Can you take bad debt off your taxes?

Asked by: Angel Schinner  |  Last update: February 24, 2026
Score: 4.7/5 (41 votes)

Generally, to deduct a bad debt, you must have previously included the amount in your income or loaned out your cash. If you're a cash method taxpayer (most individuals are), you generally can't take a bad debt deduction for unpaid salaries, wages, rents, fees, interests, dividends, and similar items of taxable income.

Can I write off a bad debt on my taxes?

Taxpayers can claim business bad debts as an ordinary and necessary business expense on the applicable tax return: Sole proprietors and single-member LLCs: Part V, Other Expenses on Schedule C (Form 1040) Partnerships and multimember LLCs: Line 12 of Form 1065. S Corporations: Line 10 of Form 1120-S.

What debts can offset my tax refund?

Past-due child support; Federal agency nontax debts; State income tax obligations; or. Certain unemployment compensation debts owed to a state (generally, these are debts for (1) compensation paid due to fraud, or (2) contributions owing to a state fund that weren't paid).

What debt can you write off on taxes?

Debt Expenses That Can Be Deducted

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.

Can a bad debt be written off?

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) allows businesses to write off bad debt on Schedule C of tax Form 1040 if they previously reported it as income. Bad debt may include loans to clients and suppliers, credit sales to customers, and business loan guarantees.

Personal Bad Debt Tax Deduction

31 related questions found

Can your debt be written off?

A: Debt can only be written off by two means, namely Prescribed Debt and Reckless Lending.

What are the risks of a bad debt write off?

Unrecovered debts can significantly impact a company's cash flow, particularly for businesses with limited financial resources. Writing off aged debts can further exacerbate cash flow challenges, potentially affecting the business's ability to meet its financial obligations or invest in growth opportunities.

How do I get my tax debt written off?

Can I get my tax debt forgiven? 5 options to consider
  1. Use a professional tax relief service.
  2. Utilize the offer in compromise program.
  3. Request a currently not collectible (CNC) status.
  4. File for bankruptcy.
  5. Agree on a payment plan.

Are bad debts allowed in income tax?

Provision for Bad and Doubtful Debts

As per section 36(1)(viia) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 only banks and financial institutions are allowed deduction in respect of the provisions made for bad and doubtful debts. No other assessee is allowed to claim the deduction on the provision of bad debts.

How does debt forgiveness work?

With debt forgiveness, creditors pardon some or all of your debt. Various types of debt may qualify for forgiveness. Debt forgiveness can offer relief from overwhelming financial burdens, but it does have downsides. Debt forgiveness is only one option for managing difficulties with repayment.

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.

Why am I only getting $1 back in taxes?

If your tax refund is lower than you calculated, it may be due to a tax refund offset for an unpaid debt such as child support.

How do I offset owing taxes?

8 ways to potentially lower your taxes
  1. Plan throughout the year for taxes.
  2. Contribute to your retirement accounts.
  3. Contribute to your HSA.
  4. If you're older than 70.5 years, consider a QCD.
  5. If you're itemizing, maximize deductions.
  6. Look for opportunities to leverage available tax credits.
  7. Consider tax-loss harvesting.

Can you claim debt collection on taxes?

If you pay a collection agency a percent of what they successfully collect (taken off the top) and you are a cash basis taxpayer, you should not deduct your collection expense unless you "gross up" amounts paid to you by the collection agency to the pre-fee collection amount.

What is the 166 bad debt deduction?

In addition, ' 166(a)(2) permits a deduction for Apartially worthless debts@ if the taxpayer charges off an appropriate amount on the taxpayer=s books and records and the Internal Revenue Service is satisfied that the debt is recoverable only in part. No precise test exists for determining whether a debt is worthless.

What can you write off on taxes?

You can deduct these expenses whether you take the standard deduction or itemize:
  • Alimony payments.
  • Business use of your car.
  • Business use of your home.
  • Money you put in an IRA.
  • Money you put in health savings accounts.
  • Penalties on early withdrawals from savings.
  • Student loan interest.
  • Teacher expenses.

What debts are tax-deductible?

You may deduct business bad debts, in full or in part, from gross income when figuring your taxable income. For more information on business bad debts, refer to Publication 334. Nonbusiness bad debts - All other bad debts are nonbusiness bad debts. Nonbusiness bad debts must be totally worthless to be deductible.

How is bad debt treated for tax purposes?

Instead of waiting until the debt is fully worthless, you can deduct the partially uncollectible amount in the year it becomes evident that the debtor won't fully repay. To claim a partial bad debt deduction, you'll need to identify an event that indicates the debt is unlikely to be fully repaid.

What debt is not taxable?

The most common situations when cancellation of debt income is not taxable involve: Bankruptcy: Debts discharged through bankruptcy are not considered taxable income. Insolvency: If you are insolvent when the debt is cancelled, some or all of the cancelled debt may not be taxable to you.

What is the IRS one time forgiveness?

First Time Abate relief and unpaid tax

Example: You didn't fully pay your taxes in 2021 and got a notice with the balance due and penalty charges. You call us requesting penalty relief and we give you First Time Abate. We remove the penalty up to the date of your request.

Is bad debt written off tax-deductible?

Non-trade debts that are written off as bad, or provisions made in respect of non-trade debts that are doubtful, either specific or general, are not deductible in the computation of adjusted income. Similarly, recoveries relating to non- trade debts written off earlier are not taxable.

What is the IRS 6 year rule?

6 years - If you don't report income that you should have reported, and it's more than 25% of the gross income shown on the return, or it's attributable to foreign financial assets and is more than $5,000, the time to assess tax is 6 years from the date you filed the return.

What qualifies as a bad debt write off?

Typically, a business writes off a bad debt when: The debt has remained unpaid for more than 90 days. The debtor has shown no willingness to establish a payment plan. The debtor has filed for bankruptcy.

How to get debt wiped off?

Some creditors may agree if:
  1. They understand you will not be able to pay.
  2. They see you have no assets to sell.
  3. You show it is not worthwhile or fair for them to keep collecting the debt.

Is writing off debt a good idea?

Good practice

Creditors should consider writing off unsecured debts when mental health conditions are long-term, hold out little likelihood of improvement, and are such that it is highly unlikely that the person in debt would be able repay their outstanding debts.