What Is a Net Operating Loss (NOL)?

Many businesses don’t make any money, particularly during their first year of operation. When this happens, the IRS provides business owners with some tax relief in the form of something called a net operating loss (NOL). What follows is a summary of the basics that you need to know about it. If you need help making sense of any financial concepts for your business, consider finding a financial advisor, some of whom help family businesses.

Net Operating Losses: The Basics

A net operating loss (NOL) occurs when a company has more tax deductions than taxable income in a given year. When business owners have a NOL, they don’t owe any taxes for that particular year. What’s more, they might be able to get a refund for taxes paid in previous years or use their business losses to lower their taxable income in the future.

While companies themselves can’t get a tax break if they’re pass-through entities (like sole proprietorships, partnerships and S corporations) their owners can apply their net operating losses on their personal income tax returns. C corporations are taxed at the corporate level, so their losses are applied on their corporate income tax returns.

Net Operating Loss Carryback

Carrying an NOL back or forward will apply losses to income tax returns from past and/or future years. The benefit of this is that a NOL can reduce your tax liability.

The year the net operating loss happens is known as the NOL year. If you have an NOL, you may be able to carry that amount back to two years before the NOL year. This two-year time frame is known as the carryback period. If your net operating loss occurs following a theft or another incident, you may qualify for a three-year carryback period.

Taxpayers who want to carry back net operating losses can apply them to a past tax return by filing an amended return (using IRS Form 1040x). If there’s anything left over, you’ll have to carry it forward and apply it to a future tax return.

If you want to receive your refund more quickly, you can file Form 1045 instead of Form 1040x. This form – known as the Application for Tentative Refund – will ensure that you receive your tax refund within 90 days. However, according to IRS rules, you’re required to file this form within a year following the NOL.

Net Operating Loss Carryforward

If you don’t want to carry your NOL back, you can carry it forward at any point within a 20-year period. That’s worth considering, particularly if you haven’t paid taxes for the past two years. After 20 years have passed, any NOL that’s left over gets canceled.

If you want to forgo the carryback period and carry the amount of your NOL forward, you’ll need to include a statement with your tax return for the NOL year saying that you’re doing so. If you file your tax return without attaching a statement, you can always file an amended tax return within six months of your tax due date (that time frame doesn’t account for filing extensions). It’s best to write “filed pursuant to section 301.9100-2” at the top of the statement you file with your amended tax return.

When calculating your NOL, there are certain deductions that you’ll need to leave out. For example, business owners who don’t pay corporate income taxes must exclude personal exemptions and any net capital losses (when capital losses exceed capital gains).

Bottom Line

When you’re running a business, losing money isn’t the end of the world. Being able to use a loss carryforward or a loss carryback technique can relieve some of your tax burden. If you have a NOL, you’ll need to think carefully before deciding what to do with it. After all, once you waive your carryback period, your decision generally can’t be reversed. If you end up with NOLs in multiple years, you’ll need to use the oldest one first.

Money Management Tips

A financial advisor can help with all sorts of money issues, including managing profit lines for a business. Finding a financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can have a free introductory call with your advisor matches to decide which one you feel is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
You’ll want to know what your tax burden might look like before you make any other decisions about how to manage your funds for the year. Use SmartAsset’s free income tax calculator to see how much you might owe Uncle Sam, and keep that figure in mind as you budget for the year.