Let’s say you have a sideline activity that you consider a business. Perhaps you offer photography services or sell handmade items online. Will the IRS agree that your venture is a business, not a hobby? It’s an essential question for tax purposes. If the expenses from an activity exceed the revenues, you have a net loss. You can’t necessarily deduct that loss on your federal income tax return. The IRS often claims that money-losing sidelines are hobbies rather than businesses, and the tax rules for hobbies aren’t favorable. However, we may be able to help you prove your money-losing activity is really a for-profit business that hasn’t paid off yet. That way, you can deduct the losses.