Exam 11: Investor Losses

Which of the following is not a factor that should be considered in determining whether an activity is treated as an appropriate economic unit?

Tonya owns an interest in an activity (not real estate) that converted recourse financing to nonrecourse financing. Recapture of previously allowed losses is required if Tonya's at-risk amount is reduced below zero as a result of the debt restructuring.

Maria, who owns a 50% interest in a restaurant, has been a material participant in the restaurant activity for the last 20 years. She retired from the restaurant at the end of last year and will not participate in the restaurant activity in the future. However, she continues to be a material participant in a retail store in which she is a 50% partner. The restaurant operations produce a loss for the current year, and Maria's share of the loss is $80,000. Her share of the income from the retail store is $150,000. She does not own interests in any other activities.

Paula owns four separate activities. She elects not to group them together as a single activity under the "appropriate economic unit" standard. Paula participates for 130 hours in Activity A, 115 hours in Activity B, 260 hours in Activity C, and 100 hours in Activity D. She has one employee, who works 125 hours in Activity D. Which of the following statements is correct?

Purple Corporation, a personal service corporation, earns active income of $600,000. The corporation receives $60,000 in dividends and incurs a loss of $100,000 from an investment in a passive activity acquired three years ago. What is Purple's income after considering the passive investment?

In the current year, Lucile, who has AGI of $70,000 before considering rental activities, is active in three separate real estate rental activities and is in the 28% tax bracket. She had $15,000 of losses from Activity A, $25,000 of losses from Activity B, and income of $20,000 from Activity C. She also had $3,100 of tax credits from Activity A. Calculate her deductions and credits currently allowed and the suspended losses and credits.

Jon owns an apartment building in which he is a material participant and also owns a computer consulting business. Of the 2,000 hours he spends on these activities during the year, 55% of the time is spent operating the apartment building and 45% of the time is spent in the computer consulting business.

In 2016, Kelly earns a salary of $200,000 and invests $40,000 for a 20% interest in a partnership not subject to the passive activity loss rules. Through the use of $800,000 of nonrecourse financing, the partnership acquires assets worth $1 million. The activity produces a loss of $150,000, of which Kelly's share is $30,000. In 2017, Kelly's share of the loss from the partnership is $15,000. How much of the loss from the partnership can Kelly deduct?

What special passive activity loss treatment is available to real estate activities?

Jed spends 32 hours a week, 50 weeks a year, operating a bicycle rental store that he owns at a resort community. He also owns a music store in another city that is operated by a full-time employee. He elects not to group them together as a single activity under the "appropriate economic unit" standard. Jed spends 40 hours per year working at the music store.

If an owner participates for more than 500 hours in a bicycle rental activity located at a beach resort, any loss from that activity is treated as an active loss that can offset active income.

​During the current year, Ryan performs personal services as follows: 700 hours in his management consulting practice, 650 hours in a real estate development business, and 550 hours in an apartment leasing operation. He expects that losses will be realized from the two real estate ventures while his consulting practice will show a profit. Ryan files a joint return with his wife whose salary is $125,000. Discuss the character and treatment of the income and losses generated by these activities.

Leigh, who owns a 50% interest in a sporting goods store, was a material participant in the activity for the last fifteen years. She retired from the sporting goods store at the end of last year and will not participate in the activity in the future. However, she continues to be a material participant in an office supply store in which she is a 50% partner. The operations of the sporting goods store resulted in a loss for the current year and Leigh's share of the loss is $40,000. Leigh's share of the income from the office supply store is $75,000. She does not own interests in any other activities.

Barb borrowed $100,000 to acquire a parcel of land to be held for investment purposes and paid interest of $11,000 on the loan. She has AGI of $75,000 for the year. Other items related to Barb's investments include the following: Interest and annuity ​ ​ a.Determine Barb's current investment interest deduction, assuming she does not make any special election regarding the computation of investment income.​ b.Discuss the treatment of Barb's investment interest that is disallowed in the current year.​ c.What election could Barb make to increase the amount of her current investment interest deduction?

Sandra acquired a passive activity three years ago. Until last year, the activity was profitable and her at-risk amount was $300,000. Last year, the activity produced a loss of $100,000, and in the current year, the loss is $50,000. Assuming Sandra has received no passive activity income in the current or prior years, her suspended passive activity loss from the activity is:

Judy owns a 20% interest in a partnership (not real estate) in which her at-risk amount was $35,000 at the beginning of the year. The partnership borrowed $50,000 on a recourse note and made a $40,000 profit during the year. Her at-risk amount at the end of the year is $43,000.

Jackson Company incurs a $50,000 loss on a passive activity during the year. The company has active income of $34,000 and portfolio income of $24,000. If Jackson is a personal service corporation, it may deduct $34,000 of the passive activity loss.

Dena owns interests in five businesses and has full-time employees in each business. She participates for 100 hours in Activity A, 120 hours in Activity B, 130 hours in Activity C, 140 hours in Activity D, and 125 hours in Activity E.

Individuals with modified AGI of $100,000 can deduct against active or portfolio income losses of up to $25,000 from real estate rental activities in which they actively participate.

Match the term with the correct response. More than one response may be correct. a.Taxpayer devotes time aggregating more than 500 hours in all significant participation activities during the year. b.Participates in making management decisions in a significant and bonafide sense. c.One in which the individual's participation equals more than 100 hours during the year. d.Taxpayer devotes time in the activity which constitutes substantially all of the participation in the activity of all individuals. e.Both options a. and d. are correct. f.No correct choice is given. -Significant participation activity.