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posted Jun 5, 2019 4:40:44 PM

My wife has income from a flea market. Are we still allowed to declare hobby expenses for 2018? We have record of expenses but no receipts.

We were under the impression that tax laws changed and hobby expenses were no longer allowed as a deduction.

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1 Best answer
Level 15
Jun 5, 2019 4:40:50 PM

That is correct. In the past hobby expenses were only deductible as a misc. itemized deduction, subject to the 2% of AGI threshhold.  All such deductions were eliminated with the new tax law.

She may still deduct the "cost of goods sold". For example, if she buys a lamp for $10 and sells it at the flea market for $15, she only reports $5 of income. If she sold a used lamp for $15, from your household, that you bought many years ago for $25, she does report any income.  But she cannot deduct the "loss" on the sale.

4 Replies
Level 15
Jun 5, 2019 4:40:46 PM

Does she routinely make a profit? She might want to treat the activity as a business.  

Level 15
Jun 5, 2019 4:40:47 PM

Does she routinely make a profit? She might want to treat the activity as a business.  

Level 9
Jun 5, 2019 4:40:48 PM

If this activity is profitable and has been going on for more than one year, that definitely sounds like a business, not a hobby.

Level 15
Jun 5, 2019 4:40:50 PM

That is correct. In the past hobby expenses were only deductible as a misc. itemized deduction, subject to the 2% of AGI threshhold.  All such deductions were eliminated with the new tax law.

She may still deduct the "cost of goods sold". For example, if she buys a lamp for $10 and sells it at the flea market for $15, she only reports $5 of income. If she sold a used lamp for $15, from your household, that you bought many years ago for $25, she does report any income.  But she cannot deduct the "loss" on the sale.