Salvage that Sunken Uncollectible Debt Victims of reneged payment agreements might have a tax deduction
16513
post-template-default,single,single-post,postid-16513,single-format-standard,bridge-core-3.1.8,qode-page-transition-enabled,ajax_fade,page_not_loaded,,qode-theme-ver-30.5,qode-theme-bridge,disabled_footer_bottom,qode_header_in_grid,wpb-js-composer js-comp-ver-7.6,vc_responsive,elementor-default,elementor-kit-17134
 

Salvage that Sunken Uncollectible Debt Victims of reneged payment agreements might have a tax deduction

21 Sep Salvage that Sunken Uncollectible Debt Victims of reneged payment agreements might have a tax deduction

Posted at 19:26h in Deductions by

There are few things as frustrating as not being paid what is owed to you. If it becomes clear the debt is not going to be paid, you might be able to recoup some of the lost money via a tax deduction. The IRS has two classifications for bad debt: business and non-business, each with its own deductibility rules.

Business bad debt

In order to be considered a deductible business bad debt, the IRS states that the debt must be closely related to your trade or business. Business bad debt is typically unpaid customer invoices, but it can also include business-related loans. To qualify as a deduction, these two statements must be true:

  • The amount is already included as income or as an asset
  • The debt is considered to be partially or completely worthless

There are many ways to determine the worthlessness of a debt, but at a minimum, you should be able to produce a recap of collection efforts. You need to show the IRS that you did everything you could to collect the debt. If you determine the bad debt is valid, you can deduct it as a business expense.

Non-business bad debt

All bad debt not defined as business-related, is classified as non-business. For a non-business bad debt deduction, the debt must be considered 100 percent worthless. There is no partial deduction available. In addition, you need to prove that the debt is a loan intended to be repaid and not a gift – especially if loaned to a friend or family member. The best way to prove this is with a signed agreement.

If you determine the bad debt is valid, you can report the amount as a short-term capital loss. The loss is subject to capital loss limitations and you need to submit a statement with your tax return that includes the following:

  • Description of the debt
  • Amount of the debt and when it became due
  • Name of the debtor
  • Business or family relationship between you and debtor
  • Efforts you made to collect the debt
  • Why you decided the debt was worthless

While no one wants to be in a position to write off debt, it’s nice to know that you can at least benefit from a tax deduction. If you find yourself in this situation or are planning to loan funds in the future, call to set up a plan of attack.