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Level 2
April 2, 2023
Question

Basic question on K-1 MLP

  • April 2, 2023
  • 2 replies
  • 2 views

If Box - 1 - income, Box 5-7 incomes(Interest, Dividends, Royalties) and Box 10 (1231 gain) income increases my tax basis, how does TT ensure that these incomes are NOT the part of  'Current year net Income' (section partner account analysis) which increases/decreases my cost basis ? When I sell I will sell based on cost basis set by ending capital account and if the above incomes have already been taxed, after sale wouldn't it be double taxation ?

    2 replies

    Level 9
    April 3, 2023

    @Canonical TT does not track your cost basis.  When you sell, you'll determine your cost basis yourself (using the information provided in the Sales Schedule that comes with your K-1) and enter that into the software.  All TT does is take the numbers you enter in Box 1, etc and move them to the appropriate forms, or put them into suspension for future years.

    **Say "Thanks" by clicking the thumb icon in a post. **Note also, I'm not a Tax Preparer/CPA. Just a volunteer, seasoned, TurboTax user. . Use any advice accordingly!
    Mike9241
    Level 15
    Level 15
    April 3, 2023

    you may have a surprise when you sell.  selling an MLP is not the same as selling a stock. for that you know sales price and cost and hence gain or loss.  selling a partnership interest is actually the sale of the partnership's assets which can generate depreciation recapture that's reported on the sales schedule as 751 gain or gain subject to recapture as ordinary income (other wording might be used) so in these cases, your gain -  sales price less tax basis can consist of two parts capital gain and ordinary income (the 751 portion increases your tax basis reducing the capital gain). not all MLPs have this. it is reported to the IRS on line 20AB (2022 k-1) .  as you can imagine this is almost like selling rental property. the longer you hold it the more depreciation you take and hence the larger the 1250 gain. but for MLPs this depreciation recapture is ordinary income not taxed at the section 1250 preferred rate.   just a warning, but I got burned on one because I held it so long that the recapture greatly exceeded the suspended passive losses. 

    Mike9241
    CanonicalAuthor
    Level 2
    April 3, 2023

    Tell me one thing - If I don't take a royalty interest depletion (20T) against royalty income (Schedule E line 18) will that also be carried over from one year to another ? 

    Level 9
    April 3, 2023

    @Canonical In forms mode, if you look at the K-1 worksheet for the partnership, there's a section A showing "Passive Activity Adjustment to Income or Loss" which will show you the items that are being potentially suspended, or released, in any given year.  So if your depletion expense shows up in column 'a' of that form this year, and isn't allowed (column 'c'), it'll transfer to future years.

    **Say "Thanks" by clicking the thumb icon in a post. **Note also, I'm not a Tax Preparer/CPA. Just a volunteer, seasoned, TurboTax user. . Use any advice accordingly!