I’m often asked by nervous new business owners if they can recover a tax refund for a business loss. Receiving a tax benefit from a business loss depends on the type of entity formed and whether the investment in the business is “at risk” in whole or in part. It also depends on the presence of other income.

Owners of a corporation are not taxed directly on business profits and losses because the corporation’s taxes are taxed separately. For other types of enterprises, business income and loss passes through to the owner’s personal tax return. These business types are: