Self Rental - Passive Activity loss limitation

[Gretel]

I researched but still am not sure if my conclusions are correct.

The rules say they if you rent to your own biz in which you materially participate and have a gain, activity is not considered passive and cannot be used to offset other passive losses.

On the other hand, if you have losses from o.a. activity it is considered passive.

I conclude, that if you have losses from a self-rental you can take them if you actively participate in the rental and are below the income limits for taking a passive loss up to $25,000.

[Bucky]

Under the self-rental rule, the rental losses are still considered to be passive losses deductible only to the extent of passive income, If no passive income losses can be carried forward.

[Gretel]

Yes, generally this is true. But there is also the special $25,000 allowance for rental real estate if the requirements are met. I think for this special allowance it doesn't matter if self-rental or not. Any other comments.

[Gretel]

NSA research

Just for the records. Below is the response from NSA. In short, yes, the special allowance of $25,000 is available.

NSA

I finally found something on the IRS website that seems to support it. It is absolutely all I could find. http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/...146835,00.html

Passive Activity Loss ATG - Exhibit 3.2: Self-Rented Property - Income Recharaterization

Publication Date - December, 2004

NOTE: This guide is current through the publication date. Since changes may have occurred after the publication date that would affect the accuracy of this document, no guarantees are made concerning the technical accuracy after the publication date.

Table of Contents / Exhibit 3.3

Tax Code, Regulations and Official Guidance Search

Exhibit 3.2: Self-Rented Property - Income Recharaterization

ISSUE: Should net rental income for Property ____ be recharacterized as non-passive? When the taxpayer rents property to his own business, income generally is non-passive. In other words, should income be removed from Form 8582 line 1a, thereby reducing allowable passive losses?

NOTE: Net losses are generally passive under IRC § 469(c), even in a self-rental situation. Reg. § 1.469-2(f)(6) recharacterizes only net income.

_____ Did the taxpayer or spouse work in a partnership, LLC, S- Corporation or C Corporation, which leases its building or equipment from him? For partnerships and S Corporations where the taxpayer works, material participation can easily be determined by reviewing the income/losses on the back of Schedule E. Income/losses in the non-passive column means the taxpayer claims to have materially participated in the partnership or S Corporation. For regular C Corporations, check for a W-2 from the corporation which is an indicator of material participation and ask the taxpayer how much time he and his spouse spends on corporate activities. If the taxpayer is a corporate officer, check Form 1120, U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return, Schedule E (which appears on back of Form 1120), Compensation of Officers, for percentage of time.

_____ Is there a written lease signed before 2/19/88 which binds the year under examination? As a practical matter, there are very few leases executed before 1988, which would bind current years. See Reg. 1.469-11(c)(ii). If there is a lease, be sure to request it immediately to verify the date it was signed and that it binds the current year.

If the answer to first question is YES and answer to second question is NO, income is non-passive and should not be on Form 8582 line 1a.

LAW: Under Reg. § 1.469-2(f)(6), if a taxpayer rents property to a business in which he materially participates, net rental income is non-passive. Stated differently, rental income from self-rented property cannot be used to trigger allowance of passive losses on Form 8582. This rule does not apply if there is a written binding contract entered into before 2/19/1988.

CONCLUSION: Income in the amount of ___ has been determined to be non-passive and removed from Form 8582. Thus passive losses in the amount of ___ have been adjusted due to income recharacterized as non-passive.

ADJUSTMENT: Income is still reportable on Schedule E, but cannot be entered as passive income on Form 8582 line 1a. Remove self-rented income from Form 8582 and recompute. For every dollar of income removed from Form 8582, allowable passive losses generally are reduced a dollar. Passive losses are deductible only up to passive income reported on the return PLUS $25,000 in rental real estate losses. The difference between FORM 8582 line 16 per return and as corrected is your adjustment. The MAGI on Form 8582 will be increased by the amount of self-rented income determined to be non-passive. Thus, the taxpayer also may lose part of his $25,000 offset under IRC § 469(i).