Are personal loans treated as income?

Asked by: Dr. Ari Skiles  |  Last update: July 11, 2025
Score: 4.2/5 (68 votes)

Borrowers can use personal loans for all kinds of purposes, but the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) cannot treat loans like income and tax them, with one significant exception: Personal loans are not considered income for the borrower unless the loan is forgiven.

Does a personal loan count as income?

A personal loan doesn't generally qualify as taxable income because it's a form of debt that must be repaid. Even though you receive all the funds at once, it's not considered income if you pay it back as agreed. That's true even if you use the proceeds for personal needs, such as paying for an emergency expense.

Can I write off a personal loan on my taxes?

Though personal loans are not tax-deductible, other types of loans are. Interest paid on mortgages, student loans, and business loans often can be deducted from your annual taxes, effectively reducing your taxable income for the year. You shouldn't need a tax break to afford a personal loan.

Do loans count as annual income?

Does it matter if the loan originates from a retirement account, student loan, or general assistance loan? All loans are excluded from consideration as income.

Do I have to pay taxes on a personal loan from a friend?

There may be tax implications.

If the money is a loan greater than $10,000, your loved one is required to charge an interest rate in line with IRS guidelines, known as the Applicable Federal Rate (the rate changes every month). Otherwise, the money is considered income that you can be taxed on.

The Pros and Cons of Personal Loans

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Do you have to report a personal loan to the IRS?

Generally, personal loan borrowers do not owe taxes on a personal loan unless that loan is forgiven or cancelled before paid back in full. That is because while the IRS usually requires taxes to be paid on money you receive, when you take a personal loan, the loan amount is usually not considered to be earned income.

Do I have to pay taxes if someone pays off my loan?

What are the tax implications? Answer: If a friend or family member pays your student loans off, it is probably a non-taxable gift to you. However, your friend or family member may be responsible for filing gift tax returns and for paying any applicable gift tax on the payment.

Should a loan be recorded as income?

Personal loans typically won't be considered income and, as such, cannot be taxed, with one main exception: Should a lender cancel part of a borrower's personal loan debt, then the canceled portion is considered taxable income.

Do I need to issue a 1099 for interest paid on a personal loan?

Payers must issue a 1099-INT by Jan. 31 of the new year for any party to whom they paid at least $10 of interest during the preceding year. One copy goes to the IRS. Another copy is sent to the taxpayer.

What kind of money counts as income?

Generally, you must include in gross income everything you receive in payment for personal services. In addition to wages, salaries, commissions, fees, and tips, this includes other forms of compensation such as fringe benefits and stock options.

Does a personal loan hurt your credit?

A personal loan can affect your credit score in several ways⁠—both good and bad. Taking out a personal loan isn't bad for your credit score in and of itself. However, it may affect your overall score in the short term and make it more difficult for you to obtain additional credit until the loan is repaid.

What is the $100,000 loophole for family loans?

The $100,000 Loophole.

With a larger below-market loan, the $100,000 loophole can save you from unwanted tax results. To qualify for this loophole, all outstanding loans between you and the borrower must aggregate to $100,000 or less.

Is a gift considered income?

If you received a gift or inheritance, do not include it in your income. However, if the gift or inheritance later produces income, you will need to pay tax on that income.

Can I write off personal loan interest?

The interest paid on personal loans is generally not tax deductible. If, however, you used a personal loan to fund college expenses or business expenses, you may be able to deduct the interest paid on your taxes.

Does debt affect your tax return?

Credit card debt will not prevent you from receiving your tax refund, but it can affect how much of a refund you receive if you had a debt settlement. If you think you may owe taxes due to a debt settlement, start planning now so that you can save for what you will owe.

Is a personal loan considered debt?

With installment debt, on the other hand, borrowers receive a lump sum instead of a revolving credit line. Interest rates are typically fixed on installment debt, so minimum payments remain the same each month. Personal loans and mortgages are the most common types of installment debt.

Do I report a personal loan as income on my taxes?

Personal loans generally aren't taxable because the money you receive isn't income. Unlike wages or investment earnings, which you earn and keep, you need to repay what you borrow. As a result: You don't report the money you borrow.

Is a loan from a friend taxable?

Yes, as a lender you will pay taxes on the earned or foregone interest.

Can you 1099 someone you paid cash?

Cash payments of $600 or more to an independent contractor should be reported on a 1099 form, regardless of the payment method. Neglecting to issue the appropriate tax forms for cash payments can lead to tax implications and penalties.

Why is a loan not considered income?

A loan is a borrowed amount of money. Typically, if you get a loan and pay it back on time, you never have to pay tax on it and it is never considered income. But, if your loan gets forgiven or canceled, the IRS will treat it as income and it may be taxable. This income is called cancellation of debt income.

Do personal loans look at income?

Most traditional personal loans are unsecured, meaning they're not backed by collateral you provide. Instead, the lender decides whether to approve you for a loan based on your income and creditworthiness. If you don't meet the lender's income requirements or have bad credit, you won't qualify for a loan.

Can a personal loan be forgiven?

In fact, it's rare for any types of debt (other than federal student loans) to be forgiven. Under certain circumstances, you may be able to settle your personal loans for less than you owe, but this is typically only done in the case of delinquent loans and happens through third-party debt settlement companies.

Can you write off a personal loan to a friend?

For a bad debt, you must show that at the time of the transaction you intended to make a loan and not a gift. If you lend money to a relative or friend with the understanding the relative or friend may not repay it, you must consider it as a gift and not as a loan, and you may not deduct it as a bad debt.

Do billionaires take out loans to avoid taxes?

Wealthy family borrows against its assets' growing value and uses the newly available cash to live off or invest in other assets, like rental properties. The family does NOT owe taxes on its asset-leveraged loans because the government doesn't tax borrowed money.

Can I write off an unpaid loan?

You may claim a bad debt in the year it becomes worthless and deduct it as a short-term capital loss. “A debt becomes worthless when the surrounding facts and circumstances indicate there's no reasonable expectation that the debt will be repaid.” Read more on IRS Tax Topic 453, Bad debt reduction.