Child actors definitely get paid for their work in TV shows, movies, theater, and other entertainment jobs. However, there are special regulations around child actor salaries and protections to ensure they are treated fairly and their earnings are safeguarded.
How much do child actors get paid?
The pay for child actors varies greatly depending on the role, the production, and the child’s experience level. Some key factors that impact child actor pay include:
- Minimum wage laws – There are special minimum wage laws for child performers to ensure they are compensated fairly.
- Union rules – Projects with union contracts have pay minimums based on the role size, format, budget, etc.
- Experience level – More seasoned child actors can command higher pay than newcomers.
- Role size – Lead roles pay more than supporting roles.
- Project budget/scale – Big budget projects and major studios/networks tend to pay more.
- Format – TV, film, theater, commercials, voiceover, etc. have different pay scales.
To give a sense of typical pay ranges for American child actors:
- Background performers – $50-$250 per day
- Guest stars – $500-$5,000 per episode
- Supporting roles – $1,500-$10,000 per episode
- Co-stars – $15,000-$30,000 per episode
- Leads – $50,000+ per episode
Of course, some mega child stars can earn much more for major projects. For example, the young stars of Stranger Things are estimated to earn $250,000 per episode.
How do child actor salaries compare to adult actors?
Child actors generally earn less than their adult counterparts on the same projects. There are a few key reasons for this pay discrepancy:
- Minimum wage – Adult performers aren’t subject to special child labor minimum wage laws.
- Bargaining power – Adult performers and agents can usually negotiate higher pay than child actors.
- Work hours – Stricter regulations limit the hours child actors can work, which can impact pay.
- Longevity – Adult actors’ pay tends to increase over time as their career grows.
However, the salary gap between adult and child performers is smaller for more prominent roles. Lead child actors may earn 70-100% of what an adult lead might make.
Do child actors get residuals and royalties?
Child actors are eligible to receive residuals and royalties, which are payments based on future reuse of the content they appeared in. Common residual/royalty sources for child performers include:
- Reruns – Payments for TV episodes re-airing on the original network or in syndication.
- DVD/streaming sales – Royalties when movies or TV shows are sold on home video or through streaming services.
- Foreign sales – Payment for reuse of content in foreign markets.
- Commercial advertising – Residual payments when commercials re-air.
The specific residual and royalty rates depend on the project’s budget and contract terms. But these additional payments can provide child actors ongoing income even after production wraps, sometimes even into adulthood.
Who controls a child actor’s money?
Special restrictions apply to how child actors’ incomes are managed:
- 15% is automatically set aside in a Coogan account – This is a blocked trust fund that child performers can access at age 18.
- The remaining 85% goes to the parents/guardians – They are legally obligated to set aside and protect at least 15% of the minor’s gross earnings.
- The child’s earnings and Coogan account must be kept separate from the parents’ money.
- Parents must track/log all expenditures from the minor’s income.
These rules prevent parents from squandering their children’s earnings. When child actors turn 18, they gain control over any remaining money.
Do child actors pay taxes?
Yes, child actors are required to pay income taxes just like any other workers:
- Federal income tax – Child actors must pay federal income tax on any earnings over the standard deduction.
- State tax – Income state taxes also apply in states that have them.
- FICA taxes – Child actors are exempt from FICA taxes until age 18.
The minor’s parents or guardians are responsible for filing and paying taxes on the child’s earnings each year. Professional help from tax preparers knowledgeable about child actor taxes is highly recommended.
How are international child actor salaries handled?
For child actors working internationally, local labor laws and tax regulations apply:
- Some countries have specific regulations around minors working in entertainment.
- Language dubbing/translation payments may be required for reuse in foreign markets.
- Earnings are subject to tax laws in the country where the income is generated.
- U.S. citizens/residents still need to declare foreign income to the IRS.
Navigating international salary and tax issues for child performers can be complex. Consulting local entertainment attorneys and accountants is key.
Do reality show kids get paid?
Children featured on reality shows are not subject to the same regulations as scripted TV/film child actors. However, many do still earn money for their appearances:
- Income depends on the show’s budget and production company policies.
- Some children are paid per episode appearance fees.
- Older children may negotiate episode rates or weekly salaries.
- Additional payments may be given for more prominent storylines.
For very successful reality shows, prominent child participants can earn into the six figures from multiple seasons. But many children earn little to nothing, especially on lower-budget cable shows.
Do YouTube child stars get paid?
Kids with popular YouTube channels can absolutely earn sizable incomes from their videos. Common YouTube child star revenue sources include:
- AdSense – A portion of YouTube ad revenue from their video views.
- Sponsorships – Fees for product promotions/placements in videos.
- Affiliate marketing – Paid commissions for referred purchases and sign-ups.
- Merchandise – Money from branded merch sales.
Top YouTube child stars can make millions per year. However, income fluctuation can be high based on view counts. And most channels earn small amounts from AdSense alone.
What protections are there for child actor finances?
To prevent exploitation or misuse of children’s earnings, child actor salaries have special restrictions and protections:
- Mandatory Coogan accounts to save 15% of gross earnings.
- Limits on deductions for expenses, fees, taxes, etc.
- Court approval needed for large withdrawals from the minor’s account.
- Financial statements must be provided to the minor every 6 months.
- Labor law trust accounts required when working in other states.
Parents who violate rules around handling child actor income can face criminal charges. Conservatorship by financial institutions may be required in some cases.
Do child actors have financial problems as adults?
Sadly, many former child stars have faced money struggles after turning 18, despite earning big sums as kids. Some common issues include:
- Parents mismanaging or squandering earnings before adulthood.
- Lack of career transition support leading to income fluctuation.
- Difficulty managing newfound wealth responsibly at young ages.
- Predatory or negligent financial management as adults.
To help prevent long-term financial problems, more child actors are delaying access to earnings and seeking professional money management assistance into adulthood.
Conclusion
Though pay scales vary greatly based on the role and project, child actors absolutely earn income for their work. There are extensive regulations in place to protect childhood earnings from misuse or exploitation by parents, guardians, or others. However, more work is still needed to help child stars successfully manage finances well into adulthood.