How does K-1 loss affect my taxes?

Schedule K-1 is a form for partners and investors of companies to notify the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of their annual income and losses. The entire process is regulated under the rules of the U.S. Tax Code to transfer the tax liability to the shareholders.

Since it is not governed by Commercial Taxes but by personal taxes, assuming this type of responsibility has positive and negative aspects for the taxpayer in his finances. Here we will find out the advantages and disadvantages of filing Schedule K-1.

These are the Schedule K-1 losses on my taxes

Limited partnerships use Schedule K-1, partnerships and S corporations to report business income and losses. While this type of return has certain personal tax benefits, it also has some disadvantages when the business is in the red. For example, if you own 20% of the stock, you will have a 20% loss on your income.

In the following lines, we explain how it can affect your taxes with a Net Loss or a Net Operating Loss (NOL).

Losses with Schedule K-1

When the Schedule K-1 shows a net loss, you must report it to the tax system through the corresponding mechanism. In this case, for example, through Schedule E for a partnership. Subsequently, you must inform the loss with Form 1040 and make a deduction from any other taxable income.

If it ends in the black, the taxpayer can generally receive a deduction for all losses. But if the taxable income ends in the red, it is not possible to claim negative income. When you have a Net Operating Loss (NOL), it is possible to deduct it from past or future income.

Net Operating Loss (NOL)

If your deductions are greater than your income, you must have more calculations to certify a Net Operating Loss (NOL). The measures to be performed are available in Internal Revenue Service Publication 536, but the main point is that certain deductions must be included to determine if you qualify.

Let’s use an example to specify: if you add back the exemptions for yourself, your spouse and dependents and remain in the red, you have a genuine NOL.

Once you’ve proven you have an NOL, you can carry it backwards or forwards. The idea is that you must apply deductions to the NOL from your income for the next two years. This process is done by using the same formulas as in Publication 536.

After all this process is done, you file Form 1045 or 1040X, where you can claim a refund of that year’s taxes. If there are still some losses remaining, they are deducted from the previous year’s income. After this process, the only thing left to do is remove it from the following years. You also can avoid the carryback and deduct the NOL from future years.

This is an investment

Compared to business losses, putting your money in a partnership or LLC does not apply the write-off. It is an investment, just like buying stock. Even though the money is tied up, you don’t lose. If the company goes into the red, you decide to leave and withdraw your assets; you will be entitled to a deduction. To determine that your company lost value, you must consider the value of your original investment, the profits received over the years and the total assets you withdraw.

How does Schedule K-1 positively affect my taxes?

Not all results are negative. Depending on the corporation’s handling, you may have positive aspects regarding your taxes. The Jobs and Tax Reduction Act, created in 2017, has certain mechanisms that allow taxpayers to reduce the amount of taxes due.

Owners can deduct up to 20% of their taxes. That means the form can lower your tax burden. Depending on the type of partnership to which you belong, S corporations, partnerships or LLCs, you must determine the procedure to follow to obtain this benefit.

Taxes for these types of corporations are more advantageous than business taxes. For example, Schedule K-1 shows the capital owned by each partner and their profit or loss on the business. If you are a 25% owner, the form will transfer to you the responsibility for 25% of the profits or failures of the company.