How much does a $1,000 prostitute actually make?

[Running with Scissors]

I'm wondering two things: First, how much per hour does she get to keep (I'm guessing the "house" gets something like 50%, but that's just a WAG), and second, how much work would she expect to have? Could she retire after a couple of years or so and have enough to live on for the rest of her life?

[TokyoBayer]

In the recent case, it was reported that the house kept half.

The articles mentioned that some prostitutes objected to "double shifts" so one can assume that there would be some days with more than one client, but as other freelance workers know, work everyday may not be guaranteed.

There are a couple of additional issues which would affect a goal of retirement.

1. Does the prostitute pay taxes? My guess would be not since she (or he) wouldn't be able to get a W-2 or a form for independent contractors.

2. How much money would she be considering for retirement? This is something which my friends and I (in our 40s) talk a lot about. If you haven't been contributing into SS or paying into a 401k, then you'll need more cash.

One friend (a well-to-do expat attorney) insists on $1 million plus owning a house. A struggling English teacher plans on retiring to a developing country, where the standard of living is much less.

3. Insert cliché of choice.

4. Does the prostitute have expensive habits, such as a drug problem or tend to spend considerable money on brand items? The later is an issue with Japanese women in the “water business” hostesses who don’t explicitly provide sex for cash as well as the quasi legal prostitutes who do hand jobs or oral sex. While their income is high, they often spend more freely than people without easy money.

[jovan]

Originally Posted by TokyoPlayer

4. Does the prostitute have expensive habits, such as a drug problem or tend to spend considerable money on brand items? The later is an issue with Japanese women in the “water business” hostesses who don’t explicitly provide sex for cash as well as the quasi legal prostitutes who do hand jobs or oral sex. While their income is high, they often spend more freely than people without easy money.

Related to this, I would expect job-related expenses to be pretty high too. In order to be a $1000 girl, you have to look like a thousand bucks. That means you will probably have to spend a lot of money on clothes and accessories. I remember a tv show mentioning top Japanese hostesses spending something like 30% of their income on these sorts of expenses. (Now, hostesses aren't prostitutes but it's a similar line of work.)

[Running with Scissors]

OK, but that's still $500/hour before expenses. How many hours per week/month/year would she be working?

[guizot]

Originally Posted by TokyoPlayer

1. Does the prostitute pay taxes? My guess would be not since she (or he) wouldn't be able to get a W-2 or a form for independent contractors.

Why not? They call it "escort service." They can set up as independent contractor escorts in order to file a 1099.

[Really Not All That Bright]

Originally Posted by guizot

Why not? They call it "escort service." They can set up as independent contractor escorts in order to file a 1099.

Plus there are plenty of hookers in Nevada who do actually file W-4s. I don't know what they call themselves, though.

[butler1850]

You wouldn't even need a 1099 or w2. Report it yourself as "other income." Don't be like Capote, file those taxes on illegal income as well!

In the legal situations, they'd get a 1099 or similar.

[Exapno Mapcase]

Originally Posted by Running with Scissors

OK, but that's still $500/hour before expenses. How many hours per week/month/year would she be working?

The standard practice in legal Nevada brothels is to put in three full weeks and then take a week off.

Escorts would also have to take the week off but are unlikely to work every day the rest of the three weeks. They would be lucky to average even five clients a week for the rest of the month. What they have to hope for is the high-end overnight or weekend package that would get them $10,000 or more. And how often would that come along?

Their expenses, as mentioned, would be high. Not just clothing and accessories but hair, makeup, manicures and pedicures, spas, gyms. And those pesky breast implants. They need to look perfect every moment just in case and some escorts are expected to actually do escorting, appearing in public with the client.

You have to wonder what percent of call girls think of the future. "Kristen" lived in a $5000 a month apartment and took vacations in the Caribbean. The active life as a high-class hooker is seldom more than a couple of years. Kristen is a high school dropout with no skills other than her hopes to have a music career. So maybe she'll earn a quarter million a year for a couple of years. How much will she have left at the end? And how does she make a living then?

Just to nitpick, BTW, it was reported that Kristen's agency took 10% off the top and then split the rest, so she gets 45%, not 50%. Not sure if tips are expected if the fee is that high to begin with.

[postcards]

Originally Posted by butler1850

...Don't be like Capote, file those taxes on illegal income as well!

And we all remember how the feds finally nailed Truman on income tax charges for all those 'short stories' he 'failed to report'!

[TokyoBayer]

Originally Posted by Exapno Mapcase

Just to nitpick, BTW, it was reported that Kristen's agency took 10% off the top and then split the rest, so she gets 45%, not 50%. Not sure if tips are expected if the fee is that high to begin with.

Isn't that what the leper says to the prostitute? Keep the tip!

I used to do magic semi-professionally, and get $500 for three 20 minute stages, but they would be over a several hours period. Counting in the travel time, it would sometimes be more than a half a day. That's still not too bad, but if you only did one a day for 20 days a month, (which I never did) then it's not that much money.

As jovan mentioned, then you have to look the part, so there will be expenses.

As an aside, high-class hostesses actually earn their money. They have to keep on top of current affairs (no pun intended) as well as reading the lastest fiction and watching the hit tv shows so that they can keep up with their clients' conversations.

The problem which I mentioned previously is that most of the people in this business would likely be young, and not likely to really understand that the gravy train isn't going to last forever. If you're 21 and making that kind of money, it's really hard to grasp that easy cash isn't going to be floating your way forever.

[butler1850]

Originally Posted by postcards

And we all remember how the feds finally nailed Truman on income tax charges for all those 'short stories' he 'failed to report'!

DOH!
I was thinking Al Capone. Somehow I seem to get those guys confused a lot.

[guizot]

Originally Posted by Really Not All That Bright

Plus there are plenty of hookers in Nevada who do actually file W-4s. I don't know what they call themselves, though.

They could just put down "prostitute," since it's legal in those Nevada counties. But probably they put down something like "escort" or "entertainer." I don't think the IRS cares as long as they pay up.

[Really Not All That Bright]

Originally Posted by guizot

They could just put down "prostitute," since it's legal in those Nevada counties. But probably they put down something like "escort" or "entertainer." I don't think the IRS cares as long as they pay up.

I know they could; I just doubt they do.

Same way strippers are never "strippers"; they're "dancers".

[DrDeth]

However, "easy money" is easy to spend and hard to save. I doubt if many actually have an IRA or a 401K.