Real Estate

Entertainment CPA for Film, Music, and Production in Miami

Tax and accounting for Miami film, music, content creation, and production companies.

Entertainment income comes in irregular waves: production budgets, residual income, endorsements, publishing royalties, and merchandising all flow through the tax return. Florida offers a sales-and-use tax exemption on qualifying production purchases (up to 7.5%), and Miami-Dade County adds cash rebates ($50K–$100K) for qualifying productions. Section 181 lets qualifying productions deduct costs currently. Levine CPA and Advisors helps Miami film, music, and production clients capture the incentives while running clean books through irregular income cycles.

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Our Experience
Our principals have advised Miami entertainment clients since 1984, through the shift from traditional distribution to streaming, from analog music publishing to digital royalties, and through Florida and Miami-Dade's evolving film incentive programs. That perspective lets us plan around structural shifts, not just current filings.
What Miami Entertainment Clients Need from a CPA
Section 181 Production Deduction
Current-year deduction for qualifying productions.
Florida Sales Tax Exemption
Production-purchase exemption filings.
Miami-Dade Cash Rebate Coordination
Tier I ($100K) and Tier II ($50K) rebate documentation.
Residual & Royalty Income
Publishing, music, and residual reporting.
Multi-State Production Filings
 Filings in every state a production shoots or bills from.
Loan-Out Entity Structuring
S-corp and LLC loan-outs for talent and creatives.
Production Accounting & Union Payroll
Show cost tracking, weekly cost reports, and IATSE/DGA/SAG-AFTRA payroll coordination.
Why Levine CPA and Advisors for Entertainment
Section 181 and Miami-Dade rebates documented, not skipped

We capture the incentives most productions leave on the table.

Production accounting for features, series, and content

Show-cost accounting, weekly cost reports, and residual tracking.

IATSE, DGA, and SAG-AFTRA payroll coordinated

Union payroll and multi-state filings handled together.

Cross-border production experience

For international co-productions and touring artists.

Schedule a consultation with your Miami Entertainment CPA.

Call (305) 912-0085 or schedule a consultation with Levine CPA and Advisors.

Schedule a Consultation
1. Project & Career Discovery
Review productions, revenue types, and Section 181/rebate eligibility.
2. Section 181 & Rebate Positioning
Assess federal Section 181 and Miami-Dade Tier I/II rebate eligibility.
3. Loan-Out & Production Accounting Setup
Structure loan-out entities and configure show-cost accounting.
4. Multi-State & Union Payroll Filings
Handle IATSE, DGA, and SAG-AFTRA production payroll plus multi-state filings.
5. Career Advisory
Quarterly reviews on residuals, structure, and cross-border income.
Common Entertainment Client Situations We Handle
Independent film producers and production companies
Music artists, songwriters, and publishers
Content creators with irregular income across platforms
Directors, DPs, and above-the-line talent using loan-outs
Who We Work With in Entertainment
Independent film producers and production companies
  • Music artists, songwriters, and publishers (Latin and mainstream)
  • Content creators with irregular income across YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram
  • Recording studios and mastering engineers in Miami
  • Directors, DPs, and above-the-line talent using loan-outs
  • Production companies chasing Miami-Dade rebates
  • Live event and concert producers
  • Dance and choreography professionals
  • Broadcast television and streaming production teams
Tax Strategies We Frequently Help Miami Entertainment Clients Implement
  • Section 181 production expense deduction
  • Miami-Dade County film rebate documentation (Tier I and II)
  • Florida sales and use tax production exemption
  • Loan-out entity structuring for talent
  • Music publishing and royalty income planning
  • State residency planning for Florida domicile
  • Multi-state and multi-country production filings
  • Endorsement and sponsorship income planning
  • Deferred compensation on residuals and back-end
  • Estate planning around catalog and IP holdings
Common Tax Mistakes We Help Miami Entertainment Clients Avoid
  • Missing Miami-Dade rebate application deadlines
  • Not documenting Florida sales tax exemption on production purchases
  • Section 181 election overlooked on qualifying productions
  • Loan-out entity setup missing on above-the-line talent
  • Union payroll compliance gaps
  • Multi-state production filings skipped
  • Residuals and royalty income lumped as ordinary
  • Weak documentation of R&D on production tech

What Our Clients Are Saying

Trusted by 500+ clients
5/5
google
Isaac Orzechowitz

I have been using this firm since 2005 as my accountants and advisors on complex businesses and tax matters. Jack has also successfully represented me at a complicated IRS matter. Professional, Extremely knowledgeable, straight forward, and personalized attention is what you can expect. I continue to recommend them highly.

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Nathan Katz

Jack Levine has handled our taxes for 10+ years. We are very happy with the work he does. Our taxes are a bit complicated, but he handles everything easily, promptly, smoothly.

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Nick Dubow

I have been a client since 2004. There are too many things to write in the little space allocated. The attention to detail and his knowledge of the tax law which changes often is comforting and one less thing to worry about. The best thing about my experience with Jack is his quick response to my email or call.

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Jeff Marcus

Jack Levine and his incredible staff provided highly professional service in preparation of my 2024 tax return. They were extremely efficient and very pleasant through the process.

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Michael Pereira

I have to tell everyone. Dont go anywhere else. I have done the shopping for you!. Jack and the entire organization did such a amazing job and truly went above and beyond!. He is extremely insightful and such a professional. From the initial phone call to our meeting in person, the pricing and the entire process was phenomenal. We operate a private bank and need only the top of the line infrastructures. I was in a time crunch and very stressed and they quickly were able to do such an amazing job.

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Yisroel Biberfeld

I am very happy with the work that Steven and his team produces. The service was quick, but completely thorough, and they were always available to answer any questions I had, and give guidance I needed in a very timely manner. I would definitely recommend them to anyone looking for tax services!
Jack Levine and his incredible staff provided highly professional service in preparation of my 2024 tax return. They were extremely efficient and very pleasant through the process.
Jack Levine has handled our taxes for 10+ years. We are very happy with the work he does. Our taxes are a bit complicated, but he handles everything easily, promptly, smoothly.

FAQS

Frequently Asked Questions Answered

Does my production qualify for Section 181?
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How do I claim the Miami-Dade production rebate?
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Do you handle royalty income for musicians and songwriters?
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How do I get started?
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Does my production qualify for Section 181?
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How do I claim the Miami-Dade production rebate?
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Do you handle royalty income for musicians and songwriters?
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Can you support union payroll on productions?
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Where We Serve
We support Real Estate clients across Miami and South Florida:
Related Services
The services most commonly used by our Miami Real Estate clients:
Also Serving
Related industries we work with:

Meet Your CPA

A family-run firm led by Jack Levine, CPA and Steven Levine, CPA, serving Miami since 1984:

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Schedule a Consultation with Your Miami Entertainment CPA

Levine CPA and Advisors has supported South Florida individuals, businesses, and organizations for more than 40 years. Call (305) 912-0085 or submit our contact form to schedule a consultation with a Miami entertainment CPA today.

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