What if my capital losses exceed my capital gains?

If your capital losses exceed your capital gains, the amount of the excess loss that you can claim to lower your income is the lesser of $3,000 ($1,500 if married filing separately) or your total net loss shown on line 16 of Schedule D (Form 1040), Capital Gains and Losses. Claim the loss on line 7 of your Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR.

What are capital gains & losses?

Capital gains and losses fall into two categories: long-term gains and losses and short-term gains and losses. If you sell an investment you owned for a year or less, it’s considered a short-term gain (or loss). If you sell an asset you’ve held for over a year, it counts as a long-term loss or gain.

What is a capital loss deduction?

The capital loss deduction gives you a tax break for claiming your realized losses. In other words, reporting your losses to the IRS can shrink your tax bill. How much you can deduct depends on the size of your gains and losses. If you end up with a larger capital gain amount, you can subtract your losses from your gains.