Exception for self-employment income

(b) Special rule for traders. In the case of gross income described in §§ 1.1411-4(a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) derived from a trade or business of trading in financial instruments or commodities (as described in § 1.1411-5(a)(2)), the deductions described in § 1.1411-4(f)(2)(ii) properly allocable to the taxpayer's trade or business of trading in financial instruments or commodities are taken into account in determining the taxpayer's self-employment income only to the extent that such deductions reduce the taxpayer's net earnings from self-employment (after aggregating under § 1.1402(a)-2(c) the net earnings from self-employment from any trade or business carried on by the taxpayer as an individual or as a member of a partnership). Any deductions described in § 1.1411-4(f)(2)(ii) that exceed the amount of net earnings from self-employment, in the aggregate (if applicable), are allowed in determining the taxpayer's net investment income under section 1411 and the regulations thereunder.

(c) Examples. The following examples illustrate the provisions of this section. For purposes of these examples, assume the taxpayer is a United States citizen, uses a calendar taxable year, and Year 1 and all subsequent years are taxable years in which section 1411 is in effect:

Example 1. Exclusion from self-employment income.

A is a general partner in PRS, a partnership carrying on a trade or business that is not a trade or business of trading in financial instruments or commodities (within the meaning of § 1.1411-5(a)(2)). During Year 1, A's distributive share from PRS is $1 million, $300,000 of which is attributable to the gain on the sale of PRS's capital assets. Section 1402(a)(3)(A) provides an exclusion from net earnings from self-employment for any gain or loss from the sale or exchange of a capital asset. For Year 1, A has $700,000 self-employment income subject to self-employment tax. This $700,000 subject to self-employment tax is not included as part of net investment income under paragraph (a) of this section. However, the $300,000 attributable to the gain on PRS's sale of a capital asset is excluded from net earnings from self-employment, and from self-employment income, and thus is not covered by the exception in section 1411(c)(6). Therefore, the $300,000 attributable to the gain on PRS's sale of a capital asset is included as net investment income if the other requirements of section 1411 are satisfied.

Example 2. Two trades or businesses.

B is an individual engaged in two trades or businesses, Business X and Business Y, neither of which is the trade or business of trading in financial instruments or commodities (as described in § 1.1411-5(a)(2)). B carries on Business X as a sole proprietor and B is also a general partner in a partnership that carries on Business Y. Business Y is a nonpassive activity of B. During Year 1, B had net earnings from self-employment consisting of the aggregate of a $50,000 loss (that is, after application of the exclusions under section 1402(a)(1)-(17)) from Business X, and $70,000 in income (after application of the exclusions under section 1402(a)(1)-(17)) from B's distributive share from the partnership from carrying on Business Y. Thus, B's net earnings from self-employment in Year 1 are $20,000. For Year 1, all of B's income, deductions, gains, and losses from Business X and distributive share from the partnership carrying on Business Y, other than those amounts excluded due to application of section 1402(a)(1)-(17), are taken into account in determining B's net earnings from self-employment and self-employment income for such taxable year. Accordingly, in calculating B's net investment income (as defined in § 1.1411-4) for Year 1, B will not take into account the items of income, loss, gain, and deduction that comprise B's $50,000 loss attributable to Business X (after application of the exclusions under section 1402(a)(1)-(17)), and the items of income, loss, gain, and deduction that comprise B's $70,000 distributable share attributable to B's general partnership interest (after application of the exclusions under section 1402(a)(1)-(17)). Rather, only items of income, loss, gain, and deduction from the two separate businesses that were excluded from the calculation of B's net earnings from self-employment income due to the application of the exclusions under section 1402(a)(1)-(17), such as any capital gains and losses excluded under section 1402(a)(3), are considered for purposes of calculating B's net investment income for Year 1 in connection with these two trades or businesses.

Example 3. Special rule for trader with single trade or business.

D is an individual engaged in the trade or business of trading in commodities (as described in § 1.1411-5(a)(2)). D made a valid and timely election under section 475(f)(2). D derives $400,000 of trading gains, which are gross income described in § 1.1411-4(a)(1) and $15,000 of expenses described in § 1.1411-4(f)(2)(ii) from carrying on the trade or business. Pursuant to sections 475(f)(1)(D) and 1402(a)(3)(A), none of the gross income is taken into account in determining D's net earnings from self-employment and self-employment income. Therefore, under paragraph (a) of this section, the $400,000 of gross income is not covered by the exception in section 1411(c)(6). Because D had $0 net earnings from self-employment, the $15,000 of deductions did not reduce D's net earnings from self-employment under paragraph (b) of this section and § 1.1411-(4)(f)(2)(ii). Therefore, the $15,000 of deductions may reduce D's gross income of $400,000 for purposes of section 1411.

Example 4. Special rule for trader with multiple trades or businesses.

E is an individual engaged in two trades or businesses, Business X (which is not a trade or business of trading in financial instruments or commodities) and Business Y (which is a trade or business of trading in financial instruments or commodities (as described in § 1.1411-5(a)(2)). E made a valid and timely election under section 475(f) with respect to Business Y. During Year 1, E had net earnings from self-employment from Business X of $35,000. During Year 1, E also had $300,000 of trading gains, which are gross income described in § 1.1411-4(a)(1) and $40,000 of expenses described in § 1.1411-4(f)(2)(ii) from Business Y. E's $300,000 of gross income from Business Y is excluded from net earnings from self-employment and self-employment income pursuant to sections 475(f)(1)(D) and 1402(a)(3)(A). E's $40,000 of deductions from Business Y reduce E's $35,000 of net earnings from self-employment from Business X to $0. Pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section and § 1.1411-4(f)(2)(ii), the remaining $5,000 of deductions from Business Y are taken into account in determining E's net investment income (by reducing E's gross income of $300,000 from Business Y to $295,000) for purposes of section 1411.

(d) Effective/applicability date. This section applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2013. However, taxpayers may apply this section to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012, in accordance with § 1.1411-1(f).