< Back to IRS

Liam McGuire

How much stock capital loss can I deduct from my capital gains? Help with tax carryover

So I'm balancing my investment portfolio right now and trying to figure out the tax implications. Currently sitting on about $12,500 in gains from some tech stocks that did well, but also have unrealized losses of around $13,200 in some retail investments that tanked this year. I'm considering selling both before year-end to essentially zero out my net gain. That would leave me with a net loss of around $700. I've been reading that the IRS allows a $3,000 net capital loss deduction against regular income. My question is - can I apply that $700 net loss against my regular income on my taxes? Or is the $3,000 limit specifically for losses that exceed capital gains? Just trying to understand if I can use this small net loss to reduce my taxable income or if that rule works differently than I'm thinking.

Amara Eze

•

Yes, you can absolutely deduct that $700 net capital loss against your ordinary income! The $3,000 limit is the maximum net capital loss you can deduct against your ordinary income in a single tax year. Here's how it works: First, capital losses offset capital gains. In your case, your $13,200 in losses would first offset your $12,500 in gains, leaving you with a $700 net capital loss. Then, you can deduct that $700 from your other income (like wages) on your tax return. If your net capital loss had been larger - say $4,000 - you could only deduct $3,000 this year, and the remaining $1,000 would carry forward to next year's return.

0 coins

Thanks for explaining! Quick follow-up question - is there any benefit to timing when I sell these stocks? Like should I wait until January if I expect to have fewer gains next year? Or does it not matter when I realize these losses?

0 coins

Amara Eze

•

Timing can definitely matter for tax planning. If you sell in December, the loss affects this year's taxes. If you wait until January, it applies to next year instead. If you expect to have significant capital gains next year, it might be better to wait and use the losses to offset those future gains. However, if you need the tax benefit this year, selling now makes more sense. Remember that "wash sale" rules prevent you from claiming a loss if you buy the same or substantially identical security within 30 days before or after the sale.

0 coins

After struggling with capital loss deduction confusion for years, I finally found an amazing solution that saved me thousands in taxes. I was in a similar situation with losses exceeding gains and wasn't sure how to maximize my deductions. I discovered https://taxr.ai which completely transformed how I handle my investment taxes. I uploaded my trading statements and it automatically calculated my net capital gains/losses, identified wash sales (which I didn't even know were affecting my deductions!), and showed me exactly how much I could deduct against ordinary income. The tool even helped me identify tax-loss harvesting opportunities I was missing. It's been incredible for managing my investment tax situation without paying hundreds to a professional.

0 coins

Dylan Wright

•

Does it handle more complex situations? I've got some crypto trades, employee stock options, and dividend reinvestments that always confuse me at tax time.

0 coins

Sofia Torres

•

I'm skeptical about these tax tools. How does it compare to something like TurboTax or H&R Block? Does it actually file your taxes or just give recommendations?

0 coins

It absolutely handles complex situations including crypto, options and dividend reinvestments. The platform specifically has modules for crypto basis calculation which saved me hours of spreadsheet work. It even flagged transactions I had completely forgotten about. The difference from TurboTax is that this is specifically focused on investment taxes rather than being a general tax prep tool. It doesn't file your taxes directly - it gives you the exact figures and forms to enter into whatever tax filing method you use. I personally use the reports it generates and then enter those numbers into my tax software.

0 coins

Dylan Wright

•

Just wanted to follow up about that taxr.ai site mentioned earlier. I was dealing with a nightmare scenario of 200+ crypto trades plus some stock options from my employer, and was dreading tax season. Gave it a try last week and holy crap, it saved me SO much time! Uploaded my transaction history files and it sorted everything out automatically. Found about $2,800 in deductible losses I would have missed (some complicated wash sale situations I didn't understand). The capital loss carryforward calculator was super helpful too - shows exactly how much I'll be able to deduct this year and what carries to future years. Definitely worth checking out if you're dealing with investment tax questions!

0 coins

If you're struggling to get answers directly from the IRS about capital loss deductions, I've been there! After waiting on hold for 3+ hours multiple times trying to get clarity on my specific situation with capital loss carryovers, I found https://claimyr.com which has been an absolute game-changer. They somehow get you connected with an actual IRS agent in a fraction of the time. I was connected in about 20 minutes after weeks of failed attempts. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent I spoke with clarified that my $2,200 net capital loss could indeed be deducted from ordinary income up to the $3,000 limit, and confirmed exactly how to report it on my return. Getting that official answer directly from the IRS gave me so much confidence in my filing.

0 coins

Wait, how does this actually work? Does someone else wait on hold for you or something? Seems kinda too good to be true.

0 coins

Sofia Torres

•

Yeah right, nobody can magically skip the IRS phone queue. They probably just connect you to some third-party "tax expert" who isn't even with the IRS. I'll believe it when I see it.

0 coins

They use a combination of technology and timing to navigate the IRS phone system more efficiently. It's not skipping the line exactly - they've just figured out the optimal times to call and how to navigate the phone tree most efficiently. When you use their service, they handle the initial calling and waiting, then alert you when they've nearly reached an agent. You get a call when you're about to be connected to an actual IRS representative - not a third party. It's still the official IRS helpline, just with the painful waiting part handled for you.

0 coins

Sofia Torres

•

OK I need to eat my words about Claimyr. After my skeptical comment I decided to try it myself since I've been trying to reach the IRS for WEEKS about my capital loss carryforward from last year. It actually worked! Got connected to a real IRS agent in about 15 minutes. The agent confirmed that my $4,600 loss from last year (where I could only deduct $3,000) properly carried forward, and the remaining $1,600 can be deducted this year along with any additional net losses. She also explained exactly which forms I needed to file. The stress relief of having official confirmation was honestly worth every penny. Sorry for being that annoying skeptical guy!

0 coins

Ava Rodriguez

•

To add to the great advice already here - make sure you're keeping track of your loss carryforwards for future years! I messed this up royally a few years back. Had a $7,500 net loss one year, deducted the max $3,000 against ordinary income, but then completely forgot about the remaining $4,500 carryforward the next year. Basically left money on the table because I didn't track it properly. Now I keep a simple spreadsheet showing my remaining loss carryforward balance. The IRS doesn't remind you about this - it's entirely on you to remember and track it.

0 coins

Miguel Diaz

•

Do the carryforward losses expire? Like if I don't use them within a certain number of years, do I lose them?

0 coins

Ava Rodriguez

•

Capital loss carryforwards don't expire! That's one of the great things about them. You can carry them forward indefinitely until they're used up. I've been carrying forward some losses from the 2008 financial crisis that I'm still slowly using. Each year I can use up to $3,000 against ordinary income, and any amount to offset capital gains. The key is just remembering you have them and keeping good records of the remaining balance.

0 coins

Zainab Ahmed

•

One thing nobody's mentioned yet - make sure you're considering the difference between short-term and long-term capital gains/losses. They're taxed at different rates! Short-term gains (assets held less than a year) are taxed at your ordinary income rate, while long-term gains get preferential lower tax rates. When calculating your net position, short-term losses first offset short-term gains, and long-term losses offset long-term gains. If you have excess in one category, then it can offset the other category. For your specific situation with the $700 net loss, it doesn't matter much, but if you're trying to be strategic about which positions to sell, the holding period can make a big difference in the tax impact.

0 coins

Liam McGuire

•

Thanks for bringing up the short vs long term distinction! In my case, most of my gains are actually short-term (held about 8 months) while the losses are from positions I've held for almost 2 years. Does that change how I should approach this? Should I be more strategic about which positions I sell?

0 coins

Zainab Ahmed

•

In your situation, it might be more tax-efficient to sell your long-term loss positions to offset your short-term gains. Since short-term gains are taxed at a higher rate (your ordinary income rate), using your long-term losses to offset those higher-taxed gains could save you more in taxes. If you're looking to minimize your current tax liability, consider realizing enough losses to offset all your short-term gains first. Then if you still want additional tax benefits, you could realize more losses up to the point where you can take the maximum $3,000 deduction against ordinary income. Just be careful not to trigger wash sale rules if you plan to repurchase any of these securities.

0 coins

Noah Irving

•

Great question about capital loss deductions! Just to clarify the mechanics for anyone else reading - when you have a net capital loss like your $700, you can indeed deduct it dollar-for-dollar against your ordinary income, up to the $3,000 annual limit. The key thing to understand is that capital losses first offset capital gains (which you've calculated correctly), and then any remaining net loss can reduce your other taxable income. Since your net loss is only $700, you'll be able to deduct the full amount this year. One additional consideration: if you're close to year-end, you might want to review whether you have any other positions with unrealized gains or losses. Sometimes it makes sense to do a bit more tax-loss harvesting to optimize your overall tax situation, especially if you're in a higher tax bracket where every deduction counts more.

0 coins

This is really helpful! I'm new to investing and tax planning, so I appreciate the clear explanation. When you mention "tax-loss harvesting," what exactly does that mean? Is that just strategically selling losing positions to offset gains, or is there more to it? I want to make sure I understand the concept before I start making any moves with my own portfolio.

0 coins

IRS AI

Expert Assistant
Secure

Powered by Claimyr AI

T
I
+
20,095 users helped today