled Agent exam, allowing him to represent taxpayers before the IRS.
After practicing for over 7 years with a major tax firm which specialized in entertainment returns, Ernie realized he was ready to spend more time being creative. He started his own tax service called “Entertaining Taxes", giving him more hours and flexibility to advance his own career. Ernie has represented all sorts of entertainment professionals before IRS in audits, appeals and collections.
Ernie moonlights doing taxes returns for entertainment professionals, as he continues to perform, write and produce.
Fellow SAG-AFTRA member Courtney Shane is an actor, dancer, comedian, voiceover artist, clown and filmmaker. She graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Theatre Arts from San Francisco State University, studied with celebrity actor Julianne Moore at the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute, was directed on network television by Thom Eberhardt, who has directed Martin Short, Kurt Russell and Ben Kingsley. She earned a dance degree, traveled to Cuba for intense dance training, performed in music videos as a dancer and performed on professional Salsa Bachata Ballroom Dance Teams. She has performed stand up comedy at The Comedy Store and HaHa Cafe in Hollywood, performed many voiceover characters in shows and commercials, trained and performed with Cirque du Soleil, Ringling Brothers and Clowns Without Borders pro clown directors. She earned a degree in Cinema/TV Production and produced and directed Carly Simon’s You’re So Vain music video. She loves being an artist and wishes to inspire others to be creative. She has experience interviewing casting directors, agents and many entertainment industry pros for panels, staged and Zoom interviews. She looks forward to moderating the Tax Prep for Performers Panel!
