M-MTax
Level 10

Business & farm

OK - you can't have a loss in excess of your basis and it looks like your basis would be the $150k you paid for the business. Unless you bought inventory and depreciable property.....I mean assuming you bought just something like a service business.....you would have a capital loss of whatever you paid LESS any liabilities the "buyer" is assuming. Those obligations you're being relieved of will reduce your loss.