How do you record debt forgiveness?

Asked by: Prof. Bryce Marvin V  |  Last update: January 24, 2026
Score: 4.5/5 (62 votes)

If you have a taxable forgiven debt, you will receive a Form 1099-C that details the taxable amount. This amount is typically the forgiven portion of your debt. So, if you had a $1,000 debt and only paid $500 of it, the forgiven, and taxable, portion would be $500.

How to record debt forgiveness in accounting?

Accounting Entries

Immediately after receipt of loan proceeds an amount should be recorded as “principal forgiveness loan” (non- operating revenue account) for the amount of principal that was forgiven. The unit also should set up a loan payable account for the part of the proceeds that will be repaid.

How do you report debt forgiveness?

Generally, if you borrow money from a commercial lender and the lender later cancels or forgives the debt, you may have to include the cancelled amount in income for tax purposes. The lender is usually required to report the amount of the canceled debt to you and the IRS on a Form 1099-C, Cancellation of Debt.

How is debt forgiveness accounted for?

In general, if your debt is canceled, forgiven, or discharged for less than the amount owed, the amount of the canceled debt is taxable. If taxable, you must report the canceled debt on your tax return for the year in which the cancellation occurred.

How do you treat debt forgiveness in accounting?

Document, in writing, to state the debt or loan has been forgiven. Account for the forgiven debt or loan by writing off the debt out of debtors to an expense in the Profit and Loss Statement. Write off a commercial loan out of liabilities and recognise it as an extraordinary item in the Profit and Loss Statement.

How Credit Card Debt Forgiveness Works

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What is the journal entry when a loan is forgiven?

Journal entry for a government support loan forgiven

The Government Loan Payable liability account is debited for the amount forgiven (to reduce the balance of the liability), and Other Income – Loan Forgiveness revenue account is credited for the amount forgiven (to recognize the amount forgiven as income).

How to record a loan forgiveness?

Record the journal entry for the forgiveness of the debt.

If the entire debt is forgiven, the lender should debit Bad Debt Expense for $10,120, credit Notes Receivable for $10,000, and credit Interest Receivable for $120.

How to record loan forgiveness in QuickBooks Online?

How to record loan forgiveness in QuickBooks Online
  1. Go to [https://quickbooks.intuit.com/](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/)
  2. Navigate "+New"
  3. Click "Journal entry"
  4. Select the Account you will use to recognize the Loan forgiveness.
  5. Debit the Loan account.
  6. Click "Save and close"

What type of income is debt forgiveness?

According to the IRS, nearly any debt you owe that is canceled, forgiven or discharged becomes taxable income to you. You should receive a Form 1099-C, "Cancellation of Debt," from the lender that forgave the debt.

What is the journal entry to remove a loan from the balance sheet?

To remove the loan from your balance sheet, create a journal entry: debit bad debt expense and credit the note receivable for the uncollectible amount.

Does loan forgiveness count as income?

The IRS considers canceled debt, including most forms of student loan debt forgiveness or student loan discharge, to be taxable income.

What happens with debt forgiveness?

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.

Is debt forgiveness a debit or credit?

Forgiveness of obligations due in the current period is recorded as transfers, debt forgiveness (credit item) below-the-line, whereas the reduction of the obligations (debit item) is shown above-the-line.

Do you have to report debt forgiveness?

While debt forgiveness is typically taxable, per the IRS, there are some notable exceptions and exclusions. Your debt was canceled in bankruptcy. If you chose to file for Chapter 7 or 11 bankruptcy, any debts the court discharged in your case are not considered taxable.

Is debt forgiveness a capital gain?

Whilst a creditor may be entitled to a tax deduction or a capital loss when a debt is forgiven, the debtor will not generally include the gain in its assessable income as the debtor is merely being relieved of a liability.

How do you record debt journal entry?

Record the journal entry by debiting bad debt expense and crediting allowance for doubtful accounts. When you decide to write off an account, debit allowance for doubtful accounts and credit the corresponding receivables account.

Why should you never pay a charge off?

Even though your card issuer "writes off" the account, you're still responsible for paying the debt. Whether you repay the amount or not, the missed payments and the charge-off will appear on your credit reports for seven years and likely cause severe credit score damage.

How are forgivable loans taxed?

The IRS considers forgiven debt to be taxable income because it is an economic benefit. This means that if your lender agrees to forgive a portion of your loan, the amount forgiven will be treated as income, and you must pay taxes on it.

What is it called when a debt is forgiven?

The terms forgiveness, cancellation, and discharge mean the same thing, but they're used in different ways. Loan forgiveness, cancellation, and discharge are the removal of a borrower's obligation to repay all or a portion of a loan.

How do I record paying off a loan in QuickBooks?

Adding a payment to the Bank Register:
  1. Click Accounting in the left-hand menu.
  2. Select Chart of accounts.
  3. Find your loan in the list of accounts.
  4. Click View register on the right.
  5. Click Add journal entry and add an entry for the interest: ...
  6. Click Add journal entry and add an entry for the loan payment:

How do I record PPP loan forgiveness in QuickBooks desktop?

How to Record PPP Loan Forgiveness in QuickBooks?
  1. Step 1: Create an Income Account for PPP Loan Forgiveness. ...
  2. Step 2: Record the Loan Forgiveness Amount as Income. ...
  3. Step 3: Create a Journal Entry to Write Off the Loan Forgiveness Amount. ...
  4. Step 4: Categorize the PPP Loan in QuickBooks.

How do I record a loan from my business in QuickBooks?

Create a journal entry for the loan
  1. Select + New.
  2. Select Journal entry.
  3. For the first line under ACCOUNT, select your new liability account.
  4. Enter the amount of the loan under CREDITS.
  5. For the next line, select the appropriate asset account under ACCOUNT. ...
  6. Select Save or Save and close.

How do you account for a forgiven loan?

The extinguished or forgiven amount of the loan shall be recorded separately in the Awardee's records as an unamortized gain which will be amortized over the life of the related loan.

What happens when loans are forgiven?

If you qualify for forgiveness, cancellation, or discharge of the full amount of your loan, you won't have to make any more payments on that loan. If you qualify for forgiveness, cancellation, or discharge of a part of your loan, you'll need to pay back the remaining balance.

What is a record of a borrower's responsible repayment of debts?

Credit history, in its simplest form, can be described as the borrower's reputation or track record for repaying debts. This information typically appears on the borrower's credit report. A credit report is generated from one of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.