Net Operating Loss and Your Photography Business

Running your own business is no easy task and some years no matter how hard you try the company suffers a loss. As a photographer these losses can be detrimental for many years. I found an article that discusses how a photographer with a stock photography company and a loss during 2004 can actually help on past or future tax statements. If I am reading the article below right it would make sense for a photographer to carry over the loss of 2004 to future tax statements to reduce the total income. Take a look.

I am not a tax expert so please verify the information with your account. If anyone knows anything about this subject please let us know by adding a comment or sending us an email at USA@fotolia.com

NET OPERATING LOSS (NOL): A Good Way to Get Extra Funds for Your Stock Photo Business

If your stock photo business suffers a loss this year, you will owe no income taxes on your stock photo business. You may not know that this loss will also offset your other income, such as a salary from an outside job, or your spouse’s wages, and reduce your income tax for this year.

You can also use this year’s stock photography business loss to offset income and reduce taxes from other years. You are allowed to carry back what the IRS calls a Net Operating Loss (NOL), to apply against prior income, and receive a refund of prior years’ taxes, even if you were not in the stock business back then. The loss can be carried back two years. And if your taxable income for the two prior years is not sufficient to absorb the entire loss, you may carry the balance forward, to apply to as many as 20 future years. At your option, you can forego the two-year carry-back period and apply your NOL entirely to the 20 future years.

An NOL, like any other tax deduction, is worth more in a high income year. If the two preceding years generated little or no income tax, you probably will do better to forego the carry-back, and apply the entire NOL to future years. Also, that way you avoid filing an amended return, which starts the IRS audit statute of limitations running again. Be sure to discuss these options with your tax advisor.

Net Operating Loss is not simply the business loss shown on your tax return. It is a complicated combination of business and non-business income and deductions. The NOL calculations are quite complex, and there’s no way to simplify the procedure. Step-by-step instructions are explained in IRS Publication #536, “Net Operating Losses.” Don’t be put off by their complexity; the NOL deduction may save you a bundle in income taxes and help you with funds to pay for new equipment and other business expenses.

For carrybacks, use Form 1045, “Application for Tentative Refund.” For carryforward, individuals use “Other income” line on Form 1040; corporations use “Net operating loss deduction” line on Form 1120.

Source: “422 Tax Deductions For Self-employed Individuals,” by Bernard B. Kamoroff, C.P.A. (New 5th Ed. $17.95 plus $3.85 p&b) Bell Springs Publishing, Box 1240, Willits, CA 95490 (216 pages; ISBN o-917510-23-2) 1 800 515-8050; Fax: 1 707 459-8614.

For more information contact

info@photosource.com
wwww.photosource.com

Technorati Tags : Net Operating Loss | taxes |

Posted by chad on 02:28, April 8 2005

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