Claiming Gambling Losses In 2018

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If you had a successful night at the slots or poker tables, you're going to have to share some of the lucky proceeds with Uncle Sam. The Internal Revenue Service generally requires that you report your gambling winnings and losses separately when you file your taxes rather than combining the two amounts.

Record Keeping

Claiming Gambling Losses In 2018 2019

As you gamble during the year, you need to keep records of your winnings and losses so that you can support whatever figures you report on your taxes. The IRS permits you to use per-session recording, which means that instead of recording whether you won or lost each time you pull the slot machine, you can simply record your total for the session. Your records should include the date and type of gambling, where you gambled and if you gambled with anyone else, such as a home poker game. If you win more than $600, you should receive a Form W-2G from the casino.

Gambling Losses May Be Deducted Up to the Amount of Your Winnings Fortunately, although you must list all your winnings on your tax return, you don't have to pay tax on the full amount. You are allowed to list your annual gambling losses as an itemized deduction on Schedule A of your tax return. The gambling loss deduction is limited to the extent of your winnings for the year and excess losses cannot be carried forward to future years. Under the TCJA, misc. Deductions subject to the 2% of adjusted gross income floor are not allowed, however certain deductions (including the gambling loss deduction) are still deductible. You should only itemize if all your personal deductions, including gambling losses, exceed your standard deduction for the year. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), the massive tax reform law that went into effect in 2018, made it much harder for most taxpayers to itemize.

Taxable Winnings

Just remember, the gambling losses you are allowed to deduct can't exceed the winnings.
Just remember, the gambling losses you are allowed to deduct can't exceed the winnings.

When figuring your gambling winnings, only include the winnings from each session rather than using losses to offset your gains. You have to include gambling winnings even if you didn't receive a Form W-2G from the casino. For example, if you gambled six times during the year, winning $100, $3,000, $4,000 and $6,000 but losing $5,000 and $2,000, your gambling winnings for the year are $13,100. This amount gets reported on line 21 of your Form 1040 tax return.

Claiming Gambling Losses On Taxes

Gambling Losses

To claim your gambling losses, you have to itemize your deductions. Gambling losses are a miscellaneous deduction, but -- unlike some other miscellaneous deductions -- you can deduct the entire loss. The deduction goes on line 28 of Schedule A and you have to note that the deduction is for gambling losses. For example, if you lost $5,000 on one occasion and $7,000 on another, your total deduction is $12,000.

Gambling Loss Limitation

You can't deduct more in gambling losses than you have in gambling winnings for the year. For example, suppose you reported $13,000 in gambling winnings on Line 21 of Form 1040. Even if you lost $100,000 that year, your gambling loss deduction is limited to $13,000. Worse, you aren't allowed to carry forward the excess, so if you had $87,000 in losses you couldn't deduct last year, you can't use that to offset the gambling income from the current year.

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Six Tips on Gambling Income and Losses

Whether you roll the dice, play cards or bet on the ponies, all your winnings are taxable. The IRS offers these six tax tips for the casual gambler.

Gambling income includes winnings from lotteries, raffles, horse races and casinos. It also includes cash and the fair market value of prizes you receive, such as cars and trips.
If you win, you may receive a Form W-2G, Certain Gambling Winnings, from the payer. The form reports the amount of your winnings to you and the IRS. The payer issues the form depending on the type of gambling, the amount of winnings, and other factors. You’ll also receive a Form W-2G if the payer withholds federal income tax from your winnings.
You must report all your gambling winnings as income on your federal income tax return. This is true even if you do not receive a Form W-2G.
If you’re a casual gambler, report your winnings on the “Other Income” line of your Form 1040, U. S. Individual Income Tax Return.
You may deduct your gambling losses on Schedule A, Itemized Deductions. The deduction is limited to the amount of your winnings. You must report your winnings as income and claim your allowable losses separately. You cannot reduce your winnings by your losses and report the difference.
You must keep accurate records of your gambling activity. This includes items such as receipts, tickets or other documentation. You should also keep a diary or similar record of your activity. Your records should show your winnings separately from your losses.

Proof:

Bingo and similar games: Keep records of the number of games played, the cost of cards purchased, and amounts collected on winning cards.
Slot machines: Maintain a record of the machine number and all winnings by date and time the machine was played.
Casino table games (e.g., blackjack, craps, poker and roulette): Write down the number of the table where you played and any casino credit information.
Racing (horses, harness, dog, etc.): Keep track of the number of races, the amounts of your wagers and the amounts you won and lost.

Claiming Gambling Losses In 2018 Tax Returns

For residents of Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, beware. These states do not allow amateur gamblers to deduct their losses from their winnings. For example, if an amateur gambler in Ohio wins $50,000 and loses $50,000, they may not deduct their losses even though they technically broke even.

This is not the case if the taxpayer is a professional gambler such as a professional poker player. They may deduct gambling losses from their state income taxes but they are aggressively challenged for their status as professional.

Can I Claim Gambling Losses In 2018

So remember to consider the tax implications for gambling winnings and losses and plan accordingly based on your gambling status and the state you live in.

IRS Resources

Publication 525, Taxable and Nontaxable Income
Publication 529, Miscellaneous Deductions
Tax Topic 419, Gambling Income and Expenses
Form W-2G, Certain Gambling Winnings

IRS YouTube Videos:

Gambling Winnings and Losses – English Spanish ASL
Record Keeping – English Spanish ASL

IRS Podcasts:

Gambling Winnings and Losses – English Spanish