Tax Implications: Distinguishing Between a Hobby and a Business

When it comes to tax reporting, determining whether an activity is a hobby or a business is crucial. Under the IRS hobby loss rules, if an activity is deemed a hobby rather than a for-profit venture, the income must be reported on line 8j of Schedule 1, within the 2025 Draft Form 1040 as 'activity not engaged in for profit income.' Crucially, any expenses incurred from hobbies are not deductible. Image 1 This delineation also means that hobby activities do not trigger self-employment tax obligations, providing some relief to hobbyists.

Share this article...

Want our best tax and accounting tips and insights delivered to your inbox?

Sign up for our newsletter.

I confirm this is a service inquiry and not an advertising message or solicitation. By clicking “Submit”, I acknowledge and agree to the creation of an account and to the and .
Let us take your tax and accounting needs off your hands today.