IA 123 Net Operating Loss Schedule Instructions, page 1
41-123b (07/23/19)
Application of the NOL for Iowa Purposes:
For tax years beginning after August 5, 1997, the
NOL attributable to Iowa is subject to the federal
two-year carryback and up to a 20-year carryover
provision. This provision does not apply to
casualty losses and losses of farmers and small
businesses attributable to losses incurred in
presidentially-declared disaster areas (back 3,
forward 20). Effective for tax years beginning on or
after January 1, 1998, Iowa net operating losses
from farming may be carried back five years and
forward 20 years. However, taxpayers with net
operating losses from farming for tax years
beginning in 1998 or after can elect to forego the
5-year carryback provision and can carry back the
loss two years (three years for a loss in a national
disaster area or due to a casualty, storm, or theft.)
This federal election can be made on the federal
original return or on an amended federal return
within the 6-month period after the due date.
Election:
If there is both a federal NOL and an Iowa NOL
and a timely election is made to forego the
carryback period for federal purposes, that election
is binding for Iowa purposes. If an NOL occurs for
Iowa purposes but not for federal purposes, the
loss must first be carried back and then carried
forward for the carryback and carryforward periods
applicable to that tax year. No election to forego
the carryback period is allowable.
The federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017
eliminated federal NOL carrybacks for taxpayers
other than certain farmers or insurance
companies for tax years ending on or after
January 1, 2018. Taxpayers who are not
permitted to carry back a federal NOL have not
elected to waive a federal carryback period, and
may not waive the applicable Iowa carryback
period on their Iowa NOL.
Classification of Income:
For purposes of identifying business and
nonbusiness deductions, refer to the federal
guidelines since they are applicable for Iowa
NOL purposes. In order to allow nonbusiness
deductions, a schedule showing all such
nonbusiness deductions must be provided.
Nonbusiness Adjustment to Income:
Nonbusiness adjustments to income which are
most common, but not limited to: IRA, HR-10,
early withdrawal penalty, alimony paid, disability
income exclusion, and pension exclusion.
Note: The health insurance deduction claimed on
your federal return as a business adjustment to
income can be classified as a business
deduction. Beginning with tax year 2014, Social
Security is not used to calculate Iowa Net
Income. Therefore, for years involving 2014 or
later, Social Security benefits are not income for
Iowa purposes and should not be used to
calculate the NOL.
Capital Gain and Loss Regarding
NOL Computation:
An individual or other non-corporate taxpayer can
deduct nonbusiness capital loss only to the extent
of nonbusiness capital gain. Beginning with tax
year 1994, any Iowa capital gain deduction must
be added back in the computation of the Iowa
NOL. Further, when applying an NOL from tax
year 1994 or later, the capital gain deduction is
not allowed in the carryback or carryover tax year
and must be added back to income to the extent
of the NOL.
Line 5a: For tax years prior to 2019, include only
the amount of federal tax payments from the IA
1040, lines 31-33 that are defined as business
tax payments for federal purposes.
For tax year 2019 and later, include only the
amount of federal tax payments from the IA
1040, line 31 that are defined as business tax
payments for federal purposes.
Note: For 2019 and later, the Qualified Business
Income deduction and DPAD 199A(g) deduction
taken on IA 1040 lines 32 and 33 are not
allowed in the computation of the Iowa NOL.
Line 5c: The total of nonbusiness itemized
deductions, nonbusiness adjustments, and
nonbusiness federal tax payments are allowed
only to the extent of nonbusiness Iowa income.
An itemized deduction schedule (Schedule A) for
the loss year must be included with the IA 1040X
amended return when making an itemized
deduction entry on this line. The federal tax
payment must be separated between business
and nonbusiness. While the business portion of
the federal tax payment is reported on line 5a, the
nonbusiness portion of the federal tax payment is
reported as an adjustment on line 5c subject to
limitation.
Note: For 2019 and later. the Qualified Business
Income deduction and DPAD 199A(g) deduction
taken on IA 1040 lines 32 and 33 are not
allowed in the computation of the Iowa NOL.