Wedding & event vendors

Books and taxes for face painters.

Event fees, non-toxic paint bought in batches, a subcontracted painter brought in for a second same-day booking, and travel between events. Gus sorts all of it, an accountant checks every transaction, and you get one number a month.

Book a call What we handle
  • From $197 a month
  • An accountant on every transaction
  • Cancel whenever
OctoberExample month
$2,800
what you made

October came in at $2,800. Halloween season meant two bookings on the same Saturday, so I kept the second painter's pay apart from your own take.

  • October 18 wedding reception bookingEvent fees
  • Non-toxic paint restockPaint and supplies
  • Subcontracted painter, second eventSubcontracted painters
  • Travel mileage between bookingsTravel
  • Sanitizing supplies restockSanitation supplies
Money in$6,200
Money out$3,400
Set aside for taxes$600
An example month. Yours will have your numbers.

Why your books are different

A face painter's books go wrong in the same handful of places.

A generalist sees event fees and a supply receipt. Your business is two bookings on one Saturday that need a second painter, non-toxic paint bought in batches, and sanitation supplies that are a real ongoing cost of their own. When the books do not know that, the number they hand you is wrong.

  1. 1

    Subcontracted painters blend into your own pay

    Two events booked on the same day means bringing in another painter, and if their pay comes out of the same lump sum as your own, you cannot tell which booking actually made money.

    What we doTies each subcontracted painter's pay to the event they worked.
  2. 2

    Paint restocks look inconsistent

    Non-toxic, cosmetic-grade paints get bought periodically rather than every week, and one larger restock order can make an otherwise normal month look like it cost far more than usual.

    What we doFlags larger paint and supply stock-ups, so a restock does not distort a single month.
  3. 3

    Sanitation supplies get lumped with paint costs

    Sponges, brushes, and sanitizing wipes used between faces are a real ongoing cost distinct from the paint itself, and if they are not tracked apart, you cannot tell what keeping things sanitary actually costs per event.

    What we doKeeps sanitation supplies in their own line, apart from paint.
  4. 4

    Travel between same-day bookings gets buried

    Two events across town on the same Saturday means real drive time between them, and if that is not tracked against what each booking pays, you cannot tell whether a tight schedule is actually worth it.

    What we doKeeps travel costs visible against event income.
  5. 5

    The deposit is not spending money yet

    A client books a wedding months out and pays a deposit, and if it is treated like this month's earned income, the books overstate what has actually been worked.

    What we doFlags booked deposits for events not yet worked, so you always know how much of the balance is spoken for.

Your categories

The categories Gus keeps for a face painting business.

Set up once for how you get paid and what you spend. You never pick a category. He does, and an accountant checks it.

Money in

  • Event booking feesThe base charge for a wedding or event booking.
  • Booking depositsHeld when a client books, often weeks or months out.
  • Per-hour extension feesExtra charged when a booking runs longer than planned.
  • Glitter and specialty design upgradesAdd-ons sold on top of standard designs.
  • Multiple-painter package bookingsBigger events with more than one painter.

Money out

  • Paint and suppliesNon-toxic, cosmetic-grade paint bought in batches.
  • Subcontracted paintersPay for painters sent to a second same-day event.
  • Sanitation suppliesSponges, brushes, and sanitizing wipes.
  • Travel and mileageGetting between same-day bookings.
  • MarketingWebsite, social ads, and bridal shows.
  • InsuranceLiability coverage for on-site work.
  • Business license and permitsLocal registrations required to operate.

What we watch for you

  • Booked deposits on hand

    How much of the balance belongs to events not yet worked, so it is never mistaken for spare cash.

  • Cost per event

    Travel and subcontracted pay against what each booking actually billed.

  • Paint cost against bookings

    What supplies are costing against what you are charging, so a big restock does not hide the real picture.

  • The set-aside

    What you will owe, tracked every month, so April is a number you already knew.

Ask Gus

Things face painters ask Gus.

Text him like you would text anybody. He answers in plain English, and when a question is above his pay grade, an accountant looks and gets back to you.

Two events were booked on the same Saturday and I brought in another painter. How is that tracked?

Their pay is tied to the specific event they worked, so you can see which booking actually made money.

I stocked up on paint before wedding season. Why does this month look expensive?

That is a bigger one-time buy. I flag stock-ups so a restock does not make the month look worse than it is.

I buy sanitizing wipes and new sponges pretty regularly. Is that the same as paint costs?

No, I keep sanitation supplies in their own line, so you can see what staying sanitary actually costs per event.

The tax side

The tax side of a face painting business.

Most of what goes wrong here is one booking fee that needs to become two paychecks, and supplies bought in bigger batches.

What your return has to get right

Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.

  • Contractor 1099sA subcontracted painter not on payroll gets a 1099-NEC if paid $2,000 or more in 2026, due January 31. Gus keeps that list running.
  • Paint and suppliesNon-toxic paint, brushes, and sanitation supplies are usually ordinary deductible business costs. Gus keeps them tracked apart from bigger equipment like a display stand or lighting rig.
  • Self-employment tax and quarterly estimatesIf you are not on your own payroll, you owe 15.3 percent self-employment tax and are expected to pay estimated tax four times a year rather than waiting for April.
  • The pass-through deductionMost owner-operators can deduct up to 20 percent of business profit off their taxable income. It comes out right when the books are right all year.

Deductions face painters miss

Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.

  • Non-toxic face paint
  • Brushes and sponges
  • Sanitizing supplies
  • Subcontracted painter fees
  • Travel and mileage
  • Liability insurance
  • Website and social ads
  • Bridal show booth fees
  • Business license and permits
  • Storage bins for supplies
  • Business cards and branding
  • Card processing fees

General information about 2026 federal rules, not advice for your business. Your accountant looks at your actual numbers before anything gets filed.

All year, not just April

A face painter's year, kept every month.

Weddings and events book up year-round, with spring, fall, and Halloween bringing the busiest stretches. Gus keeps the return on its own schedule. Every month in between, your bookkeeper closes the books and speaks up the moment something looks off.

  1. January

    Plan the year

    Last year's return gets started, the 1099 for any subcontracted painter is ready, and a monthly set-aside is planned before booking season floods your calendar.

  2. April

    Filed and signed

    Your return is filed and signed right as spring booking season ramps up, so tax season never competes with your busiest weekends.

  3. July

    Halfway check

    Where you stand midyear, what you will owe, and whether this year's booking count is on pace.

  4. October

    Before the holiday push

    Halloween and holiday events start filling the calendar. Gus looks at paint and supplies worth restocking before December.

What you get

Starts at$197a month

What you pay depends on what your business needs, and it does not move after that, busy season or slow. No hourly bills, no surprise invoices, no setup fee.

Book a call
  • Monthly bookkeeping

    Every transaction sorted into categories set up for face painters. You never categorize a thing.

  • An accountant checks every transaction

    Real review, every month, before your books close. Not a spot check.

  • Your business tax return, filed

    Prepared, reviewed, and signed by that same accountant every year.

  • The monthly number

    What you made, what you spent, what to set aside for taxes.

  • Your own bookkeeper

    A real person assigned to your business, in the app whenever you need them. No hold music.

  • On your books all year

    Every month, not just in April. Your team speaks up whenever something is worth your attention.

  • Cancel any time

    No contract. No cancellation call. Your books are yours.

Straight answers

Questions face painters ask first.

Can Gus track pay for another painter I bring in for a second event?

Yes. Each painter's pay is tied to the specific event they worked, so you can see which booking actually made money.

I stocked up on paint before wedding season. Why does that month look expensive?

It gets flagged as a larger one-time buy, so the restock does not distort that month's real picture.

Are sanitizing supplies the same as paint costs?

No. They are kept in their own line, so you can see what staying sanitary actually costs per event.

I have two bookings across town on the same day. Does travel time matter?

Yes. Travel is kept visible against your event income, so you can see if a tight schedule is actually worth it.

My books are behind from a busy season. Can Gus catch up?

Yes. Send what you have and Gus sorts it. Most painters know where they stand within a week.

Is a real accountant checking my books?

Yes. You get your own bookkeeper, Gus does the first pass on every transaction, and an accountant checks every one before your month closes. That same accountant prepares, signs, and files your business return. Goatkeeper is not a CPA firm, and we never pretend a person looked when they did not.

What does it cost, and can I cancel?

It starts at $197 a month, depending on what your business needs. No setup fee, no hourly bills, no contract. Cancel any time from the app, and your books go with you.

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Book a call

Pick a time. That's the whole signup.

Fifteen minutes with a real person on our team. They look at where your books are, tell you straight what it takes to get caught up, and get you set up on the spot if it fits.

  • $197 a month to start
  • An accountant on every transaction
  • Cancel whenever