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Agent Lays the SmackDown on the IRS

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with SimplifyEm

Many of you have heard about how the IRS has been targeting Real Estate Agents, and challenging the status of a "real estate professional" for an Agent.

To give you a brief background without getting into the details - a "Real Estate Professional" is someone who "materially participates" in their real estate activity. As a result, they are able to deduct real estate losses from other income that is not related to real estate.

The IRS had been challenging the "real estate professional" status for agents - stating that Brokers qualify, but Agents do not. And they were winning...

The great news is that a Real Estate Agent just won in tax court! Read the case for yourself!

The IRS tried to argue that the taxpayer needs to be a “Broker” not a just an “Agent” to meet the 750 hour per year material participation test. The Tax Court said: “The Court concludes that Congress is presumed to have defined the term “brokerage” in its common or ordinary meaning. The Court also stated that for purposes of section 469, the “business” of a real estate broker includes, but is not limited to: (1) Selling, exchanging, purchasing, renting, or leasing real property” and therefore, an “agent” is the same as a “broker” for purposes of this test.”

Yippy!

Congratulations, you are all real estate professionals again! Are you using our FREE marketing tools to grow your business?

 

Comments (7)

Elinor Grabar
Exit 1 Stop Realty, Jacksonville, FL - Jacksonville, FL

Elinor GrabarThank you for sharing... very interesting.

May 20, 2009 08:13 AM
Marc Baysek
Iron Horse Properties, LLC - Rockingham, NC
Iron Horse Properties

Oh my, the IRS would love to take a portion of our income even if we weren't "Professionals" now wouldn't they?

May 20, 2009 08:18 AM
Niman Singh
SimplifyEm - Fremont, CA
Property Management Software

Hi Elinor, happy to share!

Hi Marc, I think the IRS is more than happy to take a portion of our income in any scenario!

Thanks for stopping by!

May 20, 2009 08:22 AM
Deb Clifton
Coldwell Banker Advantage - Clayton, NC
Broker/Realtor, e-PRO, CNS

Wow..What will they think of next??

May 20, 2009 09:00 AM
Stuart Dobson
eLoanRates.org - Thornton, CO

This is great info. I'm forwarding your blog link to my CPA right now.

May 20, 2009 09:04 AM
Kathy Toth
Ann Arbor Market Center Keller Williams - Ann Arbor, MI
Ann Arbor Real Estate Experts - Kathy Toth Team

Niman, thanks so much for sharing. I missed this and have been hearing about this IRS whitch hunt for several years. Glad someone was finally able to get this far enough in the system to get sense made of it.

May 20, 2009 01:36 PM
Niman Singh
SimplifyEm - Fremont, CA
Property Management Software

Hi Kathy, I'm happy to share! I'm surprised I haven't heard much about this either. Maybe it's just too new!

May 21, 2009 06:49 AM