Federal, state, and local governments, as well as private organizations, have collectively given trillions of dollars in financial support to individuals and businesses during the pandemic through a maze of government and private programs. These benefits will help taxpayers to a greater extent if they are tax-free, but are they? In some cases, we have a definite answer. For many, it is the classic tax law answer: “It depends.” We’ll review the general tax law rules applicable to deciding, then show three ways you can use the tax law to exclude these benefits from a taxpayer’s income.

Lucky and talented folks win all sorts of prizes and awards. Often, the winnings have nothing to do with the winner’s business or profession, but sometimes there’s a professional or business connection. You might view your career arcs as a series of applications, interviews, hirings, promotions with one or multiple employers. But some career paths – musicians (both instrumental and vocal), songwriters, and composers come to mind – involve frequent auditions with a healthy dose of competition. The renown and visibility afforded to competition winners often open doors to career advancement – more and better engagements, management contracts, and media/recording opportunities. Competition prizes and awards are taxable. But these winnings might also be subject to self-employment tax that can be up to 15.3 percent on the taxable amount. While most professional musicians are in the business of being musicians, very few consider themselves in the business of being competition participants. The distinction is important and allows for tax planning and savings opportunities. To learn which is better for tax planning, keep reading.