Does a loss on my corporate tax return also show up on my personal return?

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By Roni Lynn Deutch

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

My husband and I had a small business that shows a loss on the corporate return. We did not draw salaries or income from the company, but do have income from another employer on a W2.
No, you will not have to report the loss on your personal income taxes.

Corporations are viewed as independent taxable entities. Therefore the loss would be reported on the business’s Form 1120 U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return.

While turning a profit is the goal for every business, losses are increasingly common in this economy. In 2008 more than 3,700 publicly traded corporations reported losses, so you are in good company.

Fortunately for you, Congress extended the operating loss carry-back rules. Thus, if your business reported a profit in at least one of the last five years, you can use your 2009 loss to reduce the taxes you paid during more profitable times.
Roni Lynn Deutch

Roni Deutch is known as "The Tax Lady" for a reason: She has two decades of practical experience resolving IRS tax problems and preparing taxes for taxpayers nationwide. Consequently, she has become a well-known media personality and one of the few go-to tax experts in the country. She is the founder and owner of the nation's largest tax resolution law firm, Roni Deutch, A Professional Tax Corp.

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