Code Sec. 166, titled "Bad Debts," generally controls who is entitled to a bad debt deduction and when a bad debt may be deducted. Sec. 166 conditions treatment generally on whether a bad debt is incurred in a trade or business. Further, Sec. 166 defers...
Taxpayers may generally deduct losses that are sustained during the tax year and not compensated for by insurance or otherwise (Sec. 165). For individuals, deductible losses must fall within one of three categories: losses incurred in a trade or business; losses incurred in transactions entered...
Victims of investment schemes or fraud may find themselves under the casualty loss rules, rather than using the net capital loss rules to salvage their position. Sec. 165(e) allows reporting a deduction for theft losses in the year in which a "reasonable taxpayer" discovers that...
Code Sec. 1231 makes available the best of both worlds to businesses with a certain combination of capital gains and losses. Net gains from the disposal of Sec. 1231 property are taxed at capital gain rates, while net losses from the disposal of Sec. 1231...
After the netting of long-term and short-term capital gains and losses for any tax year, any remaining net capital loss in excess of $3,000 ($1,500 for married taxpayers filing separately) must be carried forward into the next tax year. That carryforward retains its character as...
Code Sec. 465 generally limits a taxpayer's deductible loss applicable to a trade or business or production of income to the amount that the taxpayer has at risk with respect to an activity. The rules apply to individuals and certain closely held corporations. They generally...
Code Section 469 provides that individuals, trusts, estates, personal service corporations and closely held C corps may only deduct passive-activity losses from passive-activity income. The rules do not apply to S corps and partnerships, but do apply to their respective shareholders and partners. Passive activity is...
The Internal Revenue Service has issued a new form that will make it easier to order tax transcripts and help process mortgage modification applications. The new forms are being issued in conjunction with the Obama administration’s push to help more homeowners cope with their mortgage problems....
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provides that certain expenditures made by the taxpayer for energy-efficient building property are eligible for the nonbusiness energy property credit. The term "energy-efficient building property" includes a biomass fuel stove that burns biomass fuel to heat a...
IRS Publication 4128 Tax Impact of Job Loss was released in August of 2009. The publication explains the job loss tax issues connected to severance pay, unemployment compensation, pension plans, IRAs, expenses for a job search, and possible moving costs. It also discusses self-employment issues for the newly...