Taxes for Humans: Hannah Cole on Self-Employment, Creativity, and Money Without Shame

Dec 17, 2025

Margo Tantau is joined by artist, tax expert, and founder of Sunlight Tax, Hannah Cole, for a refreshingly human conversation about money, creativity, and her new book, Taxes for Humans: Simplify Your Taxes and Change the World When You’re Self-Employed.

Hannah brings compassion, clarity, and humor to a topic many creatives carry shame, fear, or confusion around—and reframes taxes as something that can actually support creative, mission-driven work rather than stifle it.

Margo and Hannah discuss:

• Why creative work is economically vital and plays a real role in shaping culture
• How the tax system is designed for humans—not perfection—and includes room for forgiveness
• Simple, realistic systems that make taxes easier for self-employed creatives
• Tax incentives that actually exist to support artists and independent workers
• How money shame shows up for creatives, and why it’s completely normal
• Why making mistakes with taxes doesn’t mean you’re “bad at money”
• How compassion and clarity can coexist with practical financial systems

Connect with Hannah:

• Book + Workbook: https://www.sunlighttax.com/book
• Website: https://www.sunlighttax.com
• Instagram / YouTube / LinkedIn: @sunlighttax

Connect with Margo:

• Website: www.windowsillchats.com
• Instagram: @windowsillchats
• www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill
• https://www.yourtantaustudio.com/thefoundry