Money Girl Tax Secrets for Real People, with Hannah Cole
Mar 11, 2026
Hannah Cole, Enrolled Agent and founder of Sunlight Tax who teaches tax literacy for creatives and small businesses. She talks about reframing money as neutral and beating the “starving artist” myth. Practical topics include self-employment tax basics, overlooked deduction opportunities, new 2025–2026 law changes, and simple habits to make bookkeeping calm and reliable.
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Creative Stereotypes Block Financial Learning
- Creative stereotypes about being 'bad at money' are cultural narratives, not inherent traits, and they discourage creatives from learning finance.
- Hannah notes artists are resourceful project-builders who can learn bookkeeping and benefit greatly from tax literacy.
Turn Bookkeeping Into A Rewarded Ritual
- Make taxes less dreadful by pairing the task with a small reward and creating a pleasant ritual (clean desk, tea, music) to rewire the habit.
- Use Atomic Habits-style cues so bookkeeping becomes a peaceful, repeatable ritual rather than avoidance.
Pay Quarterly Estimates And Plan For Self-Employment Tax
- Pay attention to estimated quarterly taxes because they are an obligation and missing them can cause penalties and a large April bill.
- Remember self-employment tax is 15.3% of profit because you're paying both employer and employee halves of Social Security and Medicare.
