Reno, NV asked in Tax Law for Nevada

Q: If I loan a friend $$$ and 10 years later they finally repaid it, is that taxable to me? (the debt was never forgiven)

I loaned a friend $7,500 10 years ago and now they finally repaid it. The loan was never cancelled or forgiven by me. Now that he finally repaid me, do I have to pay taxes on the repayment of the loan money received?

Related Topics:
1 Lawyer Answer
James L. Arrasmith
PREMIUM
James L. Arrasmith pro label Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
Answered

A: Receiving repayment of a loan you made is generally not considered taxable income. The money you lent was already your own, so when it's repaid, you're merely getting back what was originally yours. This principle holds regardless of the time taken for the repayment.

However, it's important to note that if any interest was charged and paid on the loan, the interest received is considered taxable income. In your case, if the repayment was simply the original amount of $7,500 with no additional interest, there should be no tax implications for receiving the repayment.

It's always a good idea to keep records of the loan and its repayment, particularly in situations where significant time has passed. This documentation can be helpful if there are any questions or clarifications needed about the nature of these funds.

For specific advice and to ensure you're in compliance with all relevant tax laws, consider consulting with a tax professional. They can provide guidance tailored to your specific situation.

Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.

The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.

Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.