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Music venue was a labor of love

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Business owners can generally deduct business losses on their tax returns, but if the related activity is deemed a hobby, the deduction is limited. To qualify as a bona fide business, a profit motive must be shown, demonstrated by operating in a businesslike manner. One music enthusiast ran a performance venue, which incurred losses year after year, yet she made no effort to improve her business operations. That led the U.S. Tax Court to conclude the venue was a hobby, not a business. Her losses were disallowed. (TC Memo 2018-8)

How would homeowners fare under the proposed tax law?

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The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act would make several changes. For example, it retains the mortgage interest deduction (subject to a $1 million cap) for mortgages that already exist on Nov. 2, 2017, as well as for those who entered into a binding written contract before that date. However, for newly purchased homes, the deduction would be limited to $500,000 and taxpayers would be limited to one qualified residence. The bill would also retain the property tax deduction, subject to a $10,000 maximum.

CBO grades American Health Care Act

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The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) gives its “score” to the American Health Care Act (AHCA). The CBO issued a report projecting the proposed law would reduce federal deficits by $337 billion from 2017-2026. The largest savings would come from reduced Medicaid outlays and eliminating the Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies for nongroup health insurance. Savings would be offset by a new tax credit and repealing many ACA taxes and penalties. In 2018, the CBO estimated 14 million more people would be uninsured under the bill, increasing to 24 million in 2026.

A March madness score that doesn’t involve college basketball.

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This week, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is expected to “score” the proposed bill that U.S. House representatives have released to replace the Affordable Care Act. The CBO score will calculate the cost of the American Health Care Act, as well as how many Americans would lose health coverage under it. According to its website, each year the CBO “provides the Congress with several hundred formal cost estimates that analyze the likely effects of proposed legislation on the federal budget.”