Millions of people enjoy
hobbies. Hobbies can also be a source of income. Some of these types of
hobbies include stamp or coin collecting, craft making and horse
breeding. You must report any income you get from a hobby on your tax
return. How you report the income from hobbies is different from how you
report income from a business. There are special rules and limits for
deductions you can claim for a hobby. Here are five basic tax tips you
should know if you get income from your hobby:
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Business versus Hobby. There are nine factors
to consider to determine if you are conducting business or
participating in a hobby. Make sure to base your decision on all the
facts and circumstances of your situation. Refer to Publication 535, Business Expenses, to learn more. You can also visit IRS.gov and type “not-for-profit” in the search box.
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Allowable Hobby Deductions.
You may be able to deduct ordinary and necessary hobby expenses. An
ordinary expense is one that is common and accepted for the activity. A
necessary expense is one that is helpful or appropriate. See Publication 535 for more on these rules.
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Limits on Expenses. As a general rule, you can only
deduct your hobby expenses up to the amount of your hobby income. If
your expenses are more than your income, you have a loss from the
activity. You can’t deduct that loss from your other income.
- How to Deduct Expenses. You must itemize deductions on your tax return in order to deduct hobby expenses. Your costs may fall into three types of expenses. Special rules apply to each type. See Publication 535 for how you should report them on Schedule A, Itemized Deductions.
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