Trump’s tax return: $1.1 million deduction jeopardized by IRS hobby rule

Former President Donald Trump’s years of business losses are a red flag for the IRS, says one prominent tax expert.

Trump’s federal tax returns show multiple aviation businesses have claimed losses for the third straight year, and their activities have been reclassified as nonprofit activities or “hobbies” under IRS rules. are at risk of

As more Americans enter the gig economy, understanding these rules will help self-employed taxpayers keep track of their annual profits and losses and the losses that could trigger the IRS hobby rules. Helps avoid the IRS by avoiding annual discretionary business purchases that can create

For Trump:

• DJT Aerospace LLC went bankrupt in 2016 and 2017 and reported losses from 2018 to 2020.
• DT Endeavor I LLC and DJT Operations II LLC suffered losses from 2018 to 2020.

IRS frowns on losing streak.This service believes that businesses should make a profit At least 3 years out of every 5 years, including the current year (or at least 2 out of the last 7 years if the activity consists primarily of horse breeding, exhibition, training or racing).

“If someone has a business, they are running it to make a profit,” the IRS said in its 2019 tax tips. Rather, I am engaged in a hobby for sports and recreation.”

Hobby Loss Rules

Former President Donald Trump and former First Lady Melania Trump stop in front of the media as they arrive for a New Year’s Eve party at the Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, December 31, 2022. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky/AP Image)

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The IRS can avoid allowing business loss by reclassifying the activity as a hobby. Before Trump’s tax reform legislation — the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 — hobbies could write off expenses as other deductions until their net income hit $0. Additional costs are non-deductible.

TCJA has eliminated other deductions. If the IRS determines that Trump’s airline is a hobby, Trump will still have to report income, but can’t charge expenses… creating a back tax.

“If a taxpayer receives income from an activity that he or she does not engage in for a profit, the expenses paid for that activity become other itemized deductions and can no longer be deducted,” the IRS said in its tax notices. said in the book.

red flag

Copies of former President Donald Trump and former first lady Melania Trump’s 2019 personal tax returns released by the Democratic-controlled House Ways and Means Committee were taken on Friday, Dec. 30, 2022. (AP Photo/John Elswick/AP Image)

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In a statement for FOX Business, Eva Rosenberg said, “Continued deficits put warnings on tax returns. Rosenberg is a qualified registered agent representing taxpayers with the IRS and a popular tax advice web Founder of the site TaxMomma.com.

“Usually, IRS computers generate reports on businesses that do not meet certain guidelines based on statistical analysis (DIF scores),” she adds.

Three years or more of loss does not automatically mean the IRS will reclassify your business as a hobby.

“If you can prove that your business is operating legally, you can get around those rules,” Rosenberg told FOX Business.

get around hobby rules

1040 Stock photo of a red audit stamp on a US personal income tax return.

The IRS says it will avoid a “surprise” tax bill by making fourth-quarter payments before January. 17

Rosenberg says some of the things that are important to this proof are:

• having a business plan that indicates when the business is expected to be profitable;
• have a good valuation and more business assets than cover their losses; and/or
• Change business operations to find ways to generate profits.

Changes may include product line adjustments, price revisions, or marketing improvements.

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Rosenberg says it’s important to show change if you’re facing a hobby audit.

“And an IRS agent once explained it to me: She used the definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”

The hobby risk rule is not limited to sole proprietorships. The nonprofit rule also applies to partnerships, real estate, trusts, and S corporations, which could put other Trump businesses at risk.

Interestingly, Rosenberg says the IRS is more wary of individual returns and a “less strong indicator” of partnership returns.

“And in this case most [Trump’s] The loss was in the return of the partnership,” she adds.

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