Offsetting IRA withdrawal with loss carryforward

[wdalsing]

I have a $100K loss carryforward. I have about $90K in my IRA. If I withdraw my entire IRA this year, will I be

able to offset my extra taxes due to the IRA withdrawal via the loss carryforward?

[rjs]

Basically, no. I assume you mean that you have a capital loss carryover. If you have another type of "loss carryforward," such as a net operating loss (NOL), ignore the rest of this reply and tell us what kind of loss carryforward you have.

A capital loss carryover can only be used to offset capital gains, not income from an IRA withdrawal. If the entire capital loss carryover is not used to offset capital gains, up to $3,000 of the remaining capital loss carryover can be used to offset other income, including IRA withdrawals. Any remaining capital loss will be carried over to the next year. So part of your capital loss carryover could be used to offset $3,000 of the IRA withdrawal, but you would have to pay tax on the remaining $87,000 from the IRA.

You have no choice about how the capital loss carryover is used. The calculations are done according to a fixed set of rules. TurboTax will do it automatically, following the tax rules.

[Opus 17]

IRA funds are not capital gains or losses.  You invested pre-tax, and you pay regular income tax when you withdraw.  You pay tax on whatever you actually withdraw, the gains and losses that occurred inside the IRA are completely ignored, only the amount you withdraw (more or less, depending on your investments) is taxable.

Then, because it is taxed as ordinary income, it has nothing to do with other capital gains or losses you might report on schedule D, and IRA income can't be offset by capital losses.