Submitted By: Patricia
Answered: February 18, 2014 8:30 am

My spouse died in 2013 with a sizable capital loss carryover. Can I carry the loss back?

Capital losses can be carried forward only to offset capital gains (and up to $3,000 of ordinary income) in future years. The capital losses of a deceased spouse can be used on the final joint return, but the surviving spouse cannot carry the excess forward for used by the spouse in future years.

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Tax Glossary

Useful life

For property not depreciated under ACRS or MACRS, the estimate of time in which a depreciable asset will be used.

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