Performing Artist Tax Parity Act of 2025

House Bill

H.R. 721

119th Congress

Performing Artist Tax Parity Act of 2025

In Committee

Introduced:Jan 24, 2025

Primary Sponsor

Vern Buchanan

R - FL

Cosponsors

26

Quick Stats

Policy Area

Taxation

Summary

This bill modernizes the tax deduction for performing artists by eliminating the outdated 16,000 dollar income cap and increasing the minimum employer payment threshold to 500 dollars (inflation-adjusted). It creates a new phase-out for higher earners: deductions reduce starting at 100,000 dollars income (200,000 joint) and phase out completely at 120,000 (240,000 joint). Manager and agent commissions become deductible business expenses.

Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Introduced1/24/2025

StatusReferred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

ChamberHouse

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Vote Prediction

Performing Artist Tax Parity Act of 2025

This bill modernizes the tax deduction for performing artists by eliminating the outdated 16,000 dollar income cap and increasing the minimum employer payment threshold to 500 dollars (inflation-adjusted). It creates a new phase-out for higher earners: deducti

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This bill modernizes the tax deduction for performing artists by eliminating the outdated 16,000 dollar income cap and increasing the minimum employer payment threshold to 500 dollars (inflation-adjusted). It creates a new phase-out for higher earners: deductions reduce starting at 100,000 dollars income (200,000 joint) and phase out completely at 120,000 (240,000 joint). Manager and agent commissions become deductible business expenses.

Bill Number: 721
Introduced: 1/24/2025
Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Policy Area: Taxation

Data from Congress.gov

AI-generated summary

Fact Sheet

Title: Performing Artist Tax Parity Act of 2025
Bill Number: 721
Sponsor: No sponsor
Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Introduced: 1/24/2025
Summary: This bill modernizes the tax deduction for performing artists by eliminating the outdated 16,000 dollar income cap and increasing the minimum employer payment threshold to 500 dollars (inflation-adjusted). It creates a new phase-out for higher earners: deductions reduce starting at 100,000 dollars i

Data from Congress.gov

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

This bill modernizes the tax deduction for performing artists by eliminating the outdated 16,000 dollar income cap and increasing the minimum employer payment threshold to 500 dollars (inflation-adjusted). It creates a new phase-out for higher earners: deductions reduce starting at 100,000 dollars income (200,000 joint) and phase out completely at 120,000 (240,000 joint). Manager and agent commissions become deductible business expenses.

Last updated: 1/4/2026

Official Summary

Congressional Research Service summary

Performing Artist Tax Parity Act of 2025This bill increases the income limit and makes other modifications to the above-the-line tax deduction for business expenses of qualified performing artists. (Above-the-line deductions are subtracted from gross income to calculate adjusted gross income.)Under current law, a qualified performing artist (who may deduct certain business expenses from gross income) is defined as an individual who (1) performs services in the performing arts as an employee for at least two employers during the tax year and receives at least $200 from each employer (minimum payment), (2) has business deductions attributable to such services exceeding 10% of the gross income received from such services, and (3) has adjusted gross income of $16,000 or less.The bill modifies the definition of a qualified performing artist (for purposes of the business expense deduction) to eliminate the $16,000 adjusted gross income limitation and increase the minimum payment amount to $500 (adjusted for inflation beginning in 2026).However, under the bill, the tax deduction for business expenses of qualified performing artists phases out for individuals with gross income exceeding $100,000 (or $200,000 for joint filers) such that the tax deduction completely phases out for individuals with gross income exceeding $120,000 (or $240,000 for joint filers). (The phase-out threshold is adjusted for inflation beginning in 2026.)Finally, the bill provides that commissions paid to a manager or agent by a qualified performing artist are deductible business expenses.

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

Eliminates the outdated 16,000 dollar adjusted gross income limitation
Increases minimum employer payment threshold to 500 dollars with inflation adjustment
Creates phase-out between 100,000 and 120,000 income (200,000-240,000 joint)
Makes manager and agent commissions deductible
Maintains requirement of services for at least two employers annually

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

This update reflects the reality that professional performing artists rarely earn below 16,000 dollars annually yet face substantial work-related expenses. The modernized income thresholds allow middle-income performers to deduct legitimate business costs while phasing out benefits for high earners. Treating agent commissions as deductible acknowledges they are standard industry expenses, providing tax parity with other self-employed professionals.

Policy Areas

Primary Policy Area

Taxation

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

721, 119th Congress (2025). "Performing Artist Tax Parity Act of 2025". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-hr-721

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