I have a large capital loss in 2022, though it is less than my income. If I can only deduct $3,000 a year, I will die before it is all deducted. How can I salvage it?

[ee-ea]

Get capital gains.

[HelenC12 · Accepted solution]

The tax law only allows a $3,000 per year deduction from ordinary income. If you have future stock gains, you'll be able to take the losses against the gains. That's not limited to $3,000 per year. 

Losses on your investments are first used to offset capital gains of the same type. So, short-term losses are first deducted against short-term gains, and long-term losses are deducted against long-term gains. Net losses of either type can then be deducted against the other kind of gain.

For example,

• If you have $2,000 of short-term loss and only $1,000 of short-term gain, the net $1,000 short-term loss can be deducted against your net long-term gain (assuming you have one).
• If you have an overall net capital loss for the year, you can deduct up to $3,000 of that loss against other kinds of income, including your salary and interest income.
• Any excess net capital loss can be carried over to subsequent years to be deducted against capital gains and against up to $3,000 of other kinds of income.
• If you use married filing separate filing status, however, the annual net capital loss deduction limit is only $1,500.