KU News Release

Tax students host financial planning workshop for artists Nov. 16

LAWRENCE — University of Kansas School of Business students will host a financial planning and tax workshop for self-employed artists at 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16, at the Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire St. The public is invited.

The workshop will help self-employed artists understand complicated tax laws — including how to recognize income, maximize deductions, calculate self-employment taxes and plan for retirement. Earlier this fall, the students researched issues pertinent to artists and developed presentation materials.

The Nov. 16 event is one of three financial planning workshops organized by students in the master’s of accounting program at KU. Two similar workshops were held last week at KU’s School of Fine Arts.

Raquel Alexander, assistant professor of business, said the workshops help her students develop research skills and apply their knowledge in a meaningful way.

“The students are excited about this opportunity to help others,” Alexander said. “The most challenging part is conveying technical tax law in a way that nonaccountants can understand.”

The workshops for artists are just the latest example of Alexander’s accounting students serving Kansans. Previous class projects have included a voter guide that simplified the tax plans of presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain and a brochure to help residents of tornado-ravaged Greensburg receive tax refunds.

-30-

The University of Kansas is a major comprehensive research and teaching university. University Relations is the central public relations office for KU's Lawrence campus.