Hobby Loss

Hobby Loss
A non-deductible loss incurred as a result of doing an activity for personal pleasure instead of for profit. A taxpayer cannot deduct the hobby loss as a business loss. A "hobby loss rule" is used to determine whether an activity is a hobby or a business.

The "hobby loss rule" states that if an activity is profitable in three years out of five then it can be treated as a business in the one or two year(s) that a loss was realized.

For example, if a man builds and sells birdhouses as a hobby, but only makes a profit one year out of the last five, then the losses are considered a hobby loss. The law does not prohibit taxpayers from making deductions on such activities if they are prepared to argue that the losses were created while attempting to make profit.


Investment dictionary. . 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • hobby loss — n. A loss incurred from a hobby, usually not deductible. The Essential Law Dictionary. Sphinx Publishing, An imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. Amy Hackney Blackwell. 2008. hobby loss A loss from a business activity engaged …   Law dictionary

  • hobby loss — A nondeductible loss arising from a personal hobby as contrasted with an activity engaged in for profit. Generally, the law provides a presumption that an activity is engaged in for profit if gross profits are earned during any 2 or more years… …   Black's law dictionary

  • hobby loss — A nondeductible loss arising from a personal hobby as contrasted with an activity engaged in for profit. Generally, the law provides a presumption that an activity is engaged in for profit if gross profits are earned during any 2 or more years… …   Black's law dictionary

  • loss — is a generic and relative term. It signifies the act of losing or the thing lost; it is not a word of limited, hard and fast meaning and has been held synonymous with, or equivalent to, damage , damages , deprivation , detriment , injury , and… …   Black's law dictionary

  • loss — is a generic and relative term. It signifies the act of losing or the thing lost; it is not a word of limited, hard and fast meaning and has been held synonymous with, or equivalent to, damage , damages , deprivation , detriment , injury , and… …   Black's law dictionary

  • hobby — An activity not engaged in for profit. The IRC restricts the amount of losses that an individual can deduct with respect to hobby activities so that such transactions cannot be used to offset income from other sources. I.R.C. No. 183. See hobby… …   Black's law dictionary

  • hobby — An activity not engaged in for profit. The IRC restricts the amount of losses that an individual can deduct with respect to hobby activities so that such transactions cannot be used to offset income from other sources. I.R.C. No. 183. See hobby… …   Black's law dictionary

  • Hobby farm — A hobby farm is a smallholding or small farm that is maintained without expectation of being a primary source of income. Some are merely to provide some recreational land, and perhaps a few horses for the family s children. Others are managed as… …   Wikipedia

  • Internal Revenue Code section 183 — Section 183 of the United States Internal Revenue Code (usc|26|183), sometimes referred to as the hobby loss rule , limits the losses that can be deducted from income which are attributable to hobbies and other not for profit activities.… …   Wikipedia

  • Tax deduction — This article is about the deduction of expenses for the purpose of calculating taxable income. For tax deducted at source, see Withholding tax. Taxation An aspect of fiscal policy …   Wikipedia

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